Myrtle Beach Golf Trip – Vacation Planner

Nicknamed the ‘Golf Capital of the World’, Myrtle Beach is one of the most popular golf destinations in the United States. But with what seems like limitless quantity on offer, if you are thinking of a Myrtle Beach golf trip, you’re in the right place.

Page Contents

• Why go on a golf vacation to Myrtle Beach?
• Where to stay on a golf trip to Myrtle Beach?
  • Myrtle Beach Golf Resorts
• Myrtle Beach golf vacation packages
• Myrtle Beach public golf courses
• Places to eat and drink in Myrtle Beach
• What to do on your day off

Why go on a golf vacation to Myrtle Beach?

This coastal location in Northern South Carolina, stretches from the fishing village of Pawleys Island in the south, right up to Brunswick County in North Carolina. 

Many of you may have heard of the Grand Strand. It’s a 60 mile stretch of Myrtle Beach’s coastline, which consists of golden beaches, entertainment options and unabridged ocean views.  

For this reason alone, Myrtle Beach is immensely popular with couples and families. 

But when you also add the 90 to 100 golf courses to choose from, you can see why this has developed into one of the most sought after and visited golf destinations in America.

And we’re talking quality designs from some of the most recognised and respected golf course designers. There is both quantity and quality, with a significant number open to the public.

The mild climate plays a huge role in the popularity of a golf trip to Myrtle Beach. 

Aside from the odd cold front, you can pretty much play all year-round. Even in the winter months, the temperature drops to the mid 50s, which is still easily ‘golf playing’ weather. 

Myrtle Beach has also been at the forefront of innovation in golf. This was one of the first destinations where golf courses began introducing flexi-pricing. 

In a nutshell, golf rates would be priced according to demand. So the higher the demand, the more expensive the golf rate. The lower the demand, the cheaper the rate. 

What this means is that if you are flexible and not necessarily fixed to playing a specific course on a specific day, you could pick up some top class golf courses for a bargain. 

Where to stay on a golf trip to Myrtle Beach?

That is a good question and for a destination with nearly 100,000 rooms available, where do you even start.

When it comes to location, my rule of thumb tends to be the following; The further away you get from downtown Myrtle Beach, be it north or south, the quieter it gets. 

Going north, anywhere as far as Brunswick County. Or traveling south, until you get to Pawleys Island in Georgetown. 

There are a couple of exceptions. Surfside 9 miles south, and North Myrtle Beach 14 miles north, are both more lively and tend to appeal to a slightly younger crowd. 

Another important decision to make is whether to stay onsite at a golf resort, or set up base more centrally?

A golf resort has its positives. Everything is onsite including the golf, dining facilities and amenities, with little to no driving required. And you can grab a great deal with the golf, often significantly discounted.

Alternatively, choose a hotel or lodging in the city. There is ample choice with nearly all options catering for larger groups of buddies and families. Fully equipped kitchens mean you can be as self-sufficient as you wish. 

The other benefit is within walking distance, there will be bars, restaurants, nightclubs…you name it. 

On the flip-side though, be prepared to jump in the car every day to get to where you’re playing golf. 

Myrtle Beach Golf Resorts

There are a handful of golf resorts in Myrtle Beach which are by far and away the most popular choices. 

Don’t expect anything uber-luxury, or five stars though. Instead expect to find comfortable resorts, with a range of amenities and some great golf onsite.

Foremost amongst them is Barefoot Resort, located to the north towards Atlantic Beach. Just a couple of miles from the coast, this epic resort features four top class golf courses designed by the best in the business. 

The Love, Fazio, Norman and Dye Courses are all open to resort guests and are some of the finest Myrtle Beach resort courses available.

Renowned for its Ailsa Pub, which was recognised by Golf Digest as one of the finest 19th holes in the country, is the popular Legends Golf Resort. 

This Scottish inspired resort is just a fifteen minute drive inland from central Myrtle Beach and the International Airport. The resort consists of a number of two and three bedroom villas, each equipped with kitchen and living room options. 

When it comes to playing golf, there are five courses to choose from, with three onsite (Heathland, Parkland, Moorland) and two of them a forty-five minute drive away (Oyster Bay & Heritage Club). 

Other great Myrtle Beach golf resorts include Marina Inn at Grande Dunes, which is a personal favorite. 

Positioned on the banks for the Intracoastal Waterway and overlooking the sensational Grande Dunes Golf Club, this four star resort is superb. 

Unlike the other resorts featured above, the Marina Inn features more traditional hotel rooms and suites. It also offers some fantastic dining options, including just next door, the sumptuous Ruth’s Chris Steak House.

My last recommendation is Myrtlewood Villas & Golf Resort. Right in the heart of Myrtle Beach and just a mile from the coast, there is a reason this resort is so popular.

