Top Courses in the North Myrtle Beach Area

When talk turns to where Myrtle Beach’s best golf courses are clustered, Pawleys Island is at the top of nearly everyone’s list. But should it be? The answer isn’t as easy as many would like you to believe, because there is a strong case to be made for the North Myrtle Beach area.

If you’re still not sure, check out this short list of North Myrtle Beach’s best courses, all located within miles of each other:

Tidewater Golf Club, with eight holes playing along Cherry Grove or the Intracoastal Waterway, is the area’s prettiest layout. No course on the beach has four holes that rival Nos. 3, 4, 12 and 13 for scenery, and the layout is outstanding throughout. This is one of Myrtle Beach’s top 5 courses.

The Love Course at Barefoot Resort is ranked among Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Courses You Can Play, highlighted by holes four through six, which play around the faux ruins of an old plantation home. The layout presents a varied challenge and is equal parts challenging and fun.

The Dye Course at Barefoot is the long-time host of the Hootie & The Blowfish Monday After the Masters Celebrity Pro-Am, and you will enjoy it as much as the celebrities who pour into the area every year. Pete Dye designs are notoriously difficult, and his work at The Dye Club isn’t a pushover, but the layout is more playable than the architect’s reputation might suggest.

(As an aside, the Fazio and Norman courses at Barefoot could just as easily be on this list, but we wanted to give you a broader look at the quality the area offers.)

Glen Dornoch Waterway Golf Links has long been a favorite of Myrtle Beach golfers, and the installation of new greens this summer will only enhance the course’s reputation. The Clyde Johnston design has five holes that play along the Intracoastal Waterway and its three finishing holes are among the area’s most memorable. The par-3 17th, which is bordered by the marshy waters of the Waterway, is one of our favorites.

There are great courses up and down the Grand Strand, and the North Myrtle Beach area is home to more than its fair share.