Myrtle Beach is famous for being one of the best golf destinations in the world — but here’s something that might surprise you: several Grand Strand courses haven’t just hosted great golfers. They’ve hosted many of the greatest golfers on the planet, in high-stakes professional, collegiate, and elite amateur competitions.
That’s right. A number of the same courses that are part of the World Am total course rotation have seen LPGA legends, future major champions, and top college programs battle it out on their fairways. That’s not just cool trivia — it’s a genuine testament to the quality of Myrtle Beach golf.
Here are five World Am courses that have walked the walk on the biggest stages.
- Wachesaw East Golf Club — The LPGA Pioneer of the Grand Strand
Wachesaw East might fly a little under the radar as a tournament venue, but it actually led the way for Grand Strand courses when it comes to hosting elite competition.
From 1997 to 2000, this Clyde Johnson design hosted four consecutive LPGA Tour events — and the names on the entry list were ridiculous. We’re talking Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb, and Meg Mallon, three of the greatest women’s golfers to ever swing a club. Wachesaw East set the stage before anyone else on the Grand Strand, and that legacy is worth celebrating.
- & 3. Caledonia Golf & Fish Club and True Blue Golf Club — College Golf’s Favorite Stop
You probably already know Caledonia and True Blue as two of the most acclaimed public courses in America — both have earned spots on major publications’ top 100 you can play lists, and both are Mike Strantz masterpieces. But there’s a competitive layer to these courses that many golfers don’t know about.
Every year, Caledonia and True Blue host Golfweek-sponsored collegiate tournaments that draw some of the top men’s and women’s college programs in the country. And each spring, they also welcome the Palmetto Championship, a premier high school team event that draws elite prep programs from across the nation.
- The Dye Course at Barefoot Resort & Golf — Pete Dye’s Grand Strand Showpiece
The Dye Course at Barefoot Resort is probably best known as the longtime home of the Hootie & the Blowfish Monday After the Masters Celebrity Pro-Am — one of the most fun and well-attended charity events in golf. But this iconic Pete Dye design has serious competitive credentials too.
In 2020, the Dye Course hosted the Golfweek Myrtle Beach Collegiate, attracting powerhouse programs from the SEC including South Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee, plus a deep field of additional Division I competitors. Pete Dye courses have a reputation for eating golfers alive, and this one is no exception.
- TPC Myrtle Beach — A Resume That Spans Decades
TPC Myrtle Beach has been hosting elite golf for a long time, and the highlights just keep stacking up.
In 2000, golf legend Tom Watson won the Senior TOUR Championship right here. Fast forward to 2019, and TPC Myrtle Beach hosted the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Regional, with powerhouse programs like Ohio State, Wake Forest, Cal-Berkeley, and Illinois teeing it up — alongside two players who were about to become household names on Tour: Collin Morikawa and Cameron Young. (Yeah, those guys played here.)
TPC Myrtle Beach has also been the home of the Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship for over a decade running, making it one of the most important junior golf venues in the country.
