Archaeologists dig deep to unearth buried gems like arrowheads. Golfers on the Grand Strand don't have to search hard to find a gem of a course in Arrowhead Country Club.
Located off Highway 501 in Myrtle Beach, this 27-hole residential development is hiding in plain sight in the growing Forestbrook section of town. In addition to offering convenience and affordability, Arrowhead is one of the jewels of the local golf scene.
Golfers are discovering Arrowhead Country Club as a peaceful retreat in central Myrtle Beach. Despite the rapid development of the area, this course is tucked away along the Intracoastal Waterway with lots of open spaces that make you feel a world away from the bright lights of the Sun Fun City.
Designed by the team of veteran golfer Ray Floyd and architect Tom Jackson, Arrowhead was built on a scenic piece of real estate that is about 5 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean. Featuring the dense woodlands and pristine wetlands of South Carolina's coastal region, the landscape provides the perfect backdrop for a relaxing day of golf.
In addition to Arrowhead's natural setting, the course has several manmade features to enhance the golf experience. Construction crews moved a whole lot of earth to create strategically placed mounds that provide elevation changes that are hard to find on the flat Lowcountry terrain of the Grand Strand. The recently installed Bermuda-grass fairways and MiniVerde Bermuda greens add to the playability of this popular layout.
Arrowhead's three nine-hole courses – the Cypress, Lakes and Waterway – each have their own distinct character and set of challenges. The tree-lined fairways offer enough elbow room to swing for the greens, which are guarded by natural water hazards and sand bunkers. The courses may be played in an 18-hole combination with a maximum distance of less than 6,700 yards, so there is a premium placed on accuracy over distance.
The Cypress course is the longest of the three nine-hole layouts, measuring 3,349 yards from the back tees and 3,123 from the white tees. The Lakes plays 3,323 from the tips and 3,119 from the whites, while the Waterway is the shortest of the three with back tees at 3,295 and whites at 3,060. There are also shorter layouts for seniors and women.
Among the many highlight holes are some great opportunities to make birdie, including the third and ninth on the Lakes course and the fourth and ninth on the Waterway – all par-5s that play in the ballpark of 500 yards apiece. All four holes are reachable in two for heavier hitters so an eagle putt is possible if you can stay high and dry. There are as many chances to make bogey, particularly on the longer Cypress layout, making Arrowhead a fair but challenging course that is perfect for foursomes of varying skill levels.
Arrowhead has a slope rating that ranges from 139 to 141, depending on which combination you play. Bermuda grass covers the tees and fairways, and the greens were converted to Miniverde Bermuda in 2009. The greens are firm and fast, and the course is one of the best maintained and manicured on the Grand Strand.
Arrowhead is also home to an excellent junior golf program, and children 16 and under can play for free with a paid adult, making it the perfect place for a father-son or mother-daughter golf outing. Instruction and teaching are available for all ages, and greens fees include full access to the driving range (free range balls included) and practice greens. It’s all part of the total; package that makes Arrowhead one of the best bangs for your buck in Myrtle Beach golf.