Golf
Phil’s Favorite Myrtle Beach Golf Courses
Let me start by saying that I’m no scratch golfer. I just love to get out on the course and play golf. Sure I still get frustrated when I hit a bad shot, but I know at the end of the day I’m just out there to have fun. While I don’t take my game too seriously, I still love to get out test myself against as many courses as I can.
Through my years in Myrtle Beach I’ve been able to play some of the area’s best courses as well as some of the shabbier ones. While I haven’t been able to play them all, here is a short list of some of my favorite Myrtle Beach golf courses.
Arrowhead Country Club:
Arrowhead Country Club sits at the top of my list because of a few factors. It is well maintained, it’s challenging, and it offers some spectacular views. I play Arrowhead fairly regularly. It sports 3 different 9-hole courses in Lakes, Waterway and Cypress. Each of the 3 courses serves up a good mix of sand bunkers, water hazards and tight fairways adding difficulty and consequence to each shot. The greens here are consistent, but difficult. Make sure you bring you’re A-game when putting. Aptly named, The Waterway course has a few holes along the Intracoastal Waterway that offer some great views and the occasional boat or jet-ski passing by. You’ll probably also see some wildlife out there like herons, squirrels, turtles and maybe even a gator. I always like to show up 30 or 40 minutes before my tee time to take advantage of the free driving range and practice green.
The Wizard:
Maybe I like The Wizard because they have a cool looking clubhouse. Maybe I like it because it’s wide open and leaves me some room for error. Maybe I like it because I had my lowest round ever on that course. It’s hard to tell exactly why, but I continue to suggest The Wizard when people ask me where they should play. The Wizard’s fairways are pretty wide, and the rough around the fairways will typically still offer you a decent shot. Each time I’ve played there I’ve liked the predictable roll of the greens. Hole 17 is definitely one of my favorites in Myrtle Beach. It’s a downhill par 3 onto an island green. Be sure to stop on this tee box and take advantage of this awesome photo opportunity.
Legends:
I’ve played each of the 3 courses at Legends, Heathland, Parkland, and Moorland, and I enjoyed all 3. Playing through each 9 you’ll notice that each 9-hole course offers a drastically different experience. Heathland is a flat course that’s pretty wide open. They compare it St. Andrews in some respects. You wont find many trees blocking your way. Moorland is way more challenging in my mind. It sports very deep bunkers and some pretty tough greens. Parkland is a mix of the two and what I consider to be a typical Myrtle Beach course. I’ve played here multiple times, and each time the courses have been in great shape. Legends also offers some different packages and specials so it’s typically on the less expensive side.
Waterway Hills:
Waterway Hills is a fun course that can allow for low scores if you can keep the ball down the middle. Most of the fairways at Waterway Hills are straight and narrow. They look easy from the tee box but when your drive starts slicing these holes can get difficult fast. Most fairways are lined with trees waiting to knock down those misplaced shots. Aside from the hole along the waterway and a few lakes, Waterway Hills doesn’t have too much water to worry about, but I somehow I always seem to find their greenside bunkers. While it’s certainly a fun course, you’ll remember Waterway Hills because of the gondola ride over the Intracoastal Waterway. I doubt you’ve played many courses that require you to take a gondola from the parking lot to the clubhouse.
Tupelo Bay:
Yes, I know Tupelo Bay is a par 3 with an executive course and not a full-fledged 18, but I love being able to golf at night. The course itself is nothing spectacular, but playing at night makes for a truly unique experience. It is perfect for locals who still want to get in a quick round after work. Or vacationers who want to spend their day with their family on the beach, but still want to play some golf later. My golf buddies and I like to head out there on nights where we have nothing to do, or if we need to settle a bet from our rounds during the day. The par 3 is well lit and you can still play well after the sun goes down. If you play at night, I’d recommend passing on the Executive Course. It’s not as well lit as the par 3 and it can be difficult to find your ball on those par 4’s. It also couldn’t hurt to pick up a sleeve of yellow balls since they are easier to spot.
All of the courses I mentioned are priced pretty reasonably. Some are more expensive than others, but pricing really depends on the season and time of day. None of these courses are private so you can just go ahead and make a tee time for any of them. While these may not be the Top 5 courses in Myrtle Beach, they are my favorite 5 as of right now. Feel free to leave comments and let me know about your favorite Myrtle Beach golf courses.
