Ultimate Guide to Golf Near North Myrtle Beach: 13 Courses We Actually Play

You’re standing on the 13th tee at Tidewater, salt breeze off the Intracoastal, marsh stretching to the horizon. The pin is tucked left, the water is everywhere, and for a moment you forget you paid half what you’d pay at a comparable course up north. This is golf on the Grand Strand.

The problem is choosing. Over 80 courses within a 30-minute drive — and frankly, a lot of noise. Every course claims to be “the best,” every brochure promises “the experience of a lifetime,” and every package deal swears it’s the one you can’t miss.

So instead of giving you the marketing version, here’s the real version. These are the 13 golf courses near North Myrtle Beach that I actually play, actually recommend to guests, and actually enjoy. I’ve organized them by what matters most — because the best course for your trip depends on what you’re looking for.

Our Top Picks

These are the three courses I recommend most often. If you’re only playing a few rounds, start here.

Thistle Golf Club — My #1 Overall

Thistle Golf Club in Sunset Beach, NC is the course I tell every guest about. Ranked #23 in the Top 50 U.S. Public Courses by Golfers’ Choice, Thistle delivers a Scottish-links experience that feels imported from the Highlands — stacked sod bunkers, rolling fairways, lightning-fast greens, and 12-minute tee time intervals that make you feel like you have the course to yourself.

The Tim Cate design features 27 holes (three nines: Cameron, MacKay, Stewart), and every combination produces a par-72 round with five sets of tees for all skill levels. After your round, the authentic Scottish pub in the clubhouse is a must-visit. This is the complete golf experience.

Best for: Golfers who appreciate course conditioning and elevated experiences. Worth the premium green fee.

Tidewater Golf Club — Best in South Carolina

Tidewater Golf Club is the premier course closest to our condo and my #1 pick in South Carolina. Sitting atop a peninsula between tidal marsh, the Intracoastal Waterway, and forest lands, Tidewater offers stunning marsh views from holes 3, 4, 12, and 13 that rival anything you’ll see at private courses.

Ken Tomlinson’s design features no parallel holes — every hole feels isolated and private. The 2022 South Carolina Course of the Year plays to 7,044 yards from the tips with bent grass greens that reward precision.

Best for: Golfers who want world-class views and a course that feels private. 10 minutes from the condo.

Barefoot Resort — The Mega-Destination

Barefoot Resort & Golf gives you four championship courses by Norman, Love, Fazio, and Dye — all in one resort. The Love Course is the most popular (Golf Digest 100 Greatest Public), the Fazio is the most visually stunning, the Norman features seven holes along the Intracoastal Waterway, and the Dye is Pete Dye’s trademark beautiful-but-punishing test.

Multi-round packages drop the per-round cost significantly and let you experience different design philosophies without leaving the resort.

Best for: Golf trip groups who want variety. Play a different course each day without driving all over the Strand.

Best Value Courses

Premium golf without the premium price tag. These three deliver excellent quality at moderate green fees.

Sea Trail Byrd Course — The Renovation Story

The Sea Trail Byrd Course just completed a massive renovation in 2024 — new TifEagle Bermuda greens, fairways expanded from 14 to 40 acres, Better Billy Bunker drainage, and new GPS carts. It’s essentially a brand-new course on a proven foundation. With the resort investing tens of millions across all three courses, Sea Trail is being reborn as a top-tier destination. The value here is exceptional for the quality you’re getting.

Crow Creek Golf Club — The Honest Course

Crow Creek in Calabash, NC is the course everyone in your group will enjoy. Rick Robbins (former Nicklaus Design associate) created a no-gimmick layout with bent grass greens, TifSport Bermuda fairways, and a reputation as one of the most immaculately maintained courses on the east coast. Two distinct nines — one wooded and strategic, one open and flowing — keep the round interesting without ever feeling unfair.

The Pearl Golf Links — The Hidden Gem

The Pearl flies under the radar, which means rarely crowded tee sheets and 27 holes of quiet marshland golf along the Calabash River. The West Course finish along the Intracoastal Waterway bluffs is spectacular, and the complete absence of houses on the course creates a pure nature experience that’s hard to find anymore.

Our condo at 601 Hillside Dr N is 10 minutes from Tidewater, 10 from Barefoot, and 15 from Crow Creek. Cook breakfast in your own kitchen, hit an early tee time, and be back at the pool by lunch. Check availability for your golf trip →**

Most Unique Experiences

If you want stories to tell, these three courses deliver moments you won’t find anywhere else.

Oyster Bay Golf Links — The Wildlife Experience

You WILL see alligators at Oyster Bay. Lots of them. Dan Maples’ 1983 design also features two island green par 3s — including the legendary #17, where you stand on an oyster shell-walled tee box and commit to 165 yards over water to an island green. The Legends package often includes breakfast, lunch, and two drinks.

