Be Among the First to Golf at Renovated Long Bay Club and Pawleys Plantation
Two Jack Nicklaus-designed Myrtle Beach-area courses are getting major upgrades, and golfers planning a fall trip should have both on their radar. Long Bay Club and Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club are being refreshed with changes designed to improve playability, conditions, and the overall golf experience.
Renovation projects at Long Bay Club and Pawleys Plantation will bring new life to two recognizable Grand Strand layouts. At Long Bay Club, the putting surfaces are being restored and expanded. At Pawleys Plantation, the project reaches even deeper, touching greens, bunkers, fairways, and the clubhouse experience.
That means fall golfers could be among the first to play both courses after the work is complete. For groups building a Myrtle Beach golf trip around better conditions, fresh greens, and a little “we played it right after the renovation” bragging rights, this is the kind of course news worth circling in green ink.
What Is Happening at Long Bay Club and Pawleys Plantation? Quick Answer
Long Bay Club and Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club are undergoing renovation projects designed to improve greens, bunkers, playability, and the overall experience for visiting Myrtle Beach golfers.
Long Bay Club’s putting surfaces are being restored closer to their original size and specifications, increasing course-wide green space from approximately 66,000 square feet to 110,000 square feet. Pawleys Plantation is seeing a larger restoration project that includes rebuilding green complexes, installing TifEagle Bermudagrass, reconstructing bunkers, expanding fairways, and enhancing the clubhouse and Pawleys Pub.
Renovation timelines, course reopening dates, and availability can shift based on construction progress, grow-in conditions, weather, and course operations. Always confirm tee-time availability before building the final itinerary.
Why These Renovations Matter for Myrtle Beach Golfers Better Golf Trips
Course renovations are more than cosmetic. For golfers, restored greens can mean better putting surfaces, more hole locations, improved approach-shot variety, and a playing experience closer to the architect’s original design intent.
Expanded greens and rebuilt bunkers can also help make a course more enjoyable for mid-to-high handicappers without stripping away the challenge for better players. That is the ideal renovation sweet spot: more playable, more strategic, and more fun.
Fresh Greens Can Change the Whole Round Big Upgrade
More putting surface gives architects and superintendents more room to create pin locations, strategy, and variety.
When greens are restored and expanded, golfers often see more interesting approach shots and a better mix of pin positions. That matters on Nicklaus-designed courses, where angles, misses, and green complexes are major parts of the challenge.
In other words, these projects are not just about making the grass prettier. They can change how the courses play.
Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club Major Restoration
Greens, Bunkers, Fairways, and Clubhouse Upgrades Pawleys Island
70 Tanglewood Drive, Pawleys Island · Jack Nicklaus design · Lowcountry marsh setting.
Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club is getting a substantial restoration that includes every green complex and the surrounding fringe. The work is designed to restore those areas closer to their original specifications.
The putting surface is expected to increase from roughly 78,600 square feet to 117,000 square feet, creating more usable green space and more options for hole locations. The new greens will feature TifEagle Bermudagrass, an ultra-dwarf Bermuda strain used at other Founders Group International layouts.
The bunker work is just as important. All bunkers are being reconstructed, while several larger fairway bunkers are being replaced or reshaped with smaller fairway bunkers, native areas, and expanded fairways on holes 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 12, 16, and 18.
The goal is a course that plays better for mid-to-high handicappers while still keeping enough strategy and challenge for stronger players. That is a big deal at Pawleys Plantation, where the marsh views and Nicklaus design already give golfers plenty to think about.
Pawleys Pub Gets a Better Post-Round View Clubhouse
The clubhouse project includes a roomier pub, outdoor seating, and views of the 18th hole and marsh.
Pawleys Plantation’s restoration is not limited to the golf course. The clubhouse improvements include a roomier Pawleys Pub with an expanded view of the 18th hole and marsh.
For golfers, that means the after-round part of the day gets better too. Lunch, a cold drink, outdoor seating, and Lowcountry views are all part of the upgraded experience.
Long Bay Club Green Expansion
Putting Surfaces Restored to Original Size Nicklaus Design
19 Clubhouse Drive SW, Supply, NC · Jack Nicklaus design · Challenging Grand Strand layout.
Long Bay Club is also getting a meaningful renovation, with the biggest change coming on the greens. The project is designed to return the putting surfaces to their original size and specifications.
Course-wide putting surface is expected to increase from about 66,000 square feet to 110,000 square feet. For golfers, that can mean more pin positions, more interesting approach shots, and a round that better reflects the original Jack Nicklaus design.
Like Pawleys Plantation, Long Bay Club is receiving new TifEagle Bermudagrass greens. The course has long been known as one of the more demanding layouts on the Grand Strand, with large mounds, strategic trouble, and plenty of challenge near the greens. Restoring those green complexes should make the course feel fresher without taking away its teeth.
Why Fall Golfers Should Pay Attention Trip Planning
Fall is already one of the best times to plan a Myrtle Beach golf trip. The summer heat begins to ease, travel conditions improve, and golfers can build trips around courses, beaches, restaurants, and off-course attractions without the peak-season crush.
Adding renovated courses to a fall itinerary gives your group something extra: the chance to experience familiar Myrtle Beach-area layouts with a refreshed feel. Long Bay Club and Pawleys Plantation both bring Jack Nicklaus pedigree, but each offers a different kind of round.
- Best for a Lowcountry setting: Pawleys Plantation, with marsh views, live oaks, and a classic Pawleys Island feel.
- Best for a tougher Nicklaus test: Long Bay Club, known for challenge, mounding, and demanding green complexes.
- Best reason to book early: Renovated courses can attract attention quickly once tee sheets open back up.
- Best trip strategy: Pair one renovated course with a group favorite, then let a Golfmaster build the flow around location and tee-time availability.
Long Bay Club and Pawleys Plantation are worth watching because both renovations target the parts of a course golfers feel most: greens, bunkers, playability, and the post-round experience. If your group is planning a fall Myrtle Beach golf trip, these two courses deserve a spot in the conversation.
📋 Renovation Cheat Sheet
Ready to Plan a Trip Around the Renovated Courses?
Tell our Golfmasters your dates, group size, preferred courses, lodging style, and budget. We’ll help build a Myrtle Beach golf trip that gives your group a chance to play Long Bay Club, Pawleys Plantation, and other Grand Strand favorites.
Because fresh greens, fall weather, and a smart tee sheet are a dangerous little trio for golfers.