North Myrtle Beach golf vacation

By Craig Better

Glen Dornoch is one of the layouts that make North Myrtle Beach golf vacations so fun.

If you're planning on taking a Myrtle Beach golf vacation this year, don't slight the northern reaches of America's most popular golf mecca. This area of the Grand Strand (just over the border in North Carolina) offers a variety of excellent Myrtle Beach golf courses.

Most Myrtle Beach regulars might play one or two courses in the north before moving on to the more publicized links in the center and south, but we think there is enough good golf here and enough good reasons to warrant multi-day North Myrtle Beach golf vacations.

First, golfers coming from cold weather climates can shorten their drive time considerably by taking North Myrtle Beach golf vacations — it's not uncommon for traffic on Route 17 (the main north/south artery along the coast) to slow to a crawl after crossing the border into South Carolina.

Second, those who prefer less congested surroundings will enjoy the low-key, less developed north. Third, the courses here sport the most elevation changes one finds along the Grand Strand, making for some fun and dramatic shots. And, finally, though double teeing is a common morning practice, tee sheets tend to be a little more open and flexible in high season on North Myrtle Beach golf vacations compared to playing on courses further south.

Not all of North Myrtle Beach golf courses are winners, of course, so we published a short list of our recommendations in the March issue of Golf Odyssey. We also reveal the newest and choicest accommodations to choose at Sea Trail Resort & Conference Center, the only full-fledged golf resort option for North Myrtle Beach golf vacations.

Subscribe or read more at Golf Vacation Insider