As we look forward to the New Year, here are 26 thoughts from a cluttered mind on all things Myrtle Beach golf: why the destination is changing, why it’s thriving, and why there’s never been a better time to tee it up here.

1. Sports fans are often consumed by discovering the “next big thing,” which means the annual Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship is among the coolest events on the Myrtle Beach golf calendar.

2. Now entering its 11th year, the event’s past champions include PGA Tour winners Akshay Bhatia, Nick Dunlap and Michael Brenna and LPGA winner Alexa Pano. Charlie Woods and Kai Trump were in the 2025 field.

3. While temps are plummeting across much of the nation, the Masters is less than 100 days away, which means the heart of Myrtle Beach’s spring season is right around the corner, and we can’t wait. It’s a reason for optimism for anyone mired in the worst of winter weather.

4. Speaking of winter, golf in January and February in Myrtle Beach is one of the underrated perks of living in the Golf Capital of the World. Sure, it’s a little chillier than normal, but everything is a little quieter and it’s rarely that cold.

5. Pine Lakes Country Club will be celebrating its 99th birthday this year, so enjoy those complimentary mimosas or chowder.

6. It has been nearly two decades since the last new course opened in Myrtle Beach, but that doesn’t mean the destination has stagnated. Quite the contrary in fact.

7. Courses throughout the Grand Strand have enjoyed renovations in recent years, with Founders Group International, the area’s largest ownership group, leading the way.

8. FGI has already commissioned renos on more than half of its 21 courses, including Pawleys Plantation, Grande Dunes and Pine Lakes.

9. But the renovation of King’s North, led by architect Brandon Johnson, was the company’s most significant. Johnson, a long-time Arnold Palmer protégé, reimagined the greens and their surrounds, and the results were spectacular. It’s a course you need to play.

10. FGI isn’t done. According to our sources, another long-time favorite will enjoy a significant 2026 renovation. Expect the news to break this spring.

11. While FGI has led the way, it’s hardly the only group reinvesting in its golf courses. Sea Trail has fully renovated two of its three layouts—Maples and Byrd—with the Jones Course on deck this summer.

12. Thistle Golf Club, home to 27 holes, has already renovated the greens and bunkers on the Cameron and MacKay nines, with the Stewart nine scheduled for similar work in 2026.

13. Other properties—Tidewater, Barefoot, Caledonia and True Blue, chief among them—have reinvested as well.

14. When the Myrtle Beach Classic made its debut in 2024, people were excited to have the game’s greatest tour come to its most popular destination, but the event has exceeded all reasonable expectations.

15. While much has been made of the fact the Myrtle Beach Classic is an opposite field event, there have been no fluky winners at the Dunes Golf & Beach Club.

16. 2024 winner Chris Gotterup outdueled Rory McIlroy to win last summer’s Scottish Open and has the look of a rising star. New Zealander Ryan Fox won the 2025 Myrtle Beach Classic and then consolidated his win with a triumph at the Canadian Open a month later.

17. These guys really are good and the drama is real.

18. No matter the quality of your play, taking a golf trip is an opportunity to be relished.

19. Sure, it’s great to play well, even more so if you do it on your favorite course, but it’s the chance to spend time with friends—laughing, competing, busting chops—that makes those weekends so enjoyable.

20. Make taking at least one trip a priority in 2026. It’s a decision you won’t regret.

21. The number of Myrtle Beach golf courses—nearly 90—is one of the area’s primary appeals as a destination.

22. The downside, if you can call it that, is that you can go long periods of time between playing courses you really enjoy.

23. With that in mind, here are courses I’m targeting to play in the coming year: Aberdeen, Tradition, Prestwick, Glen Dornoch and Tiger’s Eye.

24. If you are looking to add a new twist to your next golf trip, consider having dinner catered for your group at a course. For example, the Pine Lakes F&B staff is outstanding and the clubhouse is a perfect place to hang out.

25. If you live near a PGA Tour Superstore, join the Players Club for $299. You get a free lesson and almost unlimited time in the simulator. It’s a great deal.

26. Golf is an endlessly frustrating game, but the ability to play and challenge yourself throughout a lifetime—especially in a place that continues to invest in your experience—far outweighs any struggles, no matter how maddening.

Photos for this feature from MyrtleBeachGolfTrips Instagram Account. Photos from top to bottom: TPC Myrtle Beach, King’s North, Pine Lakes Country Club