Grand Strand Area Golf Courses
A sharper way to compare the courses worth building into the trip.
The original page is basically a long directory. This version keeps the same course list but rebuilds it into a cleaner travel-planning page: stronger imagery, clearer reading order, and enough atmosphere to feel like part of the Brunswick site instead of a spreadsheet with photos.
Use Brunswick as the anchor, then add rounds based on how much driving, challenge, scenery, and course variety your group actually wants.
How to use this page: start with the onsite course, then add one or two offsite rounds that change the feel of the trip. That usually creates a better golf weekend than trying to force every round into the same mold.
Area Course
Brunswick Plantation Resort & Golf
This perfectly placed 27-hole layout shows off just enough of the setting while still making you earn the round. Brunswick Plantation hosts three distinct nines: Dogwood, Magnolia, and Azalea. Originally built by William Byrd in 1991 and later refined by Clyde Johnston, it is one of the easiest courses to fold directly into a stay because the villas and the first tee are part of the same rhythm.
For guests staying onsite, this is the cleanest possible start: less transit, more golf, and a calmer pace before and after the round.
Area Course
Rivers Edge
Built in 1999 by Arnold Palmer, River’s Edge is one of the most scenic rounds in Brunswick County and one of the most memorable visual departures from the rest of a golf trip. The setting along the river creates real drama, but the course still holds up as a serious test once the views stop distracting you.
It sits about thirty minutes from Brunswick Plantation and works especially well when you want one premium round to anchor the trip.
Area Course
Meadowlands
Meadowlands is one of the better value rounds in the area and has earned that reputation over time instead of through marketing alone. Designed by William Byrd, it plays in a way that keeps the day enjoyable for a wide range of golfers and has become a reliable favorite for mixed groups.
It is less than ten minutes from Brunswick Plantation, which makes it one of the easiest and smartest additions to a package.
Area Course
Sandpiper Bay
This Dan Maples design is one of the stronger local value plays and has the kind of energy that guests tend to remember. Many groups love it because the round feels upbeat from the start and the layout is approachable without feeling forgettable.
At roughly fifteen minutes away, Sandpiper Bay is an easy way to widen the trip without breaking the day’s momentum.
Area Course
The Pearl East
The Pearl Golf Links offers 36 holes, and the East course remains a consistent favorite for players who like tree-lined movement, stronger wind awareness, and a course that keeps you thinking from tee to green. It has been a popular group-golf choice for years because the experience feels established and reliable.
Area Course
The Pearl West
If you want the more dramatic side of the Pearl experience, West is the one most players talk about afterward. It weaves in and out of the marsh, gives you the scenery you came for, and still asks enough of your game to keep the round sharp.
It is one of the better “story round” additions to a trip when you want something memorable, not just convenient.
Area Course
The Thistle Golf Club
Thistle leans fully into its Scottish inspiration, from the club atmosphere to the way the course reads in the wind. It is a premium option with a stronger price point, but it delivers an experience that feels distinct from the rest of the Brunswick County lineup.
If the group wants one round that feels like an occasion, this is one of the clearest choices.
Area Course
Carolina National
The only Fred Couples Signature Course in the Brunswick and Myrtle Beach area, Carolina National is one of the stronger under-the-radar rounds on the broader Grand Strand. The river, marsh, and wildlife do a lot of visual work here, but the routing still keeps the golf day engaging.
It is about thirty-five minutes from Brunswick Plantation and works well on either the arrival or departure side of a trip.
Area Course
Eagle Nest
Eagle Nest is requested often because it combines value, playability, and a location that fits neatly into a Little River day. Designed by Gene Hamm, it has a straightforward appeal that makes it easy for groups to say yes to, especially when they want a solid round without unnecessary friction.
Area Course
DiamondBack
Diamondback Golf Club is a strong fit for travelers coming in along Highway 9 and looking for a course that feels like a smart stop on the way into or out of the beach area. Surrounded by wetlands, it plays with more visual character than many first-timers expect, and it remains a favorite among area golf directors because the value stays compelling.
When you want an arrival-day or departure-day round that still feels worth playing, DiamondBack is an easy option to keep in the mix.
Area Course
Crow Creek
Crow Creek is one of the most requested courses on the north end and one of the few remaining places in the area where players still talk about the bent-grass greens first. Rick Robbins designed it in 2000, and it has become a staple in many Brunswick-area rotations because the golf feels clean and the location is exceptionally convenient.
For a lot of villa stays, this is the easiest “add it to the trip” course on the board.
Area Course
Lockwood Folly Country Club
Lockwood Folly brings a stronger sense of place than many of the area’s more interchangeable public rounds. The course sits in a scenic Lowcountry setting and works best when the group wants something that feels a little more atmospheric and less routine.
The source page did not include a usable description block here, so this summary is an editorial reconstruction based on the location and role of the course within the broader area lineup.
Area Course
Wachesaw East
Designed by Clyde Johnston and later known for hosting LPGA Tour events, Wachesaw East has long been a favorite among golfers who do not mind driving a little farther for a more complete day. The course itself is strong, but the wider Murrells Inlet setting also helps: if you play here, it is worth making a day of it.
It is one of the best options when the trip calls for one memorable round paired with a stronger food stop afterward.