For someone like me who lives in the northeastern USA and is limited to a “nine month if you’re lucky” golf season, the thought of playing all year round in near perfect weather is enough to tempt me to move! Not too cold in the winters, and not too hot in the summers, the Carolina Coastline offers great golf weather nearly all year. Guest author David Bryce gives you the details.
Golf Courses on the Carolina Coast
When you think of golf, you might conjure images of clear blue skies, of balmy coastal breezes and swaying palm trees, you might even hear the languishing cries of gulls in flight. And with all these elements, it might create an archetype of the perfect golf destination. Lucky for us, this idyllic golfing Shangri La doesn’t have to remain a distant reverie; you can find this coastal mecca here, along the Carolina Coastlines.
Where to start? Take a look below at some affordable golfing getaways that will appeal to you and the whole family.
- Myrtle Beach: Of course, this seaside enclave is synonymous with the Carolinas and with good reason. Its miles and miles of uninterrupted shorelines and easy accessibility to surf and downtown destinations, make it the southern hotspot for traveling vacationers. The kids will love the surf, your wife will the convenient shops and you can take advantage of world-class greens. Look online to read reviews, see photos and book your tee times. Aberdeen Country Club, Myrtlewood Plantation and Pawley’s Plantation are among a few of the courses that you can investigate before grabbing your clubs and tees, and hoofing it out there.
- Hammock Coast: Not your typical Carolina coastal resort, but if your idea of vacationing includes miles of secluded beaches, cozy cottages and charming villages, then the lesser-traveled streets of the Hammock Coast may be for you. Especially if you’re looking for a break from the surf and sand and placing those metal cleats upon some sweeping greenery and manicured landscape. The Waccamaw Golf Course would be a great option to get an authentic flavor of the bucolic southern dreamscape. Live Oaks laden with tendrils of Spanish moss, swampy Cypresses, saltmarshes and creaky cicadas complete the picture.
- Sunset Beach: This offers a great respite of R & R as well as kid-friendly activities, and of course, still remains in close proximity to local golf spots. Let’s say, the family needs a break from the sun (OK, it’s you; too much sun and too little sunblock), where to go to while away a beautiful day? Alligator Adventure awaits for those fearless enough to get up and personal with a live alligator (albeit at a safe distance) or the Battleship North Carolina in Wilmington. That historical attraction would certainly be a hit with you and your WWII history buff sons, but perhaps not so much with wife and daughter. Good news? There’s plenty of shopping nearby to please all parties involved. And once your back stops shedding large sheets of skin like a proverbial snake, then you’re ready to slip back that polo back over that tender epidermis and grab your clubs. Lucky for you there are lots of local options, Thistle Golf Club jumps right out at you and with good reason, with its very playable greens, friendly staff and gothic-castle inspired clubhouse it fits right in with those golf dreams you keep having.
At the end of the day, the Carolinas offer something for everyone. If you happen to combine a love of golf with your travels then you’re in luck on both accounts. Get booking your reservations early; you don’t want to wait for the warmer months and the dwindling openings.
David Bryce is an online publisher for Golf in Branson, MO at Thousand Hills. He blogs on the topics of golf, travel and vacations.
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Have you ever played golf in the Carolinas? Are you lucky enough to play golf all year long? Where?
I grew up on Mimosa Hills in Morganton, NC. It is a gorgeous and green “old style” course with peaceful mountain views. My grandfather, a gardener, helped Donald Ross build this course in the 20s. Some of my best childhood memories are of this course.
Sounds like a wonderful course. Just checked out their website. Very cool. http://mimosahills.org/