The Best Trips In Golf Part I – Myrtle Beach and The Grand Strand

Newsflash: there are tee shirt shops and go-carts in Myrtle Beach. If you’ve ever been to Daytona, Destin, Hilton Head, or any and all points in between, you’ll find the same.

What is almost never described to the golfer is the amazing golf trip he can take to Myrtle Beach without a strip club or $6.95 seafood buffet. If cheap golf, cheap food, and dark bars with a cover charge are you’re thing…stop reading.

If you want a really good golf vacation then read on.

Since Myrtle Beach is both a city and a destination, first you must start with where you want to stay. It’s difficult, as an example, to stay in Pawley’s Island (far south) and play golf in Brunswick County, NC (far north) as these areas are roughly 60 miles apart.

So decide on an area and stick with the golf courses near by. You will have plenty to choose from and can always catch the courses in the other parts of town on your next trip.

Here’s one example of a really good trip. It’s a south version…I’ll cover central and north in upcoming posts.

Stay in Pawley’s Island at Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort. Get a condo that fits your group for the luxury of a cup of coffee in the morning or a late night poker game.

On Day 1 go play The River Club or Willbrook Plantation, or both. These courses are a good warm-up, quality courses always in good shape and won’t wear you out.

For dinner go to Louis’ in PI and sit outside at the bar. The best outdoor spot in the area with cold beer, or a cold martini for me, coupled with upscale Lowcountry cuisine…superb. It will cost you a little dough but take the rubber band off the knot now and again.

Day 2 go play Caledonia and True Blue…Caledonia is a classic on the water…after your morning round have lunch in their very cool clubhouse…complete with 300 year old Live Oak trees all around. As much as possible, the owners left their “Fish Club” the same as it’s been for decades…they just plopped a superb golf course in the middle of it.

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True Blue is not on the water, not a cool place for lunch, but a really fun and different golf course to play…I took a group there several years ago and that night one of my boys broke into his rendition of “I’ve Got Those True Blue Blues”…so it’s hard (and he was drunk) but so what?

Cook out on night 2…send the chubbies…you know what I’m talking about…the two always responsible for the groceries, up to Murrell’s Inlet to The Crabcake Lady. This woman catches her own crabs and turns them into some of the best crab cakes anywhere…stop at The Pig (Piggly Wiggly grocery store for the northerly challenged) on the way home for steaks and a pretty good wine selection. The cakes will only cost you $4 each, so buy a good piece of meat and whatever you do, don’t send the PBR drinker in for the vino…get three good bottles for 8 people.

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For breakfast forgo the freebie that comes with your package and take the group to Eggs Up Grill, also in Pawley’s Island. The Greek omelet will put you in the hospital but what’s the difference? You’ll be riding in a golf cart all day cracking your first Bud by 10:00 anyway.

For your golf today you’ll travel down to Murrell’s Inlet and play the TPC Myrtle Beach. It’s hard to say this course is a secret since it’s been around for a long time and is always very busy. It’s one of those not front and center on the radar…but should be.

For your second round, have some fun and head to Grande Dunes. This is a really good golf course running along the Intercoastal Waterway. I’m going against my own advice as GD is a little bit of a drive North…probably 30 minutes or so. That’s OK, it’s your last day and just up the road a little is the place you’re going to have dinner.

What is more golf than Caddyshack? And where else would you rather have dinner on a golf trip than Caddyshack Restaurant? Proprietor Lance Trent will take excellent care of your group but watch him….he’s a 1 handicap on the course as well as the kitchen…the problem is he wants 2 a side.

Warning: Under no circumstances are you to invite him to fill in for “Blister”…the cat that just can’t help himself and buys new golf shoes the night before the trip.

The crabcake tip alone is worth the time you’ve spent.

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Private clubs of note if you can gain access are Wachesaw CC, a very high quality Fazio and The Dunes Club, Robert Trent Jones, opened in the forties, and one of Myrtle Beach’s absolute best.