Glen Dornoch Waterway Golf Links — The Dramatic Finish

Glen Dornoch’s final three holes (16, 17, 18) along the Intracoastal Waterway are among the best finishing holes on the Grand Strand. The course eases you in with gentle opening holes through centuries-old live oaks, then delivers an unforgettable crescendo along the waterway. The clubhouse deck overlooking the ICW is the perfect post-round spot.

River Hills Golf Club — The Unexpected Challenge

River Hills feels nothing like a coastal course. Tom Jackson’s design features up to 40 feet of elevation change, dense woods, and no parallel fairways — it plays more like mountain golf. New TifEagle greens (2022) and overhauled bunkers (2023) brought the conditioning up to match the design quality. Course rating 73.3, slope 136 — this one bites.

Best for Beginners & Mixed Groups

Not everyone in your group is a scratch golfer. These courses welcome all skill levels without sacrificing quality.

Beachwood Golf Club — The Closest Course

Beachwood is less than 10 minutes from 601 Hillside Dr N and offers budget-friendly green fees on a forgiving layout. It won’t win awards for conditioning, but it’s genuinely playable for beginners, families, and anyone who just wants a relaxed round. Use it for your first-day warm-up or a no-pressure afternoon nine.

Crow Creek — The Everyone Course

Crow Creek appears in multiple sections of this guide because it genuinely works for everyone. At 7,241 yards from the tips it challenges low handicaps, while the forward tees and lack of forced carries make it comfortable for beginners. Bent grass greens are a bonus for players from up north.

Sea Trail — The Post-Renovation Pick

The Sea Trail Byrd Course’s 2024 renovation tripled the fairway acreage from 14 to 40 acres. That’s significantly more landing area for higher-handicap players. The three-course resort also means beginners can try different courses at different difficulty levels without driving to a new location.

Mega-Resorts with Multiple Courses

If your group wants to play multiple rounds without driving all over the map, these multi-course destinations are built for golf trips.

Building a Multi-Course Trip

For a 4-day golf trip based at 601 Hillside Dr N, here’s a rotation that gives you variety:

• Day 1: Beachwood (warm-up round, 10 min away) + Crow Creek (afternoon, 20 min)
• Day 2: Barefoot Resort Love Course (morning premier round, 10 min)
• Day 3: Thistle Golf Club (morning, 25 min) — take the afternoon off for the beach
• Day 4: Tidewater (morning farewell round, 10 min)

For a longer trip, add Sea Trail Byrd, Glen Dornoch, Oyster Bay, and a second Barefoot course.

Planning Your Golf Trip

Best Times to Play

• Spring (March–May): Prime season. Courses are in peak condition, weather is warm but not brutal, and azaleas are blooming. Book early — this is the busiest time.
• Fall (September–November): The locals’ favorite season. Cooler temperatures, great course conditions, and smaller crowds. September can still be hot, but October and November are perfect.
• Summer (June–August): Hot and humid, but green fees drop significantly. Play early morning rounds and hit the beach in the afternoon.
• Winter (December–February): The best deals of the year. Courses are open year-round, and many days are mild enough for comfortable golf. Conditions vary more in winter.

Booking Tips

1. Book tee times 2-4 weeks in advance during spring and fall peak seasons.
2. Ask about multi-round packages — most courses and resorts offer them, and the savings are real.
3. Play premium courses in the morning when conditions are best and greens are freshest.
4. Check the Golf Trail packages for bundled pricing across multiple courses.
5. Afternoon/twilight rates can save 30-50% at many courses.

What to Bring

• Extra balls. Seriously. Between the water hazards, marshland, and alligators, you’ll lose more balls than you think.
• Sunscreen and a hat. Even in shoulder seasons, the coastal sun is strong.
• Rain gear. Afternoon storms are common May through September. They usually pass quickly.
• Bug spray. Early morning and late afternoon rounds near marshland can get buggy, especially in summer.

Stay & Play at 601 Hillside Dr N

Our vacation home at 601 Hillside Dr N in the Ocean Keyes community puts you in the perfect position to play every course in this guide. We’re 10 minutes from Tidewater and Barefoot Resort, 15 minutes from Glen Dornoch and River Hills, and 25 minutes from the Sunset Beach golf corridor.

What’s included:
– 3 bedrooms (2 kings + 1 queen), sleeps up to 8
– 2 full bathrooms
– Full kitchen — cook breakfast before your early tee time
– Gig-speed WiFi for checking tee times and watching tournament coverage
– Enclosed glass patio for post-round relaxation
– Ocean Keyes community: pools, hot tubs, fitness center, tennis courts
– Less than 1 mile to the beach — because golf trips need beach days too

Whether you’re here for a long weekend of golf, a week-long buddies trip, or a family vacation with a few rounds mixed in, this is your home base.

Check Availability & Book Your Stay

Questions about courses? Email chad@beachgolflife.com or call (919) 758-4340. I’ve played every course in this guide and I love helping guests plan the perfect golf itinerary.

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