.jpg)
If there’s one thing that almost all golfers have in common, it’s a complaint: that they don’t get to play golf as often as they’d like. Work, family obligations and general “stuff” in life can conspire to turn a three-rounds-a-week habit into a once-a-month-if-you’re-lucky escape.
That’s why golf vacations are so important, and it’s also why so many groups of busy golf-lovers visit Myrtle Beach to play as much golf as possible over a long weekend or week-long trip. They want to make their leisure time count, and we can’t blame them.
Since you might be one of those golf-starved visitors, a word of advice: Myrtle Beach’s golf courses are diverse, particularly in terms of difficulty. Starting your trip off at one of its toughest courses probably isn’t the best strategy. If your next Grand Strand golf excursion follows a long layoff, here are our suggestions for courses to ease you into an awesome trip and shake off the proverbial rust:
South: River Club
This Tom Jackson design in the Litchfield section of Pawleys Island is a perfect course to whet your appetite and introduce (or reintroduce) you to Myrtle Beach golf. It’s not terribly long, its fairways are generous, and its greens are not terribly undulating — but they do have a reputation for being kept in impeccable shape. Yes, there’s some water at River Club, but it’s pretty easily avoidable, as are the bunkers, which are present but fairly shallow. If after 17 holes you’re feeling properly warmed up, the course ends on a high note: a short par-5 where you can test your swing by trying to reach the green in two. After all, there’s no better way to cap off the first round of your trip than with a birdie or eagle, is there?
Central: West Course at Myrtle Beach National Golf Club
Myrtle Beach National is home to three fun layouts, and many visitors will play at least two of them in a day. The “flagship course” is King’s North, so you may want to save that for your second round of the day. South Creek is a fine opening choice, but for a warm-up round, we give the edge to the West Course, which has less (read: almost no) out-of-bounds. Somewhat like River Club, this Arnold Palmer/Francis Duane layout saves its most intriguing challenge for last. Only at Myrtle Beach National, it’s a long par-3 over a pond. Finish your round off with a par, and you’ll be feeling invincible as you take on the rest of your itinerary.
North: Beachwood Golf Club
In many ways, Beachwood is a quintessential Grand Strand golf course. It is one of the area’s older layouts, predating 1970. And whereas most courses’ entrances are off by themselves, Beachwood’s is seemingly a parking lot in the middle of the hustle and bustle of North Myrtle Beach, just off U.S. Highway 17. This gives the course a unique sense of place. As such, it’s a perfect introduction to Grand Strand golf — especially if you haven’t played much lately — not just for its location, but for its fairly open feel and lack of on-course housing, as well. It’s a core golf course, and an underrated one at that.
Looking to plan an all-you-can-play golf trip to Myrtle Beach? You can book your rounds at these and dozens of other area golf courses at MyrtleBeachGolf.com, just contact us today and let our experts help you.