The Myrtle Beach golf community has long had strong ties to the United States military, going back to the days when the area was home to an Air Force base (yes, that is what Market Common used to be!).
One of the events highlighting that bond is the National Retired Military Golf Classic, a 72-hole, four-person team event that attracts American heroes from across the nation. The 40th annual event will be played May 30 – June 3 and is open to retired military members and their spouses.
While the event is a celebration of the sacrifice of its participants, the tournament’s host courses are part of the appeal. Eight Founders Group international layouts will host the tournament, offering players the opportunity to enjoy some of Myrtle Beach’s most popular courses.
Myrtle Beach National, the long-time home of the event, will again serve as a host. One of the area’s bedrock facilities, golfers will play the West Course, SouthCreek and King’s North at MBN. The three Arnold Palmer designs offer contrasting but memorable experiences.
King’s North (pictured right), which has been ranked among America’s top 100 public courses, is famously home to “The Gambler,” a par 5 featuring an alternate, island fairway that
offers the possibility of an eagle putt.
The West Course is Myrtle Beach’s most player-friendly layout, giving golfers of all skill levels the opportunity to score, while SouthCreek is renowned for its 10th hole, a button hook par 5 that plays around a lake. It’s an unforgettable challenge.
Burning Ridge, a former Myrtle Beach Golf Course of the Year award winner, is one of the area’s quiet stars, delivering a quality round of golf and tremendous value.
Tournament players will also relish the opportunity to challenge Long Bay, a Jack Nicklaus design that is home to three holes – 10, 13, 18 – that have been ranked among Myrtle Beach’s top 100 challenges.
Pine Lakes Country Club was Myrtle Beach’s first course and it remains one of the area’s most storied layouts. Designed by Robert White, a native of St. Andrews and the first president of the PGA of America, Pine Lakes is a treat to play and it’s full history, including a clubhouse that is part of the National Registry of Historic Places.
River Hills Golf & Country Club, a Tom Jackson design, is thriving following a 2022 greens restoration project that restored the course’s putting surfaces to their
original size. There is also an ongoing bunker renovation project that will be complete in early March 2023. The layout is in pristine condition. (River Hills pictured right)
Wild Wing’s Avocet Course, a Jeff Brauer-Larry Nelson layout, is one of the area’s most creative challenges, featuring the drivable par 4 14th hole, double greens and dual fairways. (Wild Wing Avocet’s 18th hole top photo)
Cost of entry into the National Retired Military Golf Classic is $395 and includes golf, awards, prizes, a special commemorative gift, an Alabama Theatre show ticket and more.
