South Carolina is one of America’s most underrated golf destinations — and if you’ve only heard of Myrtle Beach, you’re missing half the story. The state offers over 350 golf courses across wildly different landscapes: the carnival-like concentration of resort tracks along the Grand Strand, the understated Lowcountry elegance of Kiawah Island and Hilton Head, and the upstate’s surprising collection of mountain-adjacent layouts. For sheer value and variety, South Carolina golf rivals any state in the country.
This guide covers the best golf courses across the state — from bucket-list venues that deserve their reputations to hidden gems that deliver exceptional value without the crowds or price tags of the marquee names.
Myrtle Beach: America’s Golf Capital
No golf guide to South Carolina is complete without starting in Myrtle Beach. With over 100 courses within a 60-mile stretch of coastline, the Grand Strand is the most concentrated golf destination in America. The sheer volume means quality varies enormously — here are the courses that stand above the rest.
Caledonia Golf & Fish Club (Pawleys Island)
Consistently rated among the top public-access courses in America, Caledonia is a masterpiece of Lowcountry golf design. Mike Strantz’s routing through ancient live oaks draped in Spanish moss creates an atmosphere unlike anything in American golf — equal parts dramatic and serene. The par-4 18th, finishing along the marsh with the antebellum-style clubhouse as backdrop, is one of the most photographed finishing holes in public golf.
Green fees typically run $120–190 depending on season. Book well in advance — this is one of the most in-demand tee sheets in the region.
True Blue Golf Club (Pawleys Island)
Caledonia’s sister course under the same ownership, True Blue offers a contrasting experience — more exposed, more dramatic, with waste areas and bold bunkering that demand shot-making precision. Many golf writers consider True Blue the slightly more interesting course of the two, though Caledonia gets more publicity. The combination package playing both courses is among the best value propositions in American golf.
Arcadian Shores Golf Club (Myrtle Beach)
A Rees Jones design that recently underwent a significant renovation, Arcadian Shores offers championship-quality conditioning at mid-range Grand Strand prices. The routing through live oaks and water features is among the most scenic in Myrtle Beach proper. This is the course to recommend to golfers who want the full Myrtle Beach experience without spending at the top of the market.
The Dunes Golf and Beach Club (Myrtle Beach)
The Dunes is the grande dame of Myrtle Beach golf — a Robert Trent Jones Sr. design from 1948 that remains one of the most strategically demanding layouts in the region. The back nine, featuring the legendary “Waterloo” hole (a par-5 that doglegs around a lake), has stood the test of time beautifully. The club maintains a reciprocal guest policy for members of reciprocating clubs — a route worth exploring for the right golfer.
Kiawah Island: World-Class Coastal Golf
Kiawah Island, 21 miles south of Charleston, represents a completely different category of South Carolina golf — quieter, more exclusive, and geographically spectacular in a way that Myrtle Beach’s inland tracks can’t match.
The Ocean Course (Kiawah Island)
This is the undisputed crown jewel of South Carolina golf and one of the great courses in the world. Pete Dye’s 1991 design — built for the Ryder Cup — runs along 2.5 miles of Atlantic coastline, with 10 holes directly on the ocean. The exposure to wind makes this the most demanding test in the state; club selection on any given hole can vary by four or five clubs depending on conditions. Green fees run $400–600 per round, and the experience justifies every dollar for serious golfers.
The Ocean Course hosts the PGA Championship regularly (most recently in 2021) and is on the 2031 US Open schedule. Playing it now, before another major championship cycle puts it at the top of every bucket list, is the move.
Osprey Point (Kiawah Island)
For golfers visiting Kiawah who want the resort experience without the Ocean Course’s intensity or price tag, Osprey Point is the answer. Tom Fazio’s design works beautifully through maritime forests, marshes, and lagoons, with a more forgiving character that makes it genuinely enjoyable for mid-handicappers. At roughly half the price of the Ocean Course, it represents exceptional value within the resort.
Hilton Head Island: Refined Lowcountry Golf
Hilton Head has been a premier golf destination since the 1960s, and its courses have a maturity and naturalness that newer developments can’t replicate. The island’s 26 courses range from private enclaves to resort tracks open to visitors.
Harbour Town Golf Links
Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus designed this Pete Dye masterpiece in 1969, and it hosts the PGA Tour’s RBC Heritage each April. The lighthouse behind the 18th green is one of golf’s most iconic images. Harbour Town rewards precision over power — in an era of distance-first design, its intimacy and strategic demands feel refreshingly old-school. Green fees for non-Sea Pines resort guests run $300–450.
Heron Point at Sea Pines
Also within Sea Pines Resort, Heron Point was redesigned by Jack Nicklaus in 2007. The routing through tidal marshes and along lagoons is among the most visually dramatic on the island. At lower price points than Harbour Town, it’s the better value play within Sea Pines — though both deserve to be played on a proper Hilton Head trip.
Hidden Gems: South Carolina’s Underrated Courses
Pebble Creek Golf Club (Taylors)
In the upstate near Greenville, Pebble Creek offers a completely different aesthetic — elevation changes, tree-lined fairways, and mountain views that seem incongruous with South Carolina’s coastal image. At under $60 for 18 holes including cart on most days, it delivers disproportionate value for visitors who extend their trip beyond the coast.
Wild Wing Plantation (Myrtle Beach)
Four courses on a single property — Avocet, Hummingbird, Wood Stork, and Falcon — give Wild Wing Plantation a value proposition that’s hard to beat for multi-day Myrtle Beach golf packages. The Hummingbird course is the standout, with island greens and dramatic bunkering that create memorable holes at a fraction of the cost of the marquee regional courses.
Planning Your South Carolina Golf Trip
Best Time to Visit
March–May and September–November offer the best combination of comfortable temperatures and competitive green fees. Summer is hot and humid (especially in the Lowcountry) but comes with the lowest prices. Winter golf is entirely viable — coastal South Carolina rarely freezes and green fees hit their annual lows December through February.
Myrtle Beach vs. Hilton Head vs. Kiawah
These three destinations serve different golfers. Myrtle Beach offers the best value, most volume, and liveliest off-course scene — ideal for golf groups prioritizing quantity and entertainment. Hilton Head appeals to golfers who want resort elegance, excellent courses, and a quieter environment. Kiawah is for golfers treating the trip as a pilgrimage — specifically for the Ocean Course — who want the state’s best golf experience regardless of cost.
Getting the Best Rates
Most Myrtle Beach courses offer twilight rates (typically from 1–2 PM) at 40–60% discounts. Afternoon rounds in cooler months can offer exceptional value. Multi-round packages through the Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday booking service consistently beat booking courses individually. For Kiawah and Hilton Head, stay-and-play resort packages often include preferred tee times and rates not available to day visitors.
South Carolina represents one of the great under-the-radar golf destinations in America — particularly for East Coast golfers who tend to overlook it in favor of Scottsdale or Pinehurst. The combination of world-class venues, exceptional value options, and genuinely beautiful landscapes makes it worthy of a dedicated golf trip. Whether you’re shooting your handicap target, working on specific shot patterns, or simply looking for an extraordinary round in a beautiful setting, South Carolina delivers.
