The 5 Most Underrated Golf Courses in Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach is home to some of the best public golf in America – having 13 courses that have been ranked among the nation’s top 100 public courses is proof positive – but what makes the destination equally attractive is the depth of its golf course offerings.
With that in mind, we present here some of Myrtle Beach’s most underrated golf courses. These are layouts that have never been ranked among America’s top 100 public courses, but are, nonetheless, superior designs.
In no particular order, here are five under-the-radar gems that your Myrtle Beach golf group is sure to love:
— Arrowhead Country Club is one of just a select few courses that plays along the Intracoastal Waterway, and it’s located less than 10 minutes from the airport. Throw in consistently outstanding conditions, an ideal location just 10 minutes from the airport and a Raymond Floyd design, and you have the recipe for a memorable round of golf.
— A true Grand Strand golf scene original, Arcadian Shores Golf Club has undergone a thorough revitalization over the past five years complete with a new clubhouse, new cart paths, and the clearance of thousands of trees for better turf growth. The result has been a compelling reminder of what has made Rees Jones designs, including his first-ever solo design at Arcadian, so special: lush Tifton Bermuda greens, well-manicured fairways, 64 precisely located and creatively designed bunkers, and lakes that strategically weave their way throughout the property.
— A Jack Nicklaus design, Long Bay Golf Club is nearly as good and stern a test of golf as there is along the Grand Strand. The Golden Bear made judicious use of sand and mounding to create visuals, and the quality of the architecture is outstanding. Long Bay’s 18th hole is one of the best finishing holes along the Grand Strand, and the island green 13th is equally memorable.
— Located in Myrtle Beach, Prestwick Country Club often seems hidden in plain sight. The P.B. Dye design is an outstanding track, featuring the visual intimidation for which the Dye family is famously known, and a commitment to the customer experience. The ninth hole is one of the Grand Strand’s best and most challenging par 5s, highlighting a course to which informed golf groups flock year after year.
— It’s been under the radar for years compared to Myrtle Beach’s longstanding premium tracks, but the recent refurbishment of Myrtle Beach’s oldest golf course at Pine Lakes Country Club may well have returned “The Granddaddy” to elite status. The SeaDwarf Paspalum greens have been replaced with Sunday Bermudagrass, and most notably its bunkers have experienced a dramatic transformation – gone are the steep facings, replaced with smaller and more creatively-shaped hazards that are much more forgiving to the average golfer.
