It is the bartender, the guy behind the rental car counter and the multimillion dollar business owner. Chances are, in Myrtle Beach, S.C., they all have one thing in common – golf.
The game crosses economic and social barriers. It reaches out to everyone, and therein lays the charm of the world’s most popular golf destination. The Myrtle Beach area, called the Grand Strand by locals, stretches from Georgetown, S.C. to Brunswick County, N.C. It’s home to more than 100 golf courses, hosts 1 million players and plays nearly 4 million rounds annually, but numbers aren’t what makes Myrtle Beach popular.Quality golf, tremendous value and a fun-filled experience, on and off the course, are the attractions, even in difficult economic times. Visitors are immersed in the game and a good time from the moment they arrive, a needed reprieve from the stress of daily life.
“(A Myrtle Beach trip is) a week away with a great bunch of guys - it’s a lot of memories, a lot of laughs,” said Chuck Cooper, a Pennsylvanian who has been coming to the area for seven years.
Set amidst the natural beauty of the coastal Carolinas, golf courses are nearly as plentiful as the state’s trademark Palmetto tree, allowing the area to provide a greater spectrum of offerings than any other destination.
From the group looking for a high-end experience, to a couple of friends as interested in having a good time off the course as they are on it, the Grand Strand meets all needs. The Myrtle Beach area is home to 10 of Golf Digest’s “100 Greatest Public Courses,” two of Golf Magazine’s top 25 golf schools in America, and at least as many top 100 nightclubs.
The area’s reputation as a quality golf destination has soared in recent years but it has never lost touch with its roots. Myrtle Beach remains the greatest value in golf, appealing to blue collar and blue bloods all the same.
