Featured Myrtle Beach Golf Course Stories

Barefoot Resort and Golf’s popularity continues to skyrocket thanks to four award-winning courses designed by golf legends Greg Norman, Davis Love III, Tom Fazio and Pete Dye.

Besides accolades earned in nearly every top golf publication through the years, Barefoot Resort’s 6,834-yard, par-71 Fazio Course is currently rated No. 96 and the 7,343-yard, par-72 Dye Course is No. 99 among Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses 2009-2010. Additionally, Barefoot’s 7,000-yard, par-72 Love Course (No. 1), Fazio Course (No. 6), Dye Course (No.10) and 7,200-yard, par-72 Norman Course (No. 28) were all among Golf Digest’s 2005 Top 50 Courses of Myrtle Beach ranking. But enough about accolades. Let’s get to the heart of the issue and talk about the four reasons they’ve received so many honors: The Courses.

Three Days of Golf, A Lifetime of Memories
As curious little boys evolve into men who know everything, they gleam much of their worldly knowledge from their fathers, absorbing behaviors, vocabulary, values, work ethic and a sense of who they will be – like freshly unwrapped sponges.

Of course all of that information and understanding doesn’t pass from parent to child through osmosis. As is often the case, father and son will discover a shared passion or common ground ideal for cultivating the closest of bonds. Whether it’s Little League baseball, Pop Warner football or a Saturday morning soccer league, sports often serve as the vehicle for forming that special friendship. But is there any better way for a father and son to learn about life and each other than by playing a round of golf together?

The King Reigns Supreme at the 1996 Opening of King’s North

Arnold Palmer recently celebrated his 80th birthday, and photos and tales of his career graced the covers and pages of every golf magazine in America. Like so many people and places, Myrtle Beach, S.C. has been blessed to have hosted several Palmer sightings, including several appearances at Senior Tour Championship and a special guest appearance at the 50th Annual Golf Writers Dinner in 2003. Among his greatest gifts to Myrtle Beach are the three Arnold Palmer signature courses at Myrtle Beach National, located on Highway 501 between Myrtle Beach and Conway.

In the 1970’s Palmer and design partner Francis Duane were contracted to carve three 18-hole courses from a Carolina pine forest. They were simply regarded as the North, South and West Courses. Similar in many ways, yet different enough that everyone had their favorite, these three courses thrilled thousands of golfers each spring and fall, and literally launched the boom of golf course development along the Grand Strand.

What was once referred to as one of the most underrated golf resorts in the Southeast is now proudly basking under the warmth of the low autumn sun after the readers of one of the nation's premier golf publications ranked it as "One of the Best."

Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club was recently recognized among the upper echelon of golf facilities in the U.S. by the readers of Golf World in the magazine's second annual Readers Choice Awards. 

The day-to-day management duties of Clyde Johnston's Wachesaw Plantation East have been assumed by the Myrtle Beach National Company, a move that give's the Grand Strand's largest course ownership and management group a total of 11 courses under its umbrella.

As a result of the agreement, Myrtle Beach National, which owns nine of the 11 courses it manages, will assume oversight of outside operations, pro shop, food and beverage, maintenance and marketing of Wachesaw East.