South Carolina is home to some of the most memorable and challenging golf courses in the United States. From breezy coastal links sculpted by legends to serene parkland layouts, the Palmetto State delivers an unforgettable experience for every golfer. This guide will walk you through the absolute must-play tracks, complete with pro-level tips on how to approach them so you can play your best and have more fun.
There are few courses that test every facet of your game like The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island. Designed by Pete Dye to host the 1991 Ryder Cup, this beastly layout has since tested the world’s best at multiple PGA Championships. It’s infamous for its raw, windswept beauty and its unforgiving nature. Ten holes run directly along the Atlantic coastline, and the ten that don’t are still heavily influenced by the constant ocean breeze. This isn't just a round of golf, it's an adventure.
Success at The Ocean Course isn't about overpowering it, it's about outsmarting it. The golfer who thinks their way around this course will always beat the one who just tries to hit it hard.
Home of the RBC Heritage on the PGA Tour, Harbour Town is another Pete Dye masterpiece, a collaboration with Jack Nicklaus. Unlike the wide-open Ocean Course, Harbour Town is a tight, strategic examination of precision. It demands accuracy from tee to green with its narrow, tree-lined fairways, overhanging oak limbs, and famously tiny greens - the smallest on Tour. Capped off by the iconic red-and-white-striped lighthouse behind the 18th green, it’s a course that rewards finesse over brute force.
Put your ego aside when you play Harbour Town. This course has humbled the longest hitters for decades. It's a thinking person's paradise.
Known as the "Golf Capital of the World," the Myrtle Beach area offers over 90 courses, but a few stand head and shoulders above the rest with their incredible design and character.
Often lauded as a work of art, Caledonia is a Mike Strantz design built on the site of a former rice plantation. It's an experience from the moment you drive down the oak-lined entry road. The course is routed beautifully through ancient live oaks draped in Spanish moss, with elaborate bunkering and pristine wetlands. While visually stunning, it’s also a real test of golf that requires creativity and execution.
At Caledonia, every shot demands your full attention. The par-4s are uniquely challenging, but the course is most famous for its final approach on the 18th hole. It’s a mid-length par-4 that requires you to carry a lake to reach the green, which sits just in front of the clubhouse. Spectators on the porch are common. Don't be a hero. Take one extra club to ensure you carry the water, as the slightest mishit will find a watery grave. The putting surface is large, so focus on getting it safely on the dance floor and two-putting for a memorable finishing par.
This is the classic, the patriarch of Myrtle Beach golf. A Robert Trent Jones Sr. design, The Dunes Club has a rich history of hosting professional and top amateur events. It's a straightforward, challenging layout known for its elevated, well-bunkered greens and famously tough holes. It feels like a proper championship test from the first tee to the 18th green.
The signature hole is the par-5 13th, "Waterloo." It’s a sharp dogleg right that wraps around Lake Singleton. Big hitters might be tempted to cut the corner over the lake to reach the green in two, but this is a high-risk play. The smarter strategy is to play it as a three-shot hole. Hit a solid tee shot down the left-center of the fairway. For your second, lay up to a comfortable wedge distance. This will leave you a clean, confident approach into a green guarded heavily by bunkers, taking the lake completely out of play and giving you a great chance at birdie - or an easy par.
Proving South Carolina golf isn't just about the coast, The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards is a breathtaking Tom Fazio course in the state's Upstate region. It features incredible views of Lake Keowee and the distant Blue Ridge Mountains. With more than 200 feet of elevation change from top to bottom, it offers a completely different, but equally amazing, style of golf.
Playing in the mountains presents unique challenges. Your top priority should be adjusting for elevation changes. A good rule of thumb is to take one less club for every 15 feet of downhill drop and one extra club for every 15 feet of uphill climb. On a hole that’s playing severely downhill, a 150-yard shot might only require a 9-iron instead of your usual 7-iron. Trust the adjustment. Also, when reading putts, be aware that many players find breaks on mountain courses to be subtle. Focus intently on the last few feet of your putt's path to the hole and trust your eyes over any general "breaks away from the mountain" myth.
From the wind-swept shores of Kiawah Island to the strategic puzzles of Harbour Town and the mountain vistas of the Upstate, South Carolina offers a wealth of incredible golf. Each course presents a unique test of skill and strategy, promising a memorable round no matter your handicap.
Making a confident, smart decision on these famous layouts can be the difference between a great day and a frustrating one. That’s why we made Caddie AI. Out on the course, it helps you think like a pro, offering instant advice on club selection for a tricky par-3 or a smart strategy for playing a dangerous par-5. When you’re faced with a tough lie in the rough an uncertain of how to play it, you can take a picture of it and it well breakdown the simplest an smartest way to handle this shot with more confidence and without the emotional response or making blow up holes. It’s like having a seasoned coach in your pocket to help you navigate every challenge the course throws at you.
Thinking about hosting a golf tournament fundraiser is the first swing, executing it successfully is what gets the ball in the hole. This guide will walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, from laying the initial groundwork months in advance to watching your happy golfers tee off. We’ll cover everything from securing sponsors and setting your budget to planning the on-course fun that makes an event unforgettable.
A golf handicap does more than just give you bragging rights (or a reason to demand strokes from your friends) - it’s the game’s great equalizer and the single best way to track your improvement. This guide breaks down what a handicap is, how the supportive math behind a handicap index a is, and exactly how you can get one for yourself. We’ll look at everything from Course Rating to Adjusted Gross Score, helping you feel confident both on the course and in the clubhouse.
The compression of a Pinnacle Rush golf ball is one of its most defining features, engineered specifically to help a huge swath of golfers get more distance and enjoyment from their game. We'll break down exactly what its low compression means, who it's for, and how you can use that knowledge to shoot lower scores.
Figuring out which spikes go into your new (or old) pair of Puma golf shoes can feel like a puzzle, but it’s much simpler than you think. The key isn't the brand of the shoe, but the type of receptacle system they use. This guide will walk you through exactly how to identify your Puma's spike system, choose the perfect replacements for your game, and change them out like a pro.
The Golf Genius app is one of the best tools for managing and participating in competitive golf events, but figuring it out for the first time can feel like reading a new set of greens. This guide cuts through the confusion and shows you exactly how to use the app as a player. We’ll cover everything from logging into your tournament and entering scores to checking the live leaderboard so you can enjoy the competition without any tech headaches.
Walking onto the first tee with sweaty palms, worried you’ll be a good partner to paly wtih...or even asked back again ...We’ve all been there - trust me! The real trick of feeling confortable... is about how you handle you’re ready to plsy. THIS guide explains the simple rules of the rode to show you hnow t play golf while staying calm relaxed and focused... an having much morse fun while you,',re aat it? You'll also play with confidence a dn make fiendsa while you're at i
Just ask a question or share a photo and Caddie gives personalized guidance for every shot - anytime, anywhere.
