Golf Directors’ Choice: The Best of Myrtle Beach
It’s good to have someone in the know.
We polled a few area golf directors on their favorite spots in Myrtle Beach. Where to play, where to eat. And why.
Dorothy Miller, MyrtleBeachGolf.com Director
“I don’t golf, but my son who golfs a lot likes Man O War, Witch Golf Links, Myrtlewood Golf Club, and Prestwick Country Club.”
RESTAURANTS
“They have the best fish, coleslaw, and fries.”
Scott Thrailkill, Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort On-site Golf Director
COURSES
“A Nicklaus signature course in Pawleys Island that will not disappoint. Sometime during your round you will say “where is the challenge?” Then you finish and ask yourself “where did I lose this round?”
“Raymond Floyd created 27 holes of brilliance. This might be one of the top-five requested courses on the beach. When you buy an 18-hole round, you receive a nine-hole replay complimentary from the course.”
“The unsung hero of the south strand. You will NOT find a better course for the price. When you stay at Litchfield Beach and Golf Resort this is a must play.”
RESTAURANTS
“Craft beer plus the unique but excellent food will have you dining here more than once. Ask the locals! The Fried Green Tomatoes with Shrimp are fantastic.”
“Upgrade the trip a bit with an artistic adventure into Perrones. You will find local art and dishes you won’t forget. The chef is preparing specials on a nightly basis.”
Don Miner, Golf Director at North Myrtle Beach PGA Tour Superstore
COURSES
Long Bay and Tidewater Golf Club
Long Bay for its staff and Tidewater is challenging and scenic.
RESTAURANTS
Boardwalk Billy’s and Chestnut Hill
Boardwalk Billy’s has good happy hour specials and indoor and outdoor dining. Chestnut Hill serves a great Sunday brunch.
A.J. Mendoza, Golf Director at North Myrtle Beach PGA Superstore
COURSES
“It’s tough to choose a top-three of golf courses on the Grand Strand. I would have to say the Dunes Golf and Beach Club is one of my favorites. It is a Robert Trent Jones-designed course where the greens are always running true and quick.”
“Another course that is enjoyable to play. It’s off Highway 501 and is a Raymond Floyd course. It includes three nine-hole courses to challenge your play.”
“It’s 18 holes of playability through a gated community in Cherry Grove, off North Myrtle Beach. Always enjoyable. Four holes play along the Intracoastal Waterway given a breathtaking view.”
RESTAURANTS
“American chain restaurant. Casual dining experience from burgers to seafood. Shelled peanuts are great too.”
“Small local restaurant off Highway 9 that serves German and Polish food. My favorite place to order Schnitzel. Homemade desserts made fresh and daily by Elisabeta, the owner.”
“If you like Texas-style smoke barbecue, brisket and pulled pork and ribs, this is a place to go. Service is always punctual for the lunch-hour crowd.”
Lance Laws, Golf Director, MyrtleBeachGolf.com
COURSES
“I love the wide fairways. You also have challenges in deep bunkers. The greens are always in great shape!”
Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club
“I love the views, especially on the back nine, starting from Hole 12 all the way to the finish.”
River Club has my favorite finishing hole on the Grand Strand. The par 5 18th is great in every way. You play with risk/reward on every shot!
Also
RESTAURANTS
“I love this place because they make their own beer. So, they have a decent list of beers that you can try out. Plus the camaraderie around the restaurant is great!”
R-Way is a little dive bar that my friends and I would go after happy hour is over at Quigley’s. You can get good food and drinks at reasonable prices.
Also:
Joseph Lyda, Golf Director, Myrtle Beach Golf
COURSES
“It’s a Pete Dye masterpiece that will challenge the best of golfers. With a mixed set of tees, you can test your abilities to the fullest. A great mix of reachable par 4s with some monster par 4s.”
