Golfweek Ranks Myrtle Beach Courses Among The Elite

July 13, 2010

dunes club3.jpegGolfweek magazine’s team of raters fan out across the nation each year, playing America’s best golf courses and filing ratings reports. Out of those reports spring the magazine’s rankings of the country’s top 100 classic and modern courses, in addition to a breakdown of the best layouts in each state.

Golfweek’s 2010 rankings reaffirmed what most already knew: a Myrtle Beach golf trip offers unparalleled quality. Myrtle Beach’s two most decorated courses – Caledonia Golf & Fish Club and the Dunes Golf & Beach Club – claimed top 100 honors, completing their version of the triple crown.
Caledonia and Dunes are Top 100 courses according to three of the  game’s leading national publications – Golf Magazine, Golf Digest and Golfweek.

The Dunes Club is ranked No. 99 on Golfweek’s list of the Top 100 Classic Courses (pre-1960).The list includes both public and private courses, putting the Dunes Club in the company of Pine Valley and Augusta National.

A Robert Trent Jones design, the Dunes Club has hosted the U.S. Women’s Open, the finals of the PGA Tour’s Q-School, and the Senior Tour Championship.

Caledonia is No. 98 on Golfweek’s Top 100 Modern Courses (1960-present) list, taking its place among the best layouts the game has seen over the last 50 years. The Top 100 Modern Courses list included public and private layouts as well.

Caledonia is built on the grounds of an old plantation and the views are stunning. The centuries old oak trees and landscaping reminiscent of a botanical garden make the Mike Strantz design one of the area’s most popular courses.

The number of quality courses Myrtle Beach has was revealed in the magazine’s best in state rankings. South Carolina is one of America’s most golf-rich states, but Myrtle Beach dominated the Palmetto state rankings.

Seven of South Carolina’s top 10 courses reside along the Grand Strand, according to Golfweek.  Caledonia (No. 3) and the Dunes Club (No. 5), were followed by No. 6 Tidewater, No. 7 True Blue, No. 8 TPC Myrtle Beach, No. 9 Love Course at Barefoot Resort, and No. 10 Heathland at Legends Resort.

On the North Carolina side of the border, Leopard’s Chase at Ocean Ridge Plantation was ranked as the Tar Heel state’s fifth best course by Golfweek.

The recognition from Golfweek adds to an impressive run Myrtle Beach golf courses have enjoyed in national rankings. In its biennial rankings, Golf Digest ranked seven Myrtle Beach golf courses among “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses.” Golf Magazine ranked four area courses among its Top 100 You Can Play.