Granted there is no bar or restaurant onsite. But being just a couple of miles away from Broadway at the Beach, does it matter! 

Condo-style accommodations sit alongside a wide range of amenities including indoor and outdoor pools as well as a lazy river. 

Myrtle Beach golf vacation packages

When looking to book your golf trip to Myrtle Beach, naturally you want to ensure you are getting the best possible deals.

Amongst all the companies selling packages, I personally recommend Golfbreaks.com. Every year they send hundreds of thousands of golfers on golf trips all over the world. Because of this, they get some of the best deals available. 

You tell them where you want to go, the courses you’re looking to play and what your budget is and they’ll do all the organizing, calling around and bookings for you. And to top things off, their service is second to none. 

Don’t know which course you want to play? Give them your budget, how far you want to drive, the average handicap in the group, and they recommend courses. It really is that easy. 

It’s also worth considering that many golf course owners also have preferred hotel or condo partners. This means they’ll offer even more affordable Myrtle Beach golf packages. Rest assured, the team at Golfbreaks.com will be more than happy to help pick them out for you. 

Here is a selection of some of the best golf vacation packages in Myrtle Beach using Golfbreaks.com.

Marina Inn at Grande Dunes 4*

2 nights room-only, 2 rounds

from $265 per person

Find out more

Legends Golf Resort 3*

2 nights self-catering, 2 rounds

from $349 per person

Find out more

Barefoot Resort

3 nights self-catering, 3 rounds

from $459 per person

Find out more

The best Myrtle Beach public golf courses to play

So how do you even begin to choose which of the 100 or so golf courses to play?!

If you’re staying at one of the Myrtle Beach golf resorts, you won’t need to read this bit. But for those of you doing the more traditional golf tour, there are a few things to consider.

1. Location. Highway 17 runs north to south, making traveling on the whole relatively easy. But despite that, you’ll still want to choose the courses you play carefully to avoid too much driving.  

Picking one of two options closer to where you’re based will ensure you remain popular amongst your group!

2. Cost. If you speak to the team at Golfbreaks.com, they’ll help you pick out some of the best Myrtle Beach golf packages available. A number of courses will offer preferred rates if you play at a sister or partner course, so keep an eye out for those. 

It also helps to know at what hours of the day you’ll benefit from improved rates.

3. Top 100. If you’re looking to tick off some top 100 courses, unfortunately Myrtle Beach is not the place to come. Yes there are some entertaining golf courses, but none considered true greats. 

Of the best options available, in Pawleys Island you’ll find two great Mike Strantz designs, True Blue and Caledonia Golf & Fishing Club. 

Whilst north of Myrtle Beach is the Robert Trent Jones Sr designed Dunes Golf & Beach Club. One of his first designs, it opened in 1948 and has remained to this day, one of the finest Myrtle Beach golf courses.

If you want to explore more options, read this article which looks at the best public golf courses in Myrtle Beach.

Places to eat and drink in Myrtle Beach

Again, so much depends on where you end up lodging. So with this in mind, my recommendations will center primarily on downtown, as I assume most people will head there at least once on their Myrtle Beach golf vacation. 

If the weather is good, I recommend starting at one of the many beach bars, gazing out at the ocean with a cold drink. Sea Captain’s always gets good reviews and is a great spot from which to wander to other bars and restaurants within walking distance.

For drinks you can’t go wrong with the Grand Strand Brewing Company and the rustic Bowery Bar down on the waterfront. 

For the best fresh seafood, RipTydz Oceanfront Grille & Rooftop Bar offers the largest rooftop bar in Myrtle Beach, and is unsurprisingly popular. The ‘Sea Lover’s Steamer’ is to die for!

A little further north towards Arcadian Shore, right next to The Dunes Golf and Beach Club, is Hook and Barrel. A fantastic seafood restaurant which has a pleasant atmosphere alongside great service. It regularly gets voted one of the best restaurants in the city.

What to do on your day off

If you have an afternoon off, there are plenty of popular tourist attractions you could enjoy. 

• Visit the Sky Wheel on the Boardwalk, which is an iconic presence on the Myrtle Beach skyline. Reaching 37 stories high, this will offer you the best panoramic views of the local area. 
• The Funplex is an amusement park located off Ocean Boulevard. There is a choice of rides for adults and kids with food and beverage options.
• The two-story Ripley’s Aquarium is definitely worth a visit, even if it is just to walk through the glass underwater tunnel. Just don’t think of ‘that scene’ in Jaws 😉

*Occasionally I will recommend services which I think add value to you the user, and offer you a way to find out more about a particular golf resort or course. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, I may earn an affiliate fee. However, please rest assured yourgolfcourses.com is 100% independent and these commissions in no way influence the content OR rankings 🙂