The Grande Dunes Experience: Five Things You Need to Know
Architect Roger Rulewich was given prime real estate along the Intracoastal Waterway with the expectation he would design a course that would be among the best in Myrtle Beach and all of America.
He delivered with Grande Dunes Resort Course.
The layout has been among Myrtle Beach’s most prominent since its opening and the centerpiece of countless golf trips. What makes Grande Dunes stand out?
Wonders of the Waterway
Any conversation about Grande Dunes begins with the five holes that play along the Intracoastal Waterway, highlighted by the 14th, one of the state’s best par 3s. Playing 158 yards (white tees) from an elevated tee box, the Intracoastal looms on the right, making No. 14 one of Myrtle Beach’s most pulse-pounding tee shots. There is room to bail out left, otherwise you best find the green. If 14 isn’t your favorite, there is a good chance No. 9 or 15 will be. The waterway holes provide the take-home memories you will be telling your buddies about.
Size Does Matter
Grande Dunes is a big course, stretching to 7,618 yards from the tips (don’t even think about it), but with tees at 5,900, 6,272 and 6,737 yards and generous fairways, length should never be the primary obstacle to scoring. Grande Dunes allows players to unleash the driver with some margin for error, but precision will be required on the approach to hit the large greens in the proper spots.
Where Does it Rank?
If you value the opinion of others, Grande Dunes is a course you will want to play. The layout has been ranked among America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses by Golf Digest and Golfweek has consistently ranked it among the Palmetto State’s best, as has the South Carolina Golf Course Ratings Panel. Grande Dunes is a must-play for serious Myrtle Beach golfers.
The Best Way to Play?
If you want to tee it up at Grande Dunes, the Prime Times Reward Package at Marina Inn at Grande Dunes, which allows you to choose among 22 courses, is the way to go. Whether you want to flank Grande Dunes with value courses or want to pair it with King’s North, TPC Myrtle Beach and Pawleys Plantation for a dream trip, there are options aplenty. As if you needed more incentive, the Rewards Package also provides everyone in your group a $100 gift card good for food and beverage, merchandise and more at the course.
Anchors Away!
After the final putt drops on the par 4 18th, one of the Grand Strand’s best kept secrets awaits for happy hour/dinner. Anchor Café, located directly across the Intracoastal as part of the Grande Dunes Marina, is built over the water. The setting is as relaxing as it is beautiful. If you opt for a higher end meal, there is a Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse a couple hundred yards away. A trip to Anchor Café, much like a round at Grande Dunes, is one people never regret.
