The 5 Best Myrtle Beach Courses for a Bucket List Golf Trip

When it comes to planning out a group’s rounds for a trek to South Carolina’s Grand Strand, almost no one is throwing darts randomly.

Every decision ultimately leads to that top-shelf selection worthy of sending everyone home happy.

But what about when every course is worthy? For those so lucky, we can give you five tracks that each check every box while offering something truly special. Five days. Five rounds. Five unforgettable number of stories you’ll tell for the rest of your life.

Consider this the bucket list to end all Myrtle Beach golf vacation bucket lists.

ROUND 1: GRANDE DUNES RESORT COURSE
There are no weaklings here. And it’ll take you about 15 seconds after setting foot at Grande Dunes to realize we mean business. We’re starting you off with a course that has been named among America’s top-100 courses – and that’s even before recent renovations added a serious injection of new life into the property. Grande Dunes is a hitter’s paradise nestled next to the Intracoastal Waterway. Five holes touch that body of water, and packaged with some true forgiveness, it’s the perfect combination capable to getting you ready for this trip. (Grande Dunes 17th pictured right)

ROUND 2: TPC MYRTLE BEACH
Warmed up? Good. Because the next stop on our jaunt is the famed TPC Myrtle Beach. This Tom Fazio design opened in February of 1999 and almost immediately began hosting an event on what is now known as the PGA Champions Tour. Regardless of which tees you’re playing (we’d highly recommend not biting off more than you can chew), TPC will test your mettle on just about every shot without introducing any sort of massive length. No, this is a slow bleed type of course, but it’s worth every penny the maintenance crew spends on every blade of grass. (TPC Myrtle Beach 9th top photo)

ROUND 3: CALEDONIA GOLF & FISH CLUB
There aren’t many awards Caledonia hasn’t brought home. And as much as its sister track, True Blue, gives it a run for its money, the older of the two simply has to be on everyone’s individual bucket list. There’s a reason so many rounds in Myrtle Beach since 1994 have used this as the finisher. Massive oaks and creative stream work took Mike Strantz from sharing the limelight directly into a category all his own when his first solo project opened in 1994. He passes away 11 years later, but not before etching his name into some short lists with his production at Caledonia.

ROUND 4: PAWLEYS PLANTATION GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
Depending on who you ask, Pawleys Plantation might be considered one of the toughest courses in all of Myrtle Beach golf. It’s simultaneously one of the most beautiful and visually appealing, whether you have a club in your hand or not. From the front nine winding through old forest property to the back nine cozied up to the marshes stemming from the Atlantic Ocean, Jack Nicklaus’s predominant design in our neck of the woods absolutely refuses to allow any player into a comfort zone where nearly every yard can’t be appreciated.

ROUND 5: MYRTLE BEACH NATIONAL KING’S NORTH
From the Golden Bear to The King, Myrtle Beach National’s anchor has never been better. Arnold Palmer’s 1973 influence and design at King’s North only continues to flex after a recent two-year renovation overhaul. Architect Brandon Johnson took on the front nine in 2024 and then tackled the back in 2025. All that was left was the absolute best rendition of a course that has long been considered one of the very best Myrtle Beach golf had to offer. New greens spearheaded course updates that can’t possibly slip past even the most observant of returning players. (King’s North 7th pictured right)