The New Year is upon us, which means it’s time to get serious about planning for your 2023 Myrtle Beach golf trip. As you endure the winter months, dreaming of busting a drive, the feel of a perfectly struck iron, and the satisfaction of draining a birdie putt, here are 23 Myrtle Beach golf courses you need to play over the next 12 months and one reason each should be a priority.
Aberdeen Country Club – If you are entering the area via Highway 9, this is the perfect place to start your trip, ensuring pleasant conditions and a chance to score.
Arcadian Shores Golf Club – Rees Jones first solo design is reminiscent of the Dunes Club, one of his father’s greatest works, at a fraction of the cost.
Burning Ridge – The 12th hole, one of Myrtle Beach’s most challenging par 3s, is reason enough to tee it up on this value-laden design.
Caledonia – There are few holes anywhere in South Carolina as memorable as the par 4 18th at Caledonia, which is just one of the reasons it’s a top 100 public
layout. (pictured right)
Crow Creek – If your group is playing along the North Strand, this Rick Robbins design is an under-the-radar gem.
Founders Club – Elevated fairways surrounded by waste bunkers, memorable greens complexes, and outstanding conditions are the just beginning. It’s time to make the drive to Founders Club. (top photo)
Glen Dornoch – The finishing holes along the Intracoastal Waterway are as memorable (and vexing) as any stretch along the Grand Strand.
Grande Dunes Resort Club – After a comprehensive greens, bunkers and clubhouse renovation project, Grande Dunes, which was already on the very short list of the area’s best, should be priority No. 1 in 2023.
Heathland – Architecture aficionados don’t want to miss this Tom Doak design.
Long Bay – Holes 10, 13 and 18 are the heart of an unforgettable back nine.
Love Course – The short par 4 fourth hole, backstopped by the faux ruins of an old plantation home, is the layout’s signature challenge and the rare opportunity to drive a green.
Man O’War – A one-of-a-kind design, every hole on this Dan Maples layout plays around a 107-acre lake and it’s the only course in America with back-to-back island greens.
Meadowlands – When its sister course Farmstead (RIP) closed, ownership pumped all those resources into the maintenance of Meadowlands and the course has
been in spectacular shape since. (pictured right)
Pawleys Plantation – The stunning back nine holes that play along the saltwater marsh are all the reason you need to tee it up on this Jack Nicklaus design.
PineHills – You won’t go wrong on either Myrtlewood course, but here is a vote for the occasionally overlooked PineHills layout, which perfectly balances its reputation for playability with the occasional need for a knee-knocking shot.
Pine Lakes Country Club – The golf course, the history and lunch in the clubhouse make this a must-enjoy experience.
Rivers Edge – Yes, it’s a long drive, but that’s a small price to pay for an Arnold Palmer design that features a beautiful stretch of the Shallotte River.
River Hills – Those newly expanded and resurfaced greens are calling your name.
Shaftesbury Glen – This is the year to challenge the Clyde Johnston design with more than 500,000 square feet of waste bunkers.
SouthCreek – King’s North is Myrtle Beach National’s bedrock layout and the West Course is the area’s easiest, but don’t overlook SouthCreek and the opportunity
to play the par 5 10th hole, a nearly 90-degree dogleg right that is routed around a lake. (pictured right)
True Blue – If there was ever a course where you could reasonably expect to hit every fairway, this is it, so come challenge this classic from Strantz.
TPC Myrtle Beach – The risk-reward, par 5 18th is the perfect way to finish a match and a day at one of the Palmetto State’s finest courses.
World Tour – Where else will you get the chance to play Amen Corner, walk the Swilcan Bridge St. Andrews, and hit the famed island green 17th at TPC Sawgrass?
As you plan for your next trip, keep these 23 courses in mind.
