The 7 Best First Impressions from the Myrtle Beach Golf Scene
By Jim Maggio
They may not fully define the golf experience you’re about to enjoy at these courses, but these seven features of the Myrtle Beach golf scene will leave the strongest first impressions when you make your first visit to the courses that showcase them.
Tree-Lined Entries with Moss-Draped Canopies – The stunning Lowcountry settings at several South Strand designs don’t just welcome you upon arrival, they fully wrap you in their warm embrace. The scenic entries at Heritage Club, Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club and Wedgefield Country Club are as picturesque as any you’ll find, and the drive from the entry gate to the clubhouse at Caledonia Golf & Fish Club will leave an indelible memory like no other.
A Bridge Over Scenic Waters – Multiple courses along the Grand Strand play along the Intracoastal Waterway, but Grande Dunes Resort Course offers a ready-made preview of what’s in store for your round as you drive over its entry bridge. The entirety of its 9th hole is in full view as it runs along the Waterway, and the sneak peek is spectacular.
Dye-Abolical Finishing Holes – They wrap up your nines, but they’re the first thing you notice once you get behind the clubhouse in route to starting your round. Holes 9 and 18 at Prestwick Country Club and The Dye Course at Barefoot Resort, each of which wraps around a large lake from tee to green, are textbook examples of how course designer Pete Dye uses visual intimidation in his signature work.
Ocean Vibes – It’s the only golf course along the Grand Strand that offers an unobstructed view of the Atlantic Ocean, and the seaside entry setting at The Dunes Golf & Beach Club never disappoints.
Maples Magic – Designer Dan Maples boasts eight signature designs in the Myrtle Beach area to his credit, but none make the kind of first impression that you’ll experience at Willbrook Plantation and Man O’ War. The surrounding clubhouse setting at Willbrook is pure Lowcountry gold, which extends to the tee box area of a 1st hole that might be one of the Grand Strand’s most photographed opening hole settings. Man O’ War’s entry drive takes you through an entirely different sensory experience, exuding a wide-open feel with water surrounding every hole you see as you drive to the bag drop.
Azalea Season – The splendor of the Southeast’s azalea season can be enjoyed throughout dozens of Myrtle Beach-area designs, but nowhere along the Grand Strand does it greet you upon arrival quite like the immediate clubhouse surrounds at Caledonia, Willbrook and Litchfield Country Club. When you catch it at just the right time, the concentration and color assortment at each of these locations is truly a sight to behold.
Clubhouse Presence – From the traditional (Pine Lakes Country Club, Pawleys Plantation) to the majestic (Thistle Golf Club), distinctive (True Blue Golf Club’s entry lawn and bright blue roof) and quirky (The Wizard Golf Links’ castle replica, World Tour Golf Links’ entry lawn with its massive globe sculpture and lined with international flags), your introduction to many of our in-demand courses is dominated by one-of-a-kind clubhouse architecture.
