8 Myrtle Beach Golf Courses Designed by Open Championship Winners

The Open Championship may be contested across the Atlantic, but Myrtle Beach has a meaningful connection to golf’s oldest major. Eight Grand Strand-area courses were designed by players who lifted the Claret Jug, allowing golfers to experience the architectural ideas of four legendary champions during one Myrtle Beach golf package.

Greg Norman, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, and Jack Nicklaus combined to win 10 Open Championships. Their Myrtle Beach-area courses include resort layouts, strategic woodland tests, riverfront holes, dramatic bunkering, and tidal-marsh golf.

These are not eight versions of the same experience wearing different scorecards. Each layout reflects a distinct approach to risk, positioning, recovery shots, and the occasional architectural trap placed precisely where your favorite miss tends to land.

Which Myrtle Beach Courses Were Designed by Open Champions? Quick Answer

Eight Myrtle Beach-area courses were designed by Open Championship winners: Barefoot Resort Norman by Greg Norman; Myrtle Beach National King’s North, SouthCreek, West Course, and Rivers Edge by Arnold Palmer; Blackmoor Golf Club by Gary Player; and Long Bay Club and Pawleys Plantation by Jack Nicklaus.

Barefoot Resort Norman Course Greg Norman

Barefoot Resort’s Norman Course is Greg Norman’s only Myrtle Beach resort design. The layout contains approximately 60 acres of mowable grass, with large waste areas and native vegetation framing the holes.

The limited turf and broad sandy areas give the course a distinctive appearance. Golfers can often use the ground around the greens, creating opportunities for bump-and-run shots and imaginative recoveries.

Several holes play beside the Intracoastal Waterway, adding an unmistakable coastal character to the round. The course works especially well for groups staying at Barefoot Resort or building a multi-course North Myrtle Beach package.

Myrtle Beach National King’s North Arnold Palmer

King’s North is the best-known of Arnold Palmer’s three courses at Myrtle Beach National. Palmer and his design team extensively reworked the layout in 1996, moving more than 400,000 cubic yards of soil and adding lakes, bunkers, hardwood trees, azaleas, and expanded greens.

The signature par-5 sixth is known as “The Gambler.” Golfers can follow the conventional fairway or challenge the island route, which shortens the hole but requires two precise shots over water.

The course combines risk-reward opportunities with bold visual features, making it a strong choice for groups that want memorable holes and a marquee course in the center of Myrtle Beach.

Myrtle Beach National SouthCreek Arnold Palmer

SouthCreek presents a more precision-oriented version of Arnold Palmer golf. The layout winds through coastal wetlands and hardwood forest, placing a premium on accuracy and course management rather than overwhelming distance.

At 6,416 yards from the championship tees, SouthCreek is the shortest course in this guide. That does not make it a ceremonial stroll. Waste areas, protected greens, doglegs, and tighter landing areas demand thoughtful decisions throughout the round.

SouthCreek pairs naturally with King’s North and West Course because all three are located at Myrtle Beach National. Groups can build a convenient multi-round itinerary without sending the rental cars wandering across the Grand Strand.

Myrtle Beach National West Course Arnold Palmer

West Course is the longest of the three layouts at Myrtle Beach National. Its wider fairways and reasonably sized greens make the course approachable, but strategically positioned bunkers, natural hazards, and tall trees prevent golfers from switching into autopilot.

The challenge is often positional. A drive that finds the wrong side of a fairway may leave a blocked or uncomfortable approach, while a controlled tee shot can produce a much cleaner angle.

West Course is a practical opening round, departure-day round, or companion to the more dramatic King’s North. It offers enough forgiveness for a varied group while still asking stronger players to choose their lines carefully.

Rivers Edge Golf Club Arnold Palmer

Rivers Edge occupies one of the most dramatic properties in the region. The Arnold Palmer design sits in Shallotte, North Carolina, and features seven holes along the Shallotte River.

The course moves between bluffs and lower marshland, creating elevation changes that are unusual for coastal golf. River views, marsh grasses, changing winds, and risk-reward decisions define much of the experience.

Rivers Edge is especially convenient for groups staying in North Myrtle Beach, Sunset Beach, or the Brunswick Islands. It pairs well with other northern courses for a package built around scenic coastal golf.

Blackmoor Golf Club Gary Player

Blackmoor is Gary Player’s only Grand Strand design. Located in Murrells Inlet on the historic Longwood Plantation property, the course uses mature trees, doglegs, and modest elevation changes to create a strategic but playable round.

Blackmoor is not designed around brute force. Doglegs appear throughout the routing, placing greater value on club selection and position from the tee.

The short par-4 eighth is the course’s most unusual strategic puzzle. Golfers can follow the conventional dogleg or attempt a more aggressive route over the trees, turning a seemingly simple hole into a tiny courtroom for decision-making.

Long Bay Club Jack Nicklaus

Long Bay Club is regarded as one of the more demanding layouts on the Grand Strand. Jack Nicklaus used large man-made mounds, deep bunkers, small landing areas, and challenging green surrounds to create a course that asks for disciplined shot placement.

The par-4 10th is one of the course’s defining holes, featuring a horseshoe-shaped waste bunker that stretches toward the green. It is a striking visual, but it also forces golfers to consider position and angle before reaching for the longest club.

Long Bay is a strong fit for experienced groups seeking a stern championship-style test. Choose the proper tees carefully. The Golden Bear does not issue refunds for excessive optimism.

Pawleys Plantation Jack Nicklaus

Pawleys Plantation combines Jack Nicklaus’ strategic design style with one of the Grand Strand’s most distinctive Lowcountry settings. The course moves through wooded terrain before opening toward lakes, creeks, and tidal marsh.

Memorable features include a large double green, a split fairway, extensive marsh views, and the par-3 13th, which plays across the marsh from a set of tees reached by a long bulkheaded causeway.

The marshland holes can change character with the wind and conditions, producing a round that feels visually different from more traditional inland courses. Pawleys Plantation is a natural anchor for a South Strand or Hammock Coast itinerary.

How to Build an Open Champions Golf Package Trip Planning

Playing all eight courses in one trip would create a formidable golf pilgrimage. Most groups will enjoy the experience more by selecting courses based on lodging location, driving time, and the type of golf they prefer.

• For a North Myrtle Beach package: Pair Barefoot Norman, Rivers Edge, and Long Bay Club.
• For a central Myrtle Beach package: Play King’s North, SouthCreek, and West Course from the Myrtle Beach National complex.
• For a South Strand package: Combine Blackmoor and Pawleys Plantation with other Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island courses.
• For maximum architectural variety: Build a four-round package featuring Barefoot Norman, King’s North, Blackmoor, and Pawleys Plantation.

Course information and images: Details were sourced from the YourGolfPackage.com course pages for Barefoot Resort Norman, King’s North, SouthCreek, West Course, Rivers Edge, Blackmoor, Long Bay Club, and Pawleys Plantation.

Playing a champion’s design is the closest most golfers will get to the Claret Jug without creating a small international incident.