Discussion of golf course architecture is en vogue and Myrtle Beach, with nearly 90 courses to choose from, offers plenty of options, including a couple outside-the-box designs. From the audacious to the quirky, the Grand Strand has a little bit of everything, and here are five courses to play if you enjoy a challenge that strays from the traditional parkland model.
● Man O’War Golf Club is built entirely around a 107-acre lake, featuring water on every hole and no rough. With back-to-back island greens on holes 14 and 15, and the par 4 ninth, which is an island hole, Man O’War never fails to leave players talking. While it sounds as if the water might be overwhelming, don’t be intimidated, as architect Dan Maples left plenty of room for your ball to find dry land.
● Located in Pawleys Island, Founders Club sought to differentiate itself from its neighbors and architect Thomas Walker succeeded. Featuring elevated fairways framed by waste bunkers, Founders Club is largely devoid of cart paths, creating a type of challenge that stands out in an area renowned for its Lowcountry landscape. (Founders Club 14th hole pictured below)
● Mike Strantz, the man known as “The Maverick,” is synonymous with bold architecture, and his work at True Blue Golf Club certainly doesn’t disappoint. Everything about the sprawling layout – fairways, waste bunkers, greens – is supersized, most especially the fun. If you want to challenge a unique layout with a deserved national reputation, True Blue awaits. (True Blue 13th hole top photo)
● World Tour Golf Links isn’t unconventional in the manner of the other courses on our list, but it’s a layout “inspired” by some of the game’s greatest layouts. Featuring holes that replicate Amen Corner at Augusta National, the first and 18th holes at St. Andrews, and No. 17 at TPC Sawgrass, World Tour delivers a unique experience and a taste of the game’s rich history that everyone enjoys.
● The Moorland Course at Legends Resort has to be on any list of Myrtle Beach’s most audacious designs. Architect P.B. Dye turned a flat piece of land into a course with elevation change and 18 rollicking holes. From the 223-yard (all distances from white tees), par 4 16th, known as “Hell’s Half-Acre,” to the 200-yard par 3 seventh, Moorland features a little bit of everything and golfers love it.
If you want to play golf courses that push the boundaries of “normal” architecture, give these five layouts a try on your next Myrtle Beach golf trip.
