Even on the most heralded of courses, there are holes that define the experience, heightening anticipation for a round. While every course touts its “signature” hole, some truly stand above the rest.
As you look forward to your next Myrtle Beach golf trip, here’s a closer look at five of the area’s most memorable holes.
No. 14 – Grande Dunes Resort Course
158 yards (all distances from white tees), Par 3
Handicap: 5
On a course full of memorable challenges, the 14th at Grande Dunes stands out. Playing from an elevated tee box to a large green that borders the Intracoastal Waterway, this is the Myrtle Beach area’s most dramatic one-shotter. The green, protected by a bunker on the right, is 45 yards deep and offers plenty of width, but the shot will tighten the collar of your shirt, especially with the pin in back, where the target shrinks and the yardage increases. There’s bailout room left, but that leaves one of the toughest up-and-downs along the Grand Strand. (Pictured Right)
No. 4 – Tidewater Golf Club
400 yards, Par 4
Handicap: 1
If you asked locals to name the area’s best par 4, the fourth hole at Tidewater would receive plenty of support. This gentle dogleg left rewards a well-struck draw off the tee, but it’s the approach that makes the hole. Often played from a downhill lie, the second shot requires a mid- to long-iron into a sprawling green framed by Cherry Grove Inlet on the left and protected by bunkers. The view is beautiful, and the shot is scary.
No. 16 – Pawleys Plantation Golf Club
399 yards, Par 4
Handicap: 2
The par-3 13th is Pawleys Plantation’s most photographed hole, but the 16th is the Jack Nicklaus design’s best. Golfers need to draw their tee shot around the corner of the dogleg left, or this brute plays even longer. The approach is fraught with danger, with tidal marsh and bunkers guarding the right side. However you play it, the view as you round the corner and see the expansive green and marshland is breathtaking. (Pictured Right)
No. 3 – King’s North at Myrtle Beach National
319 yards, Par 4
Handicap: 12
What? You expected me to spotlight “The Gambler,” the eponymous sixth hole? Sure, it’s the course’s most famous, but for risk-reward drama, No. 3 is even better. At just 319 yards, it tempts everyone, but a large pond separates the tee box from a fairway split by a waste bunker. The decision is yours: lay up to the right for a longer approach or challenge the left side to get closer to the green. Just don’t end up in the sand. Overshadowed by The Gambler, this is one of the Grand Strand’s most underrated holes. (Top photo)
No. 18 – Caledonia Golf & Fish Club
377 yards, Par 4
Handicap: 11
Caledonia’s finishing hole is the most famous in Myrtle Beach, and for good reason. The stately clubhouse and its wraparound porch – often full of people watching – provide a dramatic backdrop for a nerve-jangling approach. While the approach gets the attention, the tension starts on the tee. Take on the water and a much shorter second shot awaits; play away and you’ll face a longer, more treacherous path to the green. (Pictured Right)
Photos for this feature from our Instagram Account MyrtleBeachGolfTrips
