Myrtle Beach is home to some of the most dramatic courses in all of South Carolina. Grande Dunes, Pawleys Plantation and Tidewater Golf Club, just to name a few, combine unforgettable visuals with layouts that provide the opportunity for heroic shots, a winning combination for players.
While those courses are as good as advertised, there are a host of the Myrtle Beach designs that deliver an experience that is sneaky dramatic, meaning you get some of those visuals without the fanfare that accompanies their high-profile peers.
If you are looking for quiet drama and big value, these layouts will deliver.
– The Pearl is home to 27 holes, including six that play along the Calabash River. Speaking of drama, No. 7, a par 5 on the West Course, is set along the river and it’s a staggering 614 yards, making
it the third longest hole along the Myrtle Beach golf scene. If you want to enjoy the area’s coastal beauty, Pearl is an under the radar gem. (Pearl West pictured right)
– Located just minutes from Pawleys and Caledonia, it’s easy to overlook Willbrook, but that’s a mistake you don’t want to make. Routed through a stunning piece of Lowcountry property that is similar to that of its high-profile neighbors, golfers at Willbrook will enjoy stunning live oak trees draped in Spanish moss, native areas and the opportunity to see more than a few alligators. (Willbrook top photo)
– The drama at Carolina National is only sneaky because too few people make the drive to Bolivia, N.C., to play the Grand Strand’s northernmost course. This 27-hole Fred Couples design plays along the Lockwood Folly River and it’s worth the trip. If your group uses Highway 17 to enter or exit the area, Carolina National is an ideal day of arrival or departure course.
– Sea Trail Resort is home to 3 courses and if you want to play the layout that will deliver sneaky views, check out the Maples Course. Home to five holes that play along Calabash Creek, Maples
will leave you in search of a replay. (Sea Trail Maples pictured right)
– Wild Wing’s Avocet Course doesn’t enjoy the water views of the other courses on our list, but the layout doesn’t lack for drama. Between a pair of short par 4s – Nos. 9 and 14 – and the double green holes 6 and 17 share, Avocet will leave everyone in your group talking.
If you want courses that will provide a sneaky drama, in all the best ways, give these layouts a go.
