Myrtle Beach, masquerading as the ‘Golf Capital of the World,’ offers more than ninety exquisite golf courses with oceanic views, tropical ambiance, and advanced landscapes designed by top architects of the sport. But among these modern havens for golf lovers, several historic courses stand tall, echoing the grandeur of golf history. This article will guide you through a picturesque journey of the oldest golf courses in Myrtle Beach.
The Pine Lakes Country Club
Established in 1927, Pine Lakes Country Club, fondly recognized as ‘The Granddaddy,’ is the oldest golf course in Myrtle Beach. Left in the reliable hands of Robert White, the first president of the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) of America, he sculpted the country club into a work of authentic Southern hospitality and charisma.
Due to its historical significance, during its renovation in 2009, meticulous measures were taken to preserve White’s original design while incorporating aspects of modern golfing. Threading through a terrain of natural lakes and rolling fairways, the Pine Lakes Country Club’s charming course bestows a vintage golf experience, the tangible legacy of a bygone era.
The Dunes Golf & Beach Club
The historical voyage continues to The Dunes Golf & Beach Club, built in 1948 by Robert Trent Jones, one of the legendary names in golf course architecture. Known for its distinguished layout, the golf course embodies a classical touch and promises golfers a memorable round.
By showcasing Jones’s signature skill—his capacity for crafting holes that are both naturally beautiful and strategically challenging—the Dunes has secured its place in golfing heritage. The seventh hole, known as ‘Waterloo,’ with its sweeping dogleg around Singleton Swash, is a testament to this architectural prowess.
Myrtle Beach National’s King North Course
Designed by the ‘king’ of golf, Arnold Palmer, The King North Course at Myrtle Beach National came into being in 1973. The course is considered a jewel in Palmer’s design crown, offering an exceptional combination of strategic diversity and natural beauty. The 9th and 18th holes are renowned for their split fairways, providing players with a chance to thread the needle for a potential eagle.
TPC Myrtle Beach
Designed by Tom Fazio, TPC Myrtle Beach offers golfers the unique experience of playing a tour-caliber course. Since its opening in 1999, the course has established itself as a must-play on golfers’ lists due to its strategic layout, diverse terrain, and challenging hole designs. Comprehensive and dreamlike, it offers a sophisticated golfing experience while paying homage to the dignity of the sport’s past.
Final Thoughts
Myrtle Beach’s historical golf courses offer a rich tapestry of golf’s past, infusing unforgettable memoirs with each swing. The masterly crafted courses are as much a walk through golf’s timeline as they are a thread in the ongoing narrative of the game itself.
These timeless courses offer players the privilege of experiencing golf’s evolution in person, from Robert White’s classical design principles to Robert Trent Jones’s strategic artistry, Arnold Palmer’s playability, and Tom Fazio’s innovation, cementing Myrtle Beach’s place in golf’s enduring history.
Next time you’re planning a golf trip, let the alluring landscape, oceanic breeze, and warm southern charm of Myrtle Beach’s oldest golf courses catapult you into a voyage through history that promises not just a game but an education in golf’s extravagant past.