The unveiling of “Golfweek’s Best of 2021: Top 200 Resort Golf Courses in the U.S.” provided further affirmation of the depth and quality of Myrtle Beach’s offerings.
Golfweek ranked nine Myrtle Beach area layouts among its top resort courses, more than any other destination in America. The Grand Strand’s honorees were led by three consensus top 100 layouts – the Dunes Golf & Beach Club (No. 43), Caledonia Golf & Fish Club (No. 47) and True Blue Golf Club (No. 73).
Joining that acclaimed trio on the Golfweek list were King’s North at Myrtle Beach National (No. 142), Moorland Course at Legends Resort (No. 144), Grande Dunes Resort Course (No. 174) and the Dye (No. 153), Love (No. 166) and Fazio (No. 193) layouts at Barefoot Resort.
“Myrtle Beach is home to more outstanding courses than any destination in America and that’s at the heart of what golfers find so appealing about the area,” said Bill Golden, CEO of Golf Tourism Solutions, the company responsible for promoting Myrtle Beach as a golf destination. “While rankings are subjective by nature, it’s gratifying to see nine Myrtle Beach layouts ranked among the nation’s premier resort courses.”
Golfweek also ranked four area courses – Tidewater (No. 157), DeBordieu (No. 178), The Reserve (No. 182) and Long Bay (No. 190) – among its “Top 200 Residential Courses in the U.S.”
As expected, the Dunes Club, which has hosted PGA Tour, Champions Tour and USGA events, was the highest ranked Myrtle Beach golf course. The Robert Trent Jones Sr. classic, highlighted by holes 11-13, known as “Alligator Alley,” was a driving force behind the area’s rise to prominence.
Caledonia and True Blue, sister courses designed by Mike Strantz, offer different but equally enjoyable experiences. Caledonia, Strantz’s first solo course, is equal parts art and architecture, playing through a stunning piece of lowcountry property that delivers one of the nation’s premier golf experiences. Conversely, True Blue is a product of Strantz’s unmatched creativity, challenging players with a design that features sweeping fairways framed by sprawling waste bunkers.
King’s North, an Arnold Palmer design, is one of Myrtle Beach’s bedrock facilities, highlighted by “The Gambler,” the par 5 sixth hole that is famously home to an alternate, island fairway.
The Moorland Course at Legends is one of the area’s sternest challenges and most creative layouts. The Resort Course at Grande Dunes is home to five holes that play along the Intracoastal Waterway, including the unforgettable par 3 14th. Playing from an elevated tee box to a green that overlooks the waterway, No. 14 is one of Myrtle Beach’s most exhilarating tee shots.
The Fazio, Love and Dye courses at Barefoot have long been among the Grand Strand’s most popular. The Love Course, which features three holes built around the faux ruins of an old plantation home, is renowned for its playability.
Tom Fazio’s namesake design features water on 15 of 18 holes and makes judicious use of bunkering to help create unforgettable visuals. The Dye Course spotlights the best of Hall of Fame architect Pete Dye, challenging players with visual deception and native waste areas.
For more information on Myrtle Beach’s 90 courses, the area’s best golf packages, and breaking news, visit www.PlayGolfMyrtleBeach.com.