“This Jack Nicklaus-designed marshview facility is one of the best tests of your game at the beach. With a great mix of good par 5s and demanding par 4s, what sets this course apart from all others are the par 3s.”
RESTAURANTS
“A locally-owned Italian restaurant. It has a family atmosphere with a high-end dining experience. Great cuts of meat with homemade Italian favorites.”
“This is a go-to for my family. Big Mike gives you local homegrown favorites with grandma’s cooking mixed in. They serve blue plate specials with some traditional downhome cooking.”
Jimmie Ross, Golf Director, MyrtleBeach.Com
COURSES
“For sentimental reasons again. It helps that it is an amazing course with a great layout. But my buddy Kenn got engaged there on the 18th hole so that course will always be special.”
“I have become accustomed to playing here every weekend. No matter how many times you play it, the courses never get old.”
RESTAURANTS
“This is where we ate and had drinks after I proposed to Heather, so it will always hold a special place for me. Also, you cannot beat the view off the balcony dining area. I mean, what beats looking out over the ocean having a great meal and a nice cold beverage?”
“If you give me some wings and a lot of TVs, what is better than that? Also, it is a Syracuse bar, so it helps that I’m not the only person that has to suffer through watching their games.”
Zach Faux, Golf Director, MyrtleBeachGolf.Com
COURSES
“I am a huge fan of the layout of the course. There’s a stretch of holes on the back nine with a connecting bridge where the tee boxes are in the middle of the marsh. One of the best sights down here is coming up to the first par-3 and seeing how open everything is out there.”
“Tidewater is another course known for its great views of the marsh, up on the North Myrtle Beach Side. No. 12 is a mid-range par-3 which might be my favorite hole in the area. This a higher-end course, but recommended for players looking for challenging golf.”
“It’s one of the signature courses here in Myrtle Beach and well deserving of it. This course has some of the most unique holes in the Grand Strand. Having hills up and down the fairways can help you or hurt you and makes for a great challenge.”
RESTAURANTS
“At the Marsh Walk, it’s a great place to go with family or golf group for some good seafood and specialty drinks. I definitely recommend to go down that way and check it out as well as some other restaurants and bars.”
Villa Romana Italian Restaurant
“Here is some of the best Italian food and restaurant experiences, right in the heart of Myrtle Beach. If you are looking for great Italian food with great company this is a good place to go. An accordion player walks through the restaurant playing music and starting conversations.”
“Another great place which has a fancy bar-style. They have amazing specials, from appetizers to drink specials.”
Tyler Caruso, Golf Director, MyrtleBeachGolf.com
COURSES
Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club
“It’s the most pleasing course in the area. Pawleys is a challenge for all skill levels, and you’ll play holes you will not find anywhere else.”
“I have been playing this course since I was 7 years old. It has beautiful ruins that run through three holes on the front side. It’s a great risk reward course always in great shape.”
“It’s a top 100 course. The course itself is great but the clubhouse and atmosphere are tough to beat. Love sitting out back watching golfers hitting their approach shots into the water!”
RESTAURANTS
“They serve great food with a variety of options right along the Intracoastal. The back patio is a tough place to beat while eating a delicious meal.”
“Food is always fresh and the menu is always growing. It’s the home of the best Smoked Old Fashion in Myrtle Beach.”
Joby Smith, Golf Director, MyrtleBeachGolf.Com
COURSES
“Called the Grand Daddy, it is the first of the golf family in Myrtle Beach. Opened in 1927, this early America course has stood the test of time. Designed and built by Robet White, Pine Lakes is a little taste of Scotland in America.”
Whether you like him or curse his name, Pete Dye has given us so many gems to play worldwide. He left his mark in three different tracks of land in Myrtle Beach. If Harbor Town and TPC Sawgrass were to have a child, it would be Prestwick.
RESTAURANTS
“Looking for the best steaks on the planet? Or the largest all you can eat Italian buffet? Well, they are here under one roof at Angleo’s Italian Steak and Pasta.”
