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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Jason Lusk

Where to play golf around Myrtle Beach: Golfweek’s Best public-access courses

Looking to play the best public-access courses at one of the most popular golf destinations in the U.S.? We’ve got you – and Myrtle Beach – covered. Using the Golfweek’s Best rankings of public-access courses in South Carolina, we are featuring the layouts within an hour’s drive of the Grand Strand.

For this exercise, we used Google Maps and punched in each course as of a Saturday morning to determine drive times, with Myrtle Beach International Airport as an achored starting point. Included with this list is a general map of where to find all these courses. Each one on the list below is represented with a number on the map – keep scrolling to see the numbers. The numbers represent the order in which the courses are ranked.

Included with each course is its position in South Carolina on the Golfweek’s Best public-access list. For any course that appears on our other popular rankings lists, those positions are included as well.

A little background: The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them on 10 criteria on a points basis of 1 through 10. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings are averaged to produce all our Golfweek’s Best course rankings.

The courses on this list allow public access in some fashion, be it standard daily green fees, through a resort, by staying at an affiliated hotel or purchasing a golf vacation package. If there’s a will, there’s a tee time – no membership required.

(Google Earth and Golfweek)

12. Barefoot Resort & Golf (Fazio)

The Fazio Course at Barefoot Golf & Resort in South Carolina (Courtesy of Golf Tourism Solutions)

Where: North Myrtle Beach
State ranking: No. 18 among public-access courses in South Carolina
Designer: Tom Fazio
Distance: 30 minutes northeast of Myrtle Beach International Airport

Book your hotel near Barefoot Resort & Golf

11. Legends Golf Resort (Heathland)

Legends Golf Resort’s Heathlands Course in South Carolina (Courtesy of Golf Tourism Solutions)

Where: Myrtle Beach
State ranking: Tied for No. 16 among public-access courses in South Carolina
Designer: Tom Doak
Distance: 20 minutes northwest of Myrtle Beach International Airport

Book your hotel near Legends Golf Resort

10. Grande Dunes Resort Club

Grande Dunes Resort Club in South Carolina (Courtesy of Golf Tourism Solutions)

Where: Myrtle Beach
State ranking: No. 15 among public-access courses in South Carolina
Designer: Roger Rulewich
Distance: 25 minutes northeast of Myrtle Beach International Airport

Book your hotel near Grande Dunes Resort Club

9. Barefoot Resort & Golf (Dye)

The Dye Course at Barefoot Resort & Golf in South Carolina (Courtesy of Golf Tourism Solutions)

Where: North Myrtle Beach
State ranking: No. 14 among public-access courses in South Carolina
Designer: Pete Dye
Distance: 30 minutes northeast of Myrtle Beach International Airport

Book your hotel near Barefoot Resort & Golf

8. Heritage Club

Heritage Club in South Carolina (Courtesy of Golf Tourism Solutions)

Where: Pawleys Island
State ranking: No. 13 among public-access courses in South Carolina
Designer: Dan Maples
Distance: 40 minutes south of Myrtle Beach International Airport

Book your hotel near Heritage Club

7. Myrtle Beach National (King’s North)

Myrtle Beach National’s King’s North Course in South Carolina (Courtesy of Golf Tourism Solutions)

Where: Myrtle Beach
State ranking: No. 11 among public-access courses in South Carolina
Designer: Arnold Palmer
Distance: 20 minutes north of Myrtle Beach International Airport

Book your hotel near Myrtle Beach National

6. TPC Myrtle Beach

TPC Myrtle Beach in South Carolina (Courtesy of Golf Tourism Solutions)

Where: Murrells Inlet
State ranking: No. 10 among public-access courses in South Carolina
Designer: Tom Fazio
Distance: 30 minutes south of Myrtle Beach International Airport

Book your hotel near TPC Myrtle Beach

5. Legends Golf Resort (Moorland)

Legends Golf Resort’s Moorland Course in South Carolina (Courtesy of Golf Tourism Solutions)

Where: Myrtle Beach
State ranking: No. 9 among public-access courses in South Carolina
Designer: P.B. Dye
Distance: 20 minutes northwest of Myrtle Beach International Airport

Book your hotel near Legends Golf Resort

4. Tidewater Golf Club

Tidewater Golf Club in South Carolina (Courtesy of Brian Oar)

Where: North Myrtle Beach
State ranking: No. 7 among public-access courses in South Carolina
Designer: Ken Tomlinson
Distance: 40 minutes northeast of Myrtle Beach International Airport

Book your hotel near Tidewater Golf Club

3. True Blue Golf Club

True Blue Golf Club in South Carolina (Courtesy of Brian Oar)

Where: Pawleys Island
State ranking: No. 5 among public-access courses in South Carolina; tied for No. 85 resort courses in the U.S.
Designer: Michael Strantz
Distance: 40 minutes south of Myrtle Beach International Airport

Book your hotel near True Blue Golf Club

2. Caledonia Golf & Fish Club

Caledonia Golf & Fish Club in South Carolina (Courtesy of Brian Oar)

Where: Pawleys Island
State ranking: No. 4 among public-access courses in South Carolina; No. 182 among all modern courses in the U.S.; No. 49 resort course in the U.S.; No. 65 public-access courses in the U.S.
Designer: Michael Strantz
Distance: 40 minutes south of Myrtle Beach International Airport

Book your hotel near Caledonia Golf and Fish Club

1. The Dunes Golf & Beach Club

The Dunes Golf & Beach Club in South Carolina (Courtesy of Golf Tourism Solutions)

Where: Myrtle Beach
State ranking: No. 3 among public-access courses in South Carolina; tied for No. 146 among all classic courses in the U.S.; No. 44 resort course in the U.S.; No. 59 public-access courses in the U.S.
Designer: Robert Trent Jones Sr.
Distance: 25 minutes northeast of Myrtle Beach International Airport

Book your hotel near The Dunes Golf and Beach Club
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