Guide to Myrtle Beach Golf Courses

South Carolina is dotted with hundreds of golf courses and ground zero of the sport is a thin, 80-mile strip of land along the Atlantic Ocean that is lovingly referred to as the Grand Strand. It stretches from Southport, North Carolina, to Georgetown, South Carolina, and includes more than 100 golf courses that will satisfy every golfer's passion, from the high handicapper to the sub-par player.

Golf is a year-round endeavor in Myrtle Beach because of the temperate climate, but the winter months are ideal. They lack the stifling South Carolina humidity that occurs during the summer. The time of year you choose to visit this golf heaven will affect not only your climatic comfort but also your wallet. The area is busiest from mid-March to late April and the fall and winter months as the snowbirds from the north migrate for sun and fun.

Myrtle Beach proudly boasts that it offers courses to play at every pricing level. One can expect to pay from $50 at the thriftier end to more than $200 for one of the more expensive venues. The cost to play will also depend on the time of year you visit the area. Expect to pay 50 percent of the usual green fee if you play during the off-season, in the summer. A possible added bonus will be a more expeditious round because there likely will be fewer golfers on the course.

There's a consensus that even though Myrtle Beach has a wide variety of courses, there are some that should definitely be on your hit list. Those include the Pete Dye-designed Barefoot Resort, Caledonia Fish and Golf Club, Oyster Bay Golf Links and the Thistle Golf Club and True Blue Plantation. One more that needs to be mentioned is "the Granddaddy," or Pine Lakes Country Club. This course was originally designed in 1927 but has undergone an extensive renovation that has integrated a modern flair while keeping its old-school flavor.

Unfortunately, Myrtle Beach is not immune to the stagnant economy. More than 20 golf courses have shut down over the past five years. When planning your sojourn to this golf mecca, you'll be bombarded with a barrage of available golf packages. It is highly recommended that you choose very carefully, so you don't end up on the short end of the flag stick. The best way to accomplish this is to visit the Myrtle Beach Golf Association's website at mbga.com. It provides good information on reputable packages and those to avoid.