Let’s take a step inside Myrtle Beach’s oldest golf course—Pine Lakes Country Club. Affectionately known as ‘The Granddaddy,’ this iconic course sits just a short distance from the Atlantic Ocean, offering a timeless challenge to golfers of all skill levels. Pine Lakes remains one of Myrtle Beach’s most popular courses, where bringing your ‘A’ game is essential to conquering this classic Golden Age design.
A par 70, Pine Lakes opened in 1927 and has stood the test of time. Here’s a preview of what you can expect on this classic Robert White design.
Holes 1-3
Hit your tee shot in the fairway on the 332-yard opener (all distances from #3 tees), and you can entertain the possibility of a first-hole birdie. Warning: trade distance for accuracy off the tee on this par 4 because there is water on the left and woods on the right.
The challenge immediately stiffens on the 183-yard, par-3 second hole. There is water to carry off the tee, and the green is one of the layout’s largest. This is a tough par, easy bogey, which will prep you for the 426-yard third hole—one of the toughest par 4s in all of Myrtle Beach.
There is ample fairway room, but the approach to a green bordered by water on the right, with little bailout room left, is one of the course’s most perilous. Avoid disaster here, and it’s a victory.
Holes 4-6
After a tough start, this is the time to be aggressive. A dogleg left, No. 4 is a short par 4 that should leave you with nothing more than a wedge to a receptive green. The course’s first par 5 arrives on No. 5, and it’s another dogleg left. Play the 498-yarder conservatively, and a par awaits—assuming you avoid the greenside bunkers.
No. 6 is moderate in length at 382 yards, but the fairway is generous. Avoid water on the left on the approach, and this isn’t an exceedingly difficult challenge.
Holes 7-9
Take advantage of the 370-yard seventh, a par 4 with ample room to land the ball and a green that runs from back to front. Don’t give away a stroke on No. 7, as the toughest par 3 at Pine Lakes awaits on the 187-yard eighth hole. No. 8 is long, the green is big, and there is a bunker on the right where dreams of par go to die.
On paper, the 350-yard ninth should offer a soft touch to finish the opening side, but be careful with your tee shot. There is water on the left, and the fairway cants that way, so it’s easier to run the ball into the hazard than it appears on the box. There is OB right. The lesson: pull a club you are confident in hitting the fairway with because this isn’t the spot to take an unnecessary risk.
Holes 10-12
Take advantage of No. 10, the course’s final par 5. The scorecard says 529 yards, but there is plenty of fairway to hit, and it doesn’t play that long. Anything worse than par here is a disappointment.
The par-3 11th offers the day’s most delicate shot. The scorecard says the hole is 145 yards, but the pin is typically cut up front, leaving you just a wedge in hand for a tee shot that is all carry over water. If the pin is front left, don’t even think about it because you are as likely to wash your ball as you are to hit it close. Play to the middle and be happy to make par.
No. 12 starts the toughest trio of consecutive par 4s along the Myrtle Beach golf scene, and at a meaty 391 yards, it’s the easiest of the bunch, but that’s not saying much. It takes two quality shots to reach the 12th green in regulation.
Holes 13-15
For the sake of your sanity, think of Nos. 13 and 14 as par 4.5s. If you play these two holes in a combined nine strokes, it’s a huge victory. The 13th plays 424 yards and it’s uphill, while No. 14 offers a downhill tee shot—long hitters beware because you might be able to drive the ball into the water that bisects the fairway—and an uphill approach.
Neither is complicated, but it takes an excellent tee shot and an even better approach to have a chance to make par on 13 and 14.
A reprieve awaits on the 365-yard 15th, a slightly uphill par 4 that offers a breather after surviving holes 12-14.
Holes 16-18
Pine Lakes’ final par 3 is 171 yards, and it plays slightly downhill. There is water on the right side of the green and a bunker on the left, but there is ample room between the two to hit a large green. Keep the water out of play.
Your round at Pine Lakes finishes with the 380-yard 17th and the 413-yard 18th, both testy par 4s. Neither is a difficult driving hole, but the 17th is the course’s most heavily bunkered green.
Bomb the driver on No. 18 and hope to play a quality mid-iron into the last green to earn what would be a hard-earned par.
Bottom Line: Pine Lakes Country Club is a tough test, so pay special attention to the scorecard. The #3 tees are 6,305 yards, but remember, this is a par 70, so it plays more like 6,500+. Many people shy away from the 5,735-yard #2 tees because of the perceived length, but don’t make that mistake. If 6,100 yards is the ideal distance for you, play the #2 tees and try to conquer ‘The Granddaddy.’
Also, make sure you enjoy a mimosa at the turn and lunch in the course’s historic clubhouse.
Photos for this feature from our Instagram Account @MyrtleBeachGolfTrips