The Dunes Golf and Beach Club

The Dunes Golf Club in Myrtle Beach, SC has long been considered one of the top golf courses in Myrtle Beach since its design by Robert Trent Jones in 1948. Over the last sixty-plus years, this golf course has aged fabulously. It is still considered by many to be Jones’ greatest work as one of the oldest and most favored courses in the area, and being considered one of the best among Jones’ over 500 course designs is quite a feat. This world class course is definitely a crowd-pleaser.

As a semi-private golf club, access the The Dunes Club is limited to a select few. There are, of course, those who are regular paying members and their privates guests. So if you have friends in Myrtle Beach that are members, you might be in luck. The most common method for visitors to gain access is to book a stay with one of the hotels or resorts that are part of a golf package that includes The Dunes in its list of golfing options. A little research will be in order before booking your vacation in order to experience this highly praised facility. Look for the good deals on this one as the green fees can peak as high as $196.

This Myrtle Beach golf course is not one to be missed if at all possible. The overall experience from the course layout and condition to the enjoyable play and excellent service all work together to consistently maintain the excellent reputation of The Dunes Golf and Beach Club. It has a classic country club design complimented by the beauty of the waterways. The Dunes has a history that is filled with some great golf tournaments such as the Women’s U.S. Open, the finals of the PGA Tour Q-School and six Senior Tour Championships.

This famed Robert Trent Jones course has a rating of 75.4, a slope rating of 141 and par of 72. The entire course is in great condition and great to play, however the back nine holes are said to be the best of the course. Golfers have a fun time with the names that have been used to describe each of the 18 holes. The names were chosen to creatively describe the features and challenges provided.

The Waterloo hole #13 enjoys 590 yards of extreme popularity. This one is quite a prize as it doglegs 110 degrees to the right around Lake Singleton. It has earned prestigious rights as being recognized as one of the greatest golf holes in the world. The 11th hole, also known as Salt Marsh, is another favorite with a 385 yard right dogleg requiring a long drive followed by a green that stretches out into the marsh. The final 18th hole, Little Gator, is a par-4 that creates an epic finale. It offers an approach over water onto a bunker guarded green. These are all tough holes that will leave great memories to add to your favorite golfing stories. In addition, hole #9 holds the distinction of being the only hole in all of Myrtle Beach to tout an oceanfront background. This is a par-3 hole surrounded by steep bunkers and a shallow green. Holes 10-13 are all close by within reach of the beach. Holes 14-17 are lined by trees with undulating terrain.

In order for a golf course to maintain a first class reputation over such an extensive period of time, it is reasonable to expect various restorations to occur in order to maintain the grounds in an exemplary manner. During 1976-77, Jones made a few modifications to the course, particularly holes 3, 4, 11, 15 and 18. 1992 brought Robert Trent Jones back once again for an comprehensive refurbishment. Penn Links bentgrass was used to replace the original greens allowing for a smoother course. Also, six holes received changes in their contours for a more golfer-friendly layout. Two major updates were completed as the 11th green was relocated and a new tee box was built for the 8th hole.

In 2001, a new tee box was added to the 18th hole creating the choice of playing this hole as a dogleg from the left or from the right. A new hole was created between the 13th and 14th holes as an alternate course that is used when one of the regular holes is closed for maintenance. This provided an innovative and effective solution that allows golfers to continue through a full 18 holes without disappointing interruptions. The driving range was more than doubled in size as they increased the number of stations from 18 to 40 allowing it the capacity for a full field tournament.

Most recently in 2003, Rees Jones, the son of Robert Trent Jones, stepped in to oversee the installation of the new A-1 Bentgrass throughout the course. With a mission to restore the course while maintaining its original design, Rees made sure the greens were refreshed to their original condition. While he was at it, he made a few minor adjustments to the 1st, 8th, 13th, 16th and 18th greens.

Dunes has a great clubhouse with interesting memorabilia from the Senior Tour Champion Tournaments held there. Golfers usually stay a while after a terrific round of golf to enjoy a refreshing drink and light meal with an oceanfront view.

You won’t be disappointed with this golf course in Myrtle Beach that took the number 89 spot in Golf Week’s “Top 100 Classic Courses” in its annual “America’s Best Courses” rankings. Only two South Carolina courses made this list. They’re particularly proud of their inclusion in Golf Magazine’s “Myrtle’s Fear Factor” list as one of the Grand Strands five toughest courses. Dunes is an excellent course that explodes with history while it offers spectacular scenery, a pristine course, great service and the most important feature of offering a super game of challenging golf. By the way, be sure to keep your eyes open wide to spot the occasional visiting gator!

If you’re looking for more Myrtle Beach golf courses, be sure to visit our list of the best Myrtle Beach golf courses. To see some great places to eat, visit our list of the best restaurants in Myrtle Beach, SC. Also, be sure to check out our list of the best hotels in Myrtle Beach, SC as well as our list of the best Myrtle Beach restaurant coupons and discounts.