By Keely Levins. Originally posted on GolfDigest.com
If you want to take a trip somewhere that allows you to split time between the golf course and the beach, and has great places to eat and shop, head to Myrtle Beach. Epson Tour player Carley Cox grew up in North Carolina, but spent summer vacations at her grandpa’s house in South Carolina. She’s played a lot of golf in and around Myrtle Beach. She says it’s the perfect place for a women’s golf trip. She spent her many years going to Pawley’s Island, about forty minutes from Myrtle Beach.
“Pawley’s Island is where I played golf for the first time. So, I think in general, that area holds a special place in my heart,” Cox says.
Caledonia Golf and Fish Club is her favorite spot to tee it up.
“It is just gorgeous from the drive in. They’ve got these beautiful willow trees, with the moss hanging from them. It’s beautiful and they’ve got an awesome clubhouse. Everything is just first class there. It’s a challenging golf course, but you just feel like you’re on this little slice of heaven,” Cox said. “It’s also not super long, which is nice.”
Cox also recommends True Blue Golf Club. It’s Caledonia’s sister course, built by the same designer. Its wide fairways make for a friendly round off the tee.
“Pawley’s Plantation is another nice public course, not too far up the road from Caledonia,” Cox says. “You can also have a really good view of the inlet and those houses that accompany the beach as well.”
“If you’re down more towards the Pawley’s Island area, it’s way less commercialized than Myrtle Beach itself. When we went there as a family, it was all about golf and the beach, just kind of chilling,” Cox said. Her family would stay with her grandpa when they took trips there, and she says there aren’t a lot of places to stay. She recommends checking out the Pelican Inn if you like bed and breakfasts. Otherwise, check Airbnb for a house to rent.
When you’re going out to eat, Franks, Rustic Table and Eggs Up Grill are Cox’s go-to spots.
If you want to stay somewhere with more going on, Myrtle Beach has a lot to offer. Cox recommends staying at the Marriott Myrtle Beach Resort & Spa at Grande Dunes, for the convenience of being right on the water. When it comes to dining out, Buoys on Blvd and Clark’s Seafood and Chophouse are her two favorite spots.
“At Tidewater, you’re literally on the inlet and you can see a ton of houses that are right there on the beach. It’s very beautiful in the sense of you literally feel like you’re right there by the ocean because you almost are, although you don’t have a direct view of it,” Cox says. “It’s very fun to play.”
Cox says TPC Myrtle Beach is worth the visit, too. You’ll play through marshland for a beautiful, challenging round.