There's never a bad time of year to play golf in Myrtle Beach, but each season has its own distinct character. While the fall and spring attract large crowds, the winter break sees things slow down a bit and offers golfers the chance to play some discounted rounds and land a few hard-to-get tee times. Here's our list of five courses to play in the offseason:
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Caledonia Golf & Fish Club: Any time of year is a great time to play this Pawleys Island layout, which was built on a former rice plantation and still carries the same Southern charm. This highly rated course is almost second to the scenery. The Lowcountry setting includes massive live oak trees, tidal creeks and swamps, and a wide range of woodlands and wetlands that serve as natural hazards. Designed by Mike Strantz, along with sister course True Blue, Caledonia is the crown jewel of the Waccamaw Golf Trail and a tough ticket during peak seasons. The mild winters create the perfect environment for golf and sightseeing, and you can always warm up in the antebellum-style clubhouse's 19th hole overlooking the 18th.
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Dunes Golf & Beach Club: This Robert Trent Jones classic can be one of the toughest tee times in town, especially during the peak spring and fall golf seasons. The oceanfront country club and course is semi-private and sets aside a limited number of rounds for non-members, so the slower winter season is your best chance of booking a prime time round for your group. You will be glad you do once you tee off on this seaside course, which has hosted several professional tour events since opening in 1949. A recent renovations project by Rees Jones stayed true to his father's original design. You will enjoy the scenery as much as the challenge, like the double-dogleg No. 13 around Lake Singleton, which is nicknamed “Waterloo” for reasons that become obvious to golfers who attempt to cross the water to the green.
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Dye Course: Barefoot Golf Resort has four outstanding courses to choose from, and it's hard to go wrong with any of them. But the Dye Course is a favorite among local and visiting golfers and often the hardest to get on among the North Myrtle Beach complex. Famed architect Pete Dye built this 7,343-yard layout along the Intracoastal Waterway amid dense woodlands and scenic wetlands. The course plays host to the Hootie & The Blowfish Monday After the Masters event and draws rave reviews from pro golfers and athletes. Be sure to spend some time in the beautiful clubhouse after your round.
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Rivers Edge Golf Club: The 45-mile drive to Shallotte (NC) can be a bear during the summer months as tourism traffic along the Grand Strand can make the one-way trip last longer than an hour. But the offseason provides the perfect opportunity to make a run north of the state border to test your skills on one of the toughest layouts in the Carolinas. This Arnold Palmer design sits on the bluffs of the Shallotte River and offers a scenic setting as well as a tough challenge. Even Palmer called this one of his best designs.
- Pine Lakes International Country Club: The first golf course in Myrtle Beach is nicknamed “The Granddaddy” of the more than 80 courses on the Grand Strand. Designed by Scotland's Robert White back in 1927, this semi-private, links-style layout was recently updated and upgraded both on and off the course. Enjoy a hot cup of seafood chowder or a refreshing mimosa served during your round. The wintry weather provides a good excuse to spend some time in the historic clubhouse, which has been remodeled to serve as a sort of museum for the Myrtle Beach golf industry. The Myrtle Beach Golf Hall of Fame, a monument marking the birthplace of Sports Illustrated magazine, and the cozy Robert White Pub are among the off-the-course attractions.
The good news is, even if you can’t hit one of these five hot spots, there are more than 75 others to choose from on the Grand Strand. No matter which courses you play, you are sure to have a great time on your Myrtle Beach golf getaway.