Walking only or walker friendly links style in Myrtle Beach

[Sherlockian]

My family is currently making our summer vacation plans to somewhere different than usual. We are seriously considering Myrtle Beach this year. I really want to play golf, but want either a walking only or a walker friendly course(I despise tourist Nascar Golf). If not, I'll just leave the clubs at home. It would also be nice to find a true links style course, not just a course with "links" in the name. Any information or real advice would be appreciated.

[nevets88]

I despise tourist Nascar Golf)

LOL

I never had any luck walking in MB which is why I never went back. Hope someone can tell us a way around this.

[Chief Broom]

I have no specific information for you, but I would begin by looking at courses that are away from the more traveled tourist areas. The good news about coastal golf is that it's flat, so even if the course favors cart use walking instead is usually doable. These are going to be courses that really don't cater much to tourists but rather locals. You might also look for older courses that have been around for a long time (at least 40-50 years). While those won't be the top notch courses they will be much more walker friendly. The net is a valuable resource and I bet you can find a course that will fit your bill. I usualy take my family down to St. Simons Island in Georgia for a Summer vacation and I found a really nice course about 15 miles inland (Coastal Pines Golf Club). After talking to the pro shop staff they let me tee off around 6:00 AM every morning and stop in the shop at the turn or after my round to pay and walking wasn't a problem. I get a morning round in each day and am back at the condo with breakfast before the wife and kids even wake up and then it's off to the beach!

[M2R]

Try looking here and there is an article on the subject here which basically just suggesting calling the courses to get the actual hard info.

[deronsizemore]

Been to Myrtle for golf about 17 times and can never remember playing any course that allowed walkers. We typically play in the morning and as soon as you pull up, guys are grabbing bags out of your vehicle in preparation to put them on carts. Maybe if you play in the evening when they are not as busy, they'd allow walking? Not sure.

[sabram]

My family is currently making our summer vacation plans to somewhere different than usual. We are seriously considering Myrtle Beach this year. I really want to play golf, but want either a walking only or a walker friendly course(I despise tourist Nascar Golf). If not, I'll just leave the clubs at home. It would also be nice to find a true links style course, not just a course with "links" in the name. Any information or real advice would be appreciated.

I don't have current info, but as of a couple of years ago the following MB courses permitted walking (in the afternoon only except as otherwise noted):

Aberdeen (any time) Barefoot all 3 courses (any time) Beachwood Black Bear Caledonia (any time, but you must pay the cart fee even if you walk) Dunes Club (any time) Founders Club at Pawleys Indian Wells International Club Meadowlands (any time, but you must pay cart fee) Myrtle Beach National (all 3 courses) Posum Trot Thistle Tigers Eye Waterway Hills Wedgefield Whispering Pines World Tour Re: your second question, there is no such thing as a true links course in the Southeastern US as there is no linksland. There are only faux links courses, which are basically courses with few trees, some artifical mounds and high fescue in the rouigh. They don't really look like a real links and they certainly do not play like a true links. With a few excpetions, you need to go to Scotland, England or Ireland to play a true links course. The courses in MB that have a linksy look are Legends Heathland, Legends Moorland, Thistle and a few of the holes at World Tour. If you want a public course in the US that looks and plays more like a links, try Bandon Dunes rather than anything in Myrtle.

[nevets88]

The thing about walking in a cart dominated area or course is that you're pretty much one of the few walkers, sandwiched between riders. And sometimes there's a big gap between holes. You've got riders pressuring you from behind or sometimes they should legitimately play through.

Many people think it's some kind of miracle that you walk too, especially in hot, hilly conditions. If you stay in good shape by running, cycling, some kind of cardio, it's not that big a deal, walking, but you get many people with good intentions offering you a ride, which gets tiring after awhile. You don't have to be in tip top shape to walk, not compared to say the shape you need to be in to be a fast runner or cyclist.

Sometimes it's just easier on courses where a larger percentage walk.

[sabram]

The thing about walking in a cart dominated area or course is that you're pretty much one of the few walkers, sandwiched between riders. And sometimes there's a big gap between holes. You've got riders pressuring you from behind or sometimes they should legitimately play through.

Rounds in Myrtle Beach are typically pretty slow. I can walk and not have any problem whatsover keeping up with the group in front of me. if there is a gap, it will be behind me not ahead of me. I would not worry about riders presuring to keep up the pace. The only issue could be on courses that have long distances between holes like Tidewater. The courses that permit walking are fairly easy to walk.

[Sherlockian]

Re: your second question, there is no such thing as a true links course in the Southeastern US as there is no linksland. There are only faux links courses, which are basically courses with few trees, some artifical mounds and high fescue in the rouigh. They don't really look like a real links and they certainly do not play like a true links. With a few excpetions, you need to go to Scotland, England or Ireland to play a true links course. The courses in MB that have a linksy look are Legends Heathland, Legends Moorland, Thistle and a few of the holes at World Tour. If you want a public course in the US that looks and plays more like a links, try Bandon Dunes rather than anything in Myrtle.

Yeah, I know what a TRUE links course is. I have spent plenty of time in the British Isles over the years. I should have just said links style, sorry for the "error".

I have also talked the wife into a different destination for our vacation. I would rarely not play than to deal with Nascar on the course.

[JWL1957]

Been to Myrtle Beach once........... and only once. A 5 hour round of golf is no longer a game..... its a pilgrimage.

[nevets88]

5 is some places on the weekend is normal. 6 is a pilgrimage. 6.5, 7 is unbearable.