Golfweek Magazine has unveiled its always anticipated list of “The Best Courses You Can Play 2023,” a ranking of the top public layouts in every state, and the venerable publication included Caledonia Golf & Fish Club and True Blue Golf Club among South Carolina’s top 5.
The Palmetto State is arguably America’s greatest, serving as the host for countless golf trips, PGA Tour events and major championships, and the Golfweek rankings reaffirmed the place of Caledonia and True Blue among its best. Caledonia was ranked fourth on the popular list and was immediately followed by No. 5 True Blue.
Mike Strantz’s first solo design, Caledonia exploded on the golf travel scene upon opening in 1994 and its popularity has only grown since. The course is renowned for its creativity – Strantz crafted Caledonia with just 120 acres of land to work with – and stunning Lowcountry beauty.
A consensus top 100 public course, Caledonia plays through soaring live oak trees draped in Spanish moss and it’s immaculately maintained, adding to the experience. The unforgettable, par 4 18th hole attracts much of the attention but Caledonia is a treat to play from beginning to end.
The course’s par 3s are as strong as any collection of one-shotters in the Myrtle Beach area, highlighted by No, 17, which features one of the course’s largest greens and it’s completely surrounded by sand.
Located less than a mile away, True Blue offers a contrasting yet equally enjoyable experience. The course is one of the biggest in South Carolina, challenging players with sweeping fairways, sprawling waste bunkers, and large multi-tiered greens complexes.
True Blue, which has been ranked among America’s top 100 public courses, is home to fairways that are upwards of 100 yards wide and greens complexes with as many pinnable areas as any in the state, providing a variety of setup options that golfers love.
The fourth hole, a button hook par 5 that plays around a lake, is one of the area’s most recognizable, demanding risk-reward decisions from players every step of the way. It’s one of five par 5s on a course that demands power, precision and touch.