Myrtle Beach Golf News & Updates

The first thing that stands out is the name – The Witch. Myrtle Beach golf course names typically include words like dunes, hills, creek and country club. A witch conjures up images of haunted houses, spells and any number of spooky scenarios. Don't be fooled by the name. The Witch is as hospitable as any course in the region, casting her spell on the Myrtle Beach golf scene for 20 years, much to the delight of players. After purchasing the 500 acres The Witch resides on,

The Witch golf course’s layout is as distinctive as its name and far prettier than the moniker might suggest. With the front nine playing through the Waccamaw Swamp and the back nine set amidst sand dune formations that give it unusual (natural) elevation, the golf course has many memorable holes. We consulted with head pro Graham Williams for his three favorite holes at the 4.5-star course, and he gladly obliged. No. 4, 386-yard, par 4 – With water down the left side and

Shaftesbury Glen’s list of honors just got a little longer. The Clyde Johnston design has been named the Myrtle Beach Area Golf Course Owners Association (MBAGCOA) Course of the Year. The par 72 layout, which was inspired by the designs of A.W. Tillinghast, is the 13th course to receive the award.

A highly regarded layout since it opening, Shaftesbury was also nominated by Golf Digest for “Best New Public Course in America” in 2001, and Golf World ranked it the 34th best resort course in the United States in October of 2008.

The Avocet Course at Wild Wing, a Larry Nelson/Jeff Brauer design, has been a Myrtle Beach golf favorite since its opening in 1993. Avocet is a fun layout due in no small part to the diversity of challenges it offers. With that in mind, we asked Wild Wing’s head pro, Dave Harbaugh, to tell us his three favorite holes. Without further ado, here are Harbaugh’s choices: No. 6, 462-yard, par 4: The hardest hole on the course is No. 6. A long par 4 featuring a double green, the

Myrtle Beach is the home of public golf in America, and the area's hospitality extends to even the youngest of golfers. The Grand Strand has 46 courses, including some of the nation's best, that allow junior golfers (kids 16 and under) to play for free when accompanied by a paying adult. Several other facilities permit Juniors to play for free during the summer and at deeply discounted prices the rest of the year, allowing Myrtle Beach to do its part to help ensure the future

A small staircase leads to the front doors of what was an old church. Hardwood floors, stained glass windows, vaulted ceilings and a cozy atmosphere continue to attract the faithful.

Unlike years past, people don’t file into the building in search of sermon. They arrive each night for service at one of the Grand Strand’s best restaurants, and the Parson’s Table satisfies those cravings. Parson’s Table calls the old Little River United Methodist Church

On January 15, US Air flight 1549 crash landed in the frigid Hudson River. Six of the passengers were en route to a Myrtle Beach golf trip. The group recently returned to the Grand Strand for four days in the Golf Capital of the World. Hear how the accident changed their lives and why Myrtle Beach is their favorite golf destination.

Photos of Flight 1549

Caledonia is one of the Grand Strand’s most acclaimed layouts, gaining top 100 accolades from every substantive list, and many players will tell you it’s their favorite Myrtle Beach golf course.

The expectations of players that turn onto Caledonia Drive and travel nearly a half-mile to the course’s clubhouse are higher than the soaring oak trees the line both sides of the road. Caledonia faces the daunting task of being the course everyone circles on their itinerary, and it always seems to deliver.

 “It will exceed your expectations every time,” said Al Serafino, a Brookville, Md. resident. “You get excited every time you play a new course and it always seems to not live up to the hype, but here it’s just the opposite. We love it.”

The late Mike Strantz was denied the opportunity to assemble an extended resume as an elite golf course architect due to the ravages of cancer. But Strantz was supernova on the architecture scene, shining brightly during more than a decade-long stint working on his own. Renowned as equal parts artist and architect, much of Strantz’s lofty reputation is derived from his work at Caledonia.

The Pawleys Island course was Strantz’s first design and he was given complete autonomy. Set on property that a thriving rice plantation called home through most of the 19th century, Strantz crafted a course that is as good technically as it is beautiful.

A 6,500-yard, par 70, Caledonia isn’t exceedingly long, but it is a thinking man’s golf course that delivers one memorable hole after another. Players shouldn’t be fooled by the distance, three front nine par 3s, make the course seem a little shorter than it plays. Caledonia has several meaty par 4s, particularly on the back side, and isn’t susceptible to being gouged by anyone with a new driver and a sleeve of Pro-V1s.

Caledonia has greens that are three clubs long (60 yards) in some instances and are typically defended by sand, water or even the centuries old oak trees on the property. Ranked among America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses by Golf Digest and the Top 100 You Can Play by Golf Magazine, Caledonia is a second shot course.

With the size of some of the greens…

Looking for an argument everyone enjoys? Ask them to name their three favorite holes at Caledonia. The quality of the highly regarded layout doesn’t relent, making debate over favorite holes even more subjective than usual.

That being said, no one knows Caledonia better than Todd Weldon, the only head pro the course has known. Weldon started with Caledonia upon its opening in 1994, and his stewardship has been vital to the course’s development into one of the nation’s

Caledonia is one of the most acclaimed Myrtle Beach golf courses, earning Top 100 honors on every relevant list. But more important than rankings is what Caledonia's most important constituency – its players – say.

A father leads his excited children into the stadium. Friends, young and old, share a laugh, a drink and ponder who on the field will make it will make it to The Show. The intimate ballpark allows fans a close look at rising professional athletes and the most expensive seat ($11) is equal to the cost of a 16-ounce beer at the new Yankee Stadium.

A minor league baseball game is an attractive entertainment option because of its broad appeal, and nowhere is that more evident than BB&T

The family stories that pour out of the Martin’s PGA TOUR Superstore Father-Son Team Classic are many, and every tale of a happy family enjoying the event puts a smile on the face of tournament organizers. But the world’s largest father-son golf tournament can be every bit as therapeutic as it is celebratory.

The 12th annual Father-Son Golf Classic, which will be held July 16-18 in Myrtle Beach, has used the power of golf to heal family wounds.

“We get stories that

The mercury is rising and the beaches are filling, but Myrtle Beach remains the Golf Capital of the World in the summer months as well. If you are making a family beach trip, don’t forget to pack your clubs because summer is as good a time as any to play.

Summer has emerged as the “secret” season in Myrtle Beach. Course conditions are excellent, greens fees are lower and premium tee times are easier to get. With that in mind, here five tips as you prepare for a summer

NFL Hall of Famer Dan Hampton and Comcast SportsNet media star Dave Kaplan recently accompanied six Chicago-area golfers on a trip to Myrtle Beach to celebrate the launch of Spirit Air's new direct service from O'Hare to Myrtle.

See what the Windy City stars had to say about their trip to the Golf Capital of the World.

Possum Trot is one of Myrtle Beach’s 10 oldest golf courses and the Russell Breeden design has gotten better with age. The course is nearly always in impeccable condition and has grown into one of the area’s most popular layouts.

We consulted with Possum Trot staff and players to determine the course’s three favorite holes and after much deliberation, here is our list:

No. 11, 460-yard, par 4 – The Big Possum, as it’s affectionately known, is the