What Is The Golf Capital Of The World?

The title of “Golf Capital of the World” has always been a heavily debated topic. I’m here to put an end to the debate. While many cities can stake a claim to the title, most are just pretenders. For a city to be considered the golf capital of the world, it must have more than just a handful of golf courses. This rules out a majority of cities. Cities such as St. Andrews and Carnoustie, both in Scotland, while legendary, would be on a different type of list. With that being said, what city is the current golf capital of the world?

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is the golf capital of the world. With close to 90 golf courses designed by the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Greg Norman, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is the ultimate golf destination. Plus, Myrtle Beach has mild winters which means golf season never ends.

Stay tuned as I’ll discuss the best courses Myrtle Beach has to offer plus I’ll provide options on where to stay while visiting this golfing mecca.

Best Golf Courses In Myrtle Beach

1. Dunes Golf and Beach Club

Consistently voted as one of the Top 100 golf courses in America, the Dunes Golf and Beach Club is an absolute must-play if in the Myrtle Beach area. This Robert Trent Jones designed golf course has been around for nearly 75 years. Located just off the ocean, the course layout is a fun test of golf for all levels of golfers. Each hole has its own unique name with the signature hole, number 13, being dubbed the “Waterloo”. A par 5, it’s a severe dogleg to the right that wraps around Lake Singleton and requires precision on both the tee shot and layup, which takes on the lake. In the past, the Dunes Golf and Beach Club has hosted PGA tour, Sr. PGA tour, and USGA Amateur events.

Rees Jones, son of course designer Robert Trent Jones, has high praise for the Dunes Golf and Beach Club.

“The golf course my father, Robert Trent Jones, created for the Dunes Club in 1948 is one of his true masterpieces. It is a challenging championship course designed on ideal land for golf; sandy, rolling terrain along the ocean with magnificent trees framing the fairways. It has been one of the highlights of my career to have had the opportunity to restore and enhance the original design intent. The course is now positioned for play by today’s golfers.”

Rees Jones via Dunes Golf and Beach Club

While the Dunes Golf and Beach Club doesn’t offer lodging accommodations, many options are available within only a few miles of the course including the following:

• Marriott’s OceanWatch Villas at Grande Dunes
• Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort
• Marina Inn at Grande Dunes

This course is a semi-private club that offers limited tee times to non-members. Expect to pay anywhere from $150 to $250 for a round depending on the day and time of year.

2. Caledonia Golf and Fish Club

Caledonia Golf and Fish Club is the most scenic golf course Myrtle Beach has to offer, in my opinion. The course has a rustic feel with live oaks framing many of the holes. Caledonia Golf and Fish Club will also give you an Augusta National type ambiance as thousands of annual and semi-annual flowers (including azaleas) bloom each and every year. Some even compare the course to a beautiful floral nature park.

If the scenery isn’t enough to capture your attention, the golf holes surely will. Since its opening in 1994, Caledonia has been rated a Top 100 course in America by numerous publications including Golf Magazine, Golf Digest, and Golf Channel. Matt Ginella of Golf Channel rated it number 16 on his Top 50 list. This course has been described as having 18 signature holes. One that stands out for me is the Par 4 13th hole. Playing at 398 yards from the back tee, a tee shot in the fairway is a must as the approach shot to the green requires serious precision due to massive sand waste areas lining both sides of the fairway for the final 125 yards of the hole.

The Steve Dresser Golf School, which is the longest-running golf school in Myrtle Beach, is located here as well.

While Caledonia Golf and Fish Club doesn’t offer onsite lodging accommodations, they do offer stay-and-play packages through their vacation website, Caledonia Golf Vacations. Inlet Sports Lodge In Murrells Inlet and True Blue Resort Villas are the two locations used if booked using their website. If that doesn’t interest you, there are a few other places to stay within five miles of the course:

• Hampton’s Inn Pawleys Island
• Best Western Pawleys Island
• The Oceanfront Litchfield Inn

This beautiful course is open to the public. Expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $185 for a round depending on the day and time of year.

