Golf Digest, one of the game’s most respected legacy media companies, has unveiled its list of Myrtle Beach’s top 25 golf courses, per the evaluation of its nationwide panel of raters.
(As an aside, it’s a testament to the depth of Myrtle Beach’s offerings that Digest could go 25 courses deep and there are layouts that have a legitimate case for being overlooked. FWIW, keep reading for our list of courses the Golf Digest panel snubbed.)
Before we unveil the top 25, the Golf Digest panel evaluates courses based on shot options, challenge, layout variety, distinctiveness, aesthetics, conditioning, and character. To arrive at a course’s final score, Digest totaled its averages in the seven categories, doubling Shot Options.
With that in mind, here is Golf Digest’s list of Myrtle Beach’s top 25 courses:
Dunes Golf & Beach Club
Caledonia Golf & Fish Club
Dye Course at Barefoot Resort
True Blue Golf Club
TPC Myrtle Beach
Tidewater Golf Club
Grande Dunes Resort Club
Pawleys Plantation Golf Club
Heritage Club
Fazio Course at Barefoot Resort
Heathland at Legends Resort
Arcadian Shores Golf Club
Moorland Course at Legends Resort
Love Course at Barefoot Resort
Parkland Course at Legends Resort
King’s North at Myrtle Beach National
Prestwick Country Club
Pine Lakes Country Club
Founders Club at Pawleys Island
Thistle Golf Club
Oyster Bay Golf Links
Litchfield Country Club
Glen Dornoch Waterway Links
Arrowhead Country Club
Man O’ War Golf Club
The Golf Digest list is a good one – the courses in the top 10 largely mirror those from our survey of PGA professionals – but there were some notable snubs. Where did the Digest panel, who accumulate rankings over a number of years, go wrong?
Glad you asked.
World Tour Golf Links – Inspired by some of the game’s greatest holes, World Tour is one of Myrtle Beach’s coolest experiences, taking you around the globe in 18 holes. This is your chance to play Amen Corner.
Tradition Club – The Golf Digest panelists join a distinguished list of people who have made the mistake of overlooking Tradition Club. This Ron Garl design is a
treat to play.
Rivers Edge – On the short list of the Grand Strand’s prettiest layouts, this Arnold Palmer course plays along the Shallotte River and is unforgettable.
Willbrook – Featuring the Lowcountry beauty Digest’s panelists enjoyed at Caledonia, Heritage and Pawleys, Willbrook was overlooked. That’s a mistake traveling golfers don’t make. (top photo)
Long Bay Club – This Jack Nicklaus design is challenging and its back nine is among the area’s best, including three holes – 10, 13 and 18 – that have been ranked among Myrtle Beach’s top 100.
Yes, we know that to add five courses to the list you have to drop five, but that’s a conversation we will leave for another day.
