Putting a New Spin on Classic Courses: Myrtle Beach’s Golf Renovation Boom

There hasn’t been a new course built in Myrtle Beach since Founders Club opened in 2008, but that doesn’t mean the market has been stagnant. Far from it, in fact.

The pace of golf course renovations in recent years has been dizzying as operators upgrade their offerings, ensuring Myrtle Beach continues to deliver the best combination of quality and value in the golf travel market.

 Here is a look at the five most dramatic renovations over the last five years.

– At the top of the list is Pawleys Plantation Golf Club. Troy Vincent, an associate with the Nicklaus Design Group, spearheaded a significant renovation of one of Jack’s most prominent South Carolina layouts. Relying on input from the “Golden Bear,” Vincent restored the greens to their original size and specs, and more importantly replaced the sprawling bunkers on holes 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 12, 16 and 18 with smaller fairway traps, native areas and expanded fairways. The result was a layout that is more playable for high handicaps without compromising the challenge for highly skilled players. Vincent’s work also enhanced the already stunning marsh views on the unforgettable back nine. (Pawleys Plantation top photo)

– In 2022 John Harvey, who worked for Roger Rulewich during the original design and construction of the layout, overhauled the bunkers and greens at Grande Dunes Resort Club, and the results were spectacular. The course reclaimed nearly 40,000 square feet of putting surface and the bunkers had their original shape and contour restored, enhancing their playability and visual appeal. Home to five holes that play along the Intracoastal Waterway, Grande Dunes has solidified its place at the top of the Myrtle Beach golf market. (Grande Dunes 10th pictured right)

– Architect Tim Cate oversaw a four-month renovation project at Sea Trail Resort’s Byrd Course in the summer of 2024 that included new greens, bunkers and some design alteration. Cate, who designed Tiger’s Eye, Thistle and Leopard’s Chase, is highly regarded along the Grand Strand and his work on the Byrd Course only burnished his reputation.

– River Hills, a Tom Jackson design, doesn’t enjoy the high profile of Pawleys and Grande Dunes, but the layout has long delivered a memorable experience. Over the course of 2022 and 2023, River Hills expanded its greens by more than 40 percent, recapturing pin positions and putting surface that had been lost to encroachment over the years. Throw in the overhaul of every bunker on the course and River Hills enjoyed a dramatic facelift. (River Hills 9th pictured right)

– King’s North reopens in October  with a completely renovated front nine (the back nine will be renovated during the summer of 2025), but it had to make our list. We’ve gotten a peek at the work architect Brandon Johnson is doing, and you are going to want to play the reimagined Arnold Palmer design. The greens are being expanded and resurfaced, but just as importantly, Johnson is redesigning the surrounding areas, increasing the creativity of an already memorable test of golf.

Courses such as Pine Lakes Country Club, the PineHills Course at Myrtlewood, Rivers Edge and Long Bay Golf Club, among others, also could’ve made the list, highlighting the amount of work being done in the market.

(Photos for this feature from our Instagram Account @MyrtleBeachGolfTrips)