3. TPC Myrtle Beach

TPC Myrtle Beach, the only golf course in the Grand Strand area to ever be awarded 5 stars from Golf Digest, is another absolute must-play in the area. This prestigious course hosted the 2000 Senior Tour Championship which was won by the legendary Tom Watson. Tom shot 70-67-67-66 for a winning total of 18-under. Of the many breathtaking holes at TPC Myrtle Beach, the Par 3 17th is considered the signature hole by many. The hole measures anywhere between 132 yards (Gold) to 193 yards (Black). Water is in play along the front of the back two tee boxes as well as all along the right side of the hole. You’ll need to put a good strike on one to keep it dry!

TPC Myrtle Beach is also the home of the Dustin Johnson Golf School. This golf school offers everything one could need when it comes to game improvement. It’s led by Allen Terrell, a top 100 teacher in America as voted by Golf Magazine. Check out some of what the Dustin Johnson Golf School offers below.

While the TPC Myrtle Beach doesn’t offer onsite lodging accommodations, some options are available within five miles of the course including the following:

• Hampton Inn Murrells Inlet/Myrtle Beach Area
• Inlet Sports Lodge
• Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Murrells Inlet, SC

This course is open to the public. Expect to pay anywhere from $80 to $185 for a round depending on the day and time of year.

4. Tidewater Golf Club

Tidewater Golf Club is another highly rated golf course with Golf Magazine at one point ranking it a “Top 10 Course in America”. Golf Digest has also rated it as one of “America’s Top 100 Greatest Public Courses”. Thankfully, Tidewater lives up to the lofty praise. The natural beauty of this course is hard to beat. It’s nestled between the Intracoastal Waterway and Cherry Grove Inlet which means half of the holes play alongside the water. While there are many memorable holes, the Par 4 4th hole stands out to me. A dogleg left with the Cherry Grove Inlet all along the left side, this hole reminds me of the 18th at Pebble Beach. A tee shot in the fairway makes the approach shot more doable as the green is surrounded by deep bunkers.

While the Tidewater Golf Club doesn’t offer lodging accommodations, some options are available within five miles of the course including the following:

• Hampton Inn North Myrtle Beach – Harbourgate
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites N. Myrtle Beach-Little River
• Prince Resort

This course is open to the public. Expect to pay anywhere from $100 to $150 for a round depending on the day and time of year.

5. Grande Dunes Resort Course

The Grande Dunes Resort Course is another gem in the Myrtle Beach area. This is becoming repetitive, but Golf Digest has ranked this course as one of “America’s Top 100 Greatest Public Courses”. Are you starting to see why so many people call this place the “Golf Capital of the World”? Seven holes in this spectacular layout play along the Intracoastal Waterway. What separates Grande Dunes from other courses in the area is its links-style design, a rare find in this part of the country. The Par 3 8th hole is an absolute monster if played from the back tees measuring out at 241 yards. The view is picturesque, but you’ll need to quickly focus on the shot at hand to avoid the trouble lurking on this hole. If you’re feeling like Bryson DeChambeau, give it a shot from the back tees. If not, the other tee boxes play at much more reasonable distances (155-217 yds).

While the Grande Dunes Resort Course doesn’t offer onsite lodging accommodations, some options are available within five miles of the course including the following:

• Marriott’s OceanWatch Villas at Grande Dunes
• Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort
• Marina Inn at Grande Dunes

This course is open to the public. Expect to pay anywhere from $75 to $180 for a round depending on the day and time of year.

Final Thoughts

These are only five of the nearly 90 courses in the Myrtle Beach, SC area. The great thing about this area is there are golf courses for every budget. I highlighted some of the more decorated courses in the area, but there are tons of courses in the $50-$75 range. I’ve visited Myrtle Beach a number of times and always have a great time. The combination of golf and beach is hard to beat in my book. If you ever get a chance, make sure to take a golf trip to Myrtle Beach, SC so you can see for yourself why it’s called the “Golf Capital of the World”.