Where should I play? As someone fortunate to have lived in Myrtle Beach for 20 years and play every course in the area, it’s a question that comes up a lot.

While the answer depends on a lot of variables – budget, skill level of group et al – here is a three-day itinerary I’d recommend to anyone.

Thursday
8:30 a.m. – What better place for the opening round of your trip than Myrtle Beach’s first golf course – Pine Lakes Country Club? It’s located in the heart of town, making it a short drive from your golf course villa at Myrtlewood, and the layout is memorable for many reasons.

The stage is set for the Pine Lakes experience by the guys at the bag drop wearing kilts, a nod to architect Robert White’s Scottish ancestry, and it only gets better from there. The layout is open, always a bonus on Day 1, and the back nine offers surprising elevation changes for a course that’s a Cameron Champ drive from the Atlantic Ocean.

1:00 p.m. – After your round is complete, head inside the Pine Lakes clubhouse and have lunch. The food is outstanding and you will want to browse some of the course’s memorabilia, including the letter from Time Inc. thanking Pine Lakes for serving as the birthplace of Sports Illustrated (yes, that Sports Illustrated).

3:00 p.m. – Time to go to Arrowhead Country Club, a 27-hole facility, and play nine holes of captain’s choice. The format guarantees a fun-filled way to finish the day’s golf activities, and Arrowhead is one of Myrtle Beach’s top 20 layouts.

5:30 p.m. – Simply Southern, a barbeque buffet, is on the way as you head back to your weekend home at Myrtlewood. Stop and enjoy the pulled pork, fried chicken, mac and cheese, and don’t pass on the opportunity to have peach cobbler and banana pudding for dessert. Sure, you will be able to feel your arteries clogging with each bite, but the food is good, it’s plentiful and the wait is short.

7:00 p.m. – Friday is going to be a long day, so I’m retiring to the condo to enjoy a few cocktails and get a good night’s rest.

Friday
8:00 a.m. – The Palmetto Course at Myrtlewood (pictured right) was remodeled last year, and it’s everything a group wants in a resort course. Palmetto is playable, it’s in great shape and the closing holes bring the Intracoastal Waterway into view, providing beauty.

And the clubhouse is mere minutes from the condo, so what’s not to like?

1:15 p.m. – Grab a quick lunch in the clubhouse and make the 10-minute drive up the road to play Grande Dunes Resort Club, one of the area’s best and most scenic layouts. Everyone in your group will be talking about the par 3 14th hole, which plays along the Intracoastal. It’s an unforgettable course.

5:45 p.m. – Sure, some in your group are going to want to get cleaned up before dinner, but I’m heading across the bridge and enjoying happy hour at Ruth’s Chris. The prices are reduced and the sliders can double as a delectable dinner.

7:00 p.m. – After happy hour, walk to Anchor Cafe to watch the sunset over the Intracoastal Waterway and hangout until you are ready to call it a day.

Saturday
9:15 a.m. – Book a later tee time and enjoy a little extra rest before teeing it up at King’s North at Myrtle Beach National. I love the Arnold Palmer design. The par 5 sixth hole, otherwise known as The Gambler, the island green 12th hole, the beach bunker on the par 3 17th and, of course, No. 18, home to more than 40 bunkers, help make this a bucket list round. King’s North is one of Myrtle Beach’s iconic layouts and it’s an ideal way to conclude the golf portion of a trip that doesn’t require you to drive more than 15 minutes.

1:30 p.m. – Trip awards ceremony and the settling of all bets.

2:00 – 6:00 p.m. – Grab something to eat or on your way back to the room, and rest up. This is the night to go out.

6:30 p.m. – Broadway at the Beach is one of the premier shopping and dining complexes in South Carolina, and King Kong Sushi is a great dinner spot. If sushi isn’t your thing, there are 21 restaurants to choose from so options are aplenty.

7:30 p.m. – Broadway is also home to 11 different nightlife options, including a comedy club, but I’d recommend heading to American Tap House to begin the post-dinner hours. After that, everyone is on their own for the final night an unforgettable Myrtle Beach golf trip.