North Strand Notables: 4 Myrtle Beach-Area Courses Near the State Line That Pack a Punch

In a destination with as many options as Myrtle Beach offers, the spotlight occasionally misses deserving golf courses and that’s certainly the case with a quartet of gems along the area’s North Strand.

The northern end of the Myrtle Beach golf scene is home to a plethora of outstanding layouts, and Crow Creek Golf Club, Rivers Edge Golf Club, The Pearl and Long Bay Club are among the area’s best.

Crow Creek, one of only a handful of Grand Strand layouts that still have bentgrass greens, is on every short list of the area’s most underrated courses. The Rick Robbins design offers ample room off the tee and demands precision on the approach if you want to make birdie on greens that can be as pure as any in the area.

Designed by Jack Nicklaus, golf’s greatest champion, Long Bay delivers a test that will identify the best player in your group. Long Bay installed new TifEagle bermudagrass greens in the summer of 2023, restoring the putting surfaces to their original size and specifications, an effort that expanded the total greens surface by nearly 40 percent. The back nine at Long Bay, highlighted by the island green, par-3 13th hole and No. 18, a daunting dogleg right that plays around a lake, is one of the area’s best. 

Home to 27 holes, The Pearl is one of the area’s quiet stars. The East, West and North nines boast creative designs and holes that play along the Calabash River. The one hole you won’t forget is the 604-yard seventh hole on the West Course, which borders the river. No matter the combination of nines you play, this Dan Maples design is a treat.

Home to six holes that play along the Shallotte River, the Arnold Palmer-designed Rivers Edge is one of the most memorable courses anywhere along the coastal Carolinas. From “Arnie’s Revenge,” as the diabolical par-5 ninth is known, to the majesty of the approach on the par-4 17th hole, Rivers Edge is a delight. Following recent renovations that include the reshaping of green surrounds, the overhaul of numerous bunkers, and a clubhouse facelift, Rivers Edge is better than ever.

If your next Myrtle Beach golf trip includes Crow Creek, Long Bay, The Pearl and Rivers Edge, it’s a win for your group.