Golf Season
For golfers, paradise must look an awful lot like Myrtle Beach. Mile after mile after mile of meticulously manicured greens, stately antebellum-style clubhouses, sprinklers spreading multi-hued curtains of water... it's a sight that can choke up even the toughest of old duffers.
Myrtle Beach has spent decades becoming the "Golf Capital of the World," and with over 120 courses and climbing, the title seems likely to remain with the Grand Strand for some time. This is a town that takes its golfing seriously.
Myrtle Beach has spent decades becoming the "Golf Capital of the World," and with over 120 courses and climbing the title seems likely to remain with the Grand Strand for some time...
Once you've decided that a Grand Strand golf vacation is just what you need, you'll want to carefully examine what exactly it is you want from your trip.
If it's golf, golf, and more golf, and the other amenities of a coastal vacation mecca don't appeal to you, then you might want to consider the North Carolina area of the Strand.
But if you're looking for nightlife and fine dining to go along with your golf game, or you've brought the family and need entertainment for them while you're busy golfing, then your best bet is right in the heart of Myrtle Beach. You'll find all the amusement opportunities you can imagine- from family fun to adult nightlife- and some of the finest restaurants in the South.
There are great courses near Restaurant Row and the entertainment complexes, so don't hesitate to plunk yourself in the heart of Myrtle Beach's action. It's a great way for the family to enjoy a vacation together, without having to be together too much...
So, what about the courses? Well, to take a few representative glances, let's start with the Barefoot Resort's Norman Course. Designed, naturally, by Greg Norman, this one is an original. To begin with, there's only 60 acres of grass on the course, and spectacular use has been made of waste areas and the stunning natural vegatation.
In describing the course, Greg Norman has said, "We have a fabulous piece of property with great elevations and the developer has spared no expenses to insure that this course is the absolute best it can be.".
In 1990, Golf Digest ranked Tidewater Golf Club & Plantation as the top new public course in America. Created by Ken Tomlinson, a native South Carolinian, it's designed with the traditional Carolina golf courses in mind, taking advantage of the natural environment.
Pine Lake Country Club, known as the 'Granddaddy,' was designed by the first President of the PGA, Robert White, in 1927. The softly rolling landscape and attention to detail are White hallmarks. And for you trivia buffs, Sports Illustrated was conceived at Pine Lake Country Club.
Whatever your game or strengths- or weaknesses-
there's a golf course somewhere along the Grand Strand that meets your
needs. Keep in mind what it is you want- golf, golf and dining, or golf
and entertainment- select your course accordingly, and then enjoy. 
