Oyster Bay Golf Links Review: Alligators, an Island Green, and Unforgettable Holes
Let me be upfront about something: you WILL see alligators at Oyster Bay Golf Links. Not one or two — lots of them. Sunning themselves by the greens, lounging near the water hazards, watching you line up your putt like they’re judging your stroke. It adds a whole different element to “hazard avoidance.”
But Oyster Bay Golf Links is far more than its reptilian residents. This Dan Maples design in Sunset Beach, NC was one of the first courses to put the North Strand on the national golf map when it opened in 1983, and it’s still delivering some of the most memorable holes in the Myrtle Beach area more than 40 years later.
A Course With Real Character
Oyster Bay earned Golf Digest’s “Best New Resort Course of the Year” when it opened and was ranked among the top-50 public courses in America. It still holds 4.5 stars in Golf Digest’s Places to Play guide — a testament to how well the design has aged.
At par 70 and just under 6,700 yards from the tips, Oyster Bay isn’t long by modern standards. But don’t let the yardage fool you. The cavernous bunkers, undulating greens, and ever-present water hazards make this course a real test of course management and nerve. It’s the kind of layout where your brain matters more than your driver.
The Signature Holes
Hole #15: A Short Par 4 With Big Consequences
The 13th is a driveable 330-yard par 4, but “driveable” doesn’t mean “easy.” A lake runs the entire length of the right side, and the approach shot plays to an undulating green backed by an oyster shell wall. Go for it in two and you’re rewarded. Get greedy off the tee and the lake will swallow your ball — along with your confidence.
Hole #17: The Island Green Par 3
This is the hole everyone remembers. At 165 yards, you stand on an oyster shell-walled tee box and look out at an island green built on a mountain of shells. There’s water on all sides. There’s no bailout. It’s 165 yards of pure commitment. Club selection and nerve are everything here.
The Marsh Views
Beyond the signature holes, Oyster Bay delivers spectacular marsh and Lowcountry scenery throughout the round. Several holes play along or through coastal marshland, offering the kind of views that make you stop and appreciate where you are. If you play in the late afternoon, the sunset over the marsh is stunning.
Keep an eye out for osprey diving for fish while you play — it happens regularly and it’s always impressive.
The Legends Package Deal
Oyster Bay is owned by Legends Golf Resort, and their packages often include breakfast, lunch, and two drinks with your round. That’s a rare value proposition — you’re essentially getting three meals’ worth of food and drink wrapped into your green fee. It makes an already reasonably-priced course an even better deal.
Course Details at a Glance
- Location: 614 Lake Shore Dr (Hwy 179), Sunset Beach, NC 28468
- Holes: 18
- Designer: Dan Maples (opened 1983)
- Par: 70 | Yardage: 6,685 from the tips
- Greens: Bermuda | Fairways: Bermuda
- Price Range: Moderate (often includes breakfast, lunch, and 2 drinks)
- Drive from 601 Hillside Dr N: ~25 minutes
Tips for Playing Oyster Bay
- Bring extra balls. The island greens and water hazards will claim a few. Budget accordingly.
- Don’t fish for your ball. Seriously. The alligators are real. If it goes in the water, let it go.
- Play conservative on 17. Take one extra club and aim for the center of the island green. This is not the hole to get cute with shot shapes.
- Enjoy the wildlife. Alligators, osprey, herons — Oyster Bay is as much a nature experience as a golf experience. Embrace it.
- Take the Legends package. Breakfast, lunch, and drinks included is hard to beat.
Who Should Play Oyster Bay?
Anyone who wants a golf experience they’ll still be talking about at the 19th hole. This isn’t the course for pure conditioning snobs — it’s about character, memorable holes, and an atmosphere you simply can’t replicate elsewhere. If your group includes someone who’s never seen an alligator up close, bring them here.
Pair Oyster Bay with The Pearl Golf Links for a great Sunset Beach double-header — two Dan Maples designs with completely different personalities. For the full rundown of courses near North Myrtle Beach – including which ones to play on your other days – browse our golf course guide. Our trip planning guide covers the rest: when to come, what to bring, and how to make the most of every day.
After Island Greens and Alligator Encounters, You Deserve a Safe Place to Land
That 165-yard carry over water to the island green on #17 — all nerve, no bailout, the oyster shell walls staring back at you — is the kind of shot you’ll replay at the dinner table for years. And those gators sunning themselves next to the fairway? Your non-golfer friends won’t believe the photos until they see them. Our condo at 601 Hillside Dr N in Ocean Keyes sits about 25 minutes from Oyster Bay, with three bedrooms, a full kitchen, and a gated community where the only wildlife watching you putt is the occasional egret by the pool.
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Oyster Bay is one of those courses where the stories are as good as the golf. I always love hearing which hole got the best reaction.
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