The Myrtle Beach golf scene is home to more than 1,000 holes, providing challenges that range from sub-100-yard par 3s to gargantuan par 5s, but which of those holes are most memorable?
With so many choices, it’s not an easy question to answer but after consulting with numerous Myrtle Beach veterans, here is a list of the area’s 18 most iconic holes:
Dunes Club – No. 13, 620 yards, par 5 (top photo)
“Waterloo,” as the 13th at the Dunes Club is known, was one of the game’s first true signature holes and it helped launch the area’s rise as a golf destination. The 90-degree dogleg right challenges players to navigate Lake Singleton every step of the way.
King’s North at Myrtle Beach National – No. 6, 568 yards, par 5
“The Gambler.” Does anything else need to be said? This par 5, featuring an alternate, island fairway, was a no-brainer for the list. The Gambler is the ultimate risk-reward challenge and it’s one you won’t forget.
Caledonia Golf & Fish Club – No. 18, 383-yard, par 4
This shortish par 4 is home to the Grand Strand’s most famed approach. Golfers must clear the waters of the Waccamaw Neck to reach a green that resides in the shadow of the property’s stately clubhouse. When there are people on the veranda reacting to every shot, good or bad, it’s the perfect end to a memorable round.
Pawleys Plantation Golf Club – No. 13, 149 yards, par 3
Ignore the scorecard yardage. The hole typically plays less than 100 yards to a peninsula green exposed on three sides to a tidal marsh, with the wind coming off the nearby Atlantic Ocean. There isn’t a better view or a more knee-knocking shot in the area.
TPC Myrtle Beach – No. 9, 471 yards, par 4
You expected No. 18? The ninth at TPC is emblematic of the challenge at one of the area’s most decorated courses – it’s long, straight and difficult. This is a great close to the opening nine and golfers that make par here will enjoy a deserved sense of satisfaction.
Tidewater Golf Club – No. 4, 418 yards, par 4
A gentle dogleg left, No. 4 at Tidewater plays along Cherry Grove Inlet and demands two outstanding shots to reach a green ringed by six high-faced bunkers. It’s on the shortlist of the area’s best par 4s.
Love Course at Barefoot Resort – 294 yards, par 4
There is a difference between a short par 4 and drivable one, and No. 4 on the Love Course is reachable off the tee. Famously backstopped by the faux ruins of an old plantation home, the opportunity for birdie here is real.
Pine Lakes Country Club – No. 14, 438 yards, par 4
With the Myrtle Beach skyline serving as a backdrop, this par 4 memorably includes a downhill tee shot and an uphill approach to a green that is less than 700 yards from the Atlantic Ocean.
Rivers Edge Golf Club – No. 9, 554 yards, par 5
“Arnie’s Revenge,” as the ninth at Rivers Edge is known, is a fearsome test highlighted by a reed-thin, peninsula green that is surrounded by marshy waters of the Shallotte River. Good luck.
Grande Dunes Resort Course – No. 14, 220 yards, par 3
Playing from an elevated tee box to a green that borders the Intracoastal Waterway, there are few more dramatic shots. Mix in a green that is more than 50 yards long and No. 14 at Grande Dunes is one of the area’s best one-shotters.
Heritage Club – No. 13, 228 yards, par 3
The 13th at Heritage is long and scary and that only describes a tee shot that requires a carry over water. What makes the hole unforgettable is a green that is 60 yards long and has an elephant or two buried in the middle.
True Blue Golf Club – No. 4, 548 yards, par 5
This button hook par 5 which plays around a lake is a classic, requiring players to make a risk-reward decision on every full swing. Playing closer to the water brings potential rewards and trouble into play.
Moorland Course at Legends Resort – No. 16, 244 yards, par 3
Another legitimately drivable par 4, but when a hole’s nickname is “Hell’s Half-Acre,” you know trouble lurks. The green is an inviting target but potential calamity awaits in the form of pot bunkers and gnarly native grasses for those who miss.
Long Bay Golf Club – No. 10, 350 yards, par 4
Golfers open the back nine at Long Bay playing to a fairway surrounded by sand, enhancing the penalty for an errant tee shot. Don’t sleep on the approach to a slightly elevated green surrounded by sand and thick rough.
Palmetto Course at Myrtlewood – No. 18, 468 yards, par 4
This beauty was the first Myrtle Beach hole set along the Intracoastal and it’s as memorable today as it was upon the course’s opening in 1973. There is plenty of fairway to hit but a pulled tee shot will send your TaylorMade TP5 to a watery grave.
River Club – No. 18, 518 yards, par 5
The closer at River Club presents the opportunity to go for the green in two but it’s not for the faint of heart. Getting home will require a pair of daring shots with water running along the entirety of the left side of the hole. Played as a conventional three-shotter, it’s not overly difficult but most people tend to get greedy.
