There were several ways we could’ve built our Myrtle Beach itinerary that would’ve left us happy. With so many options in the area, it’d be hard to go wrong with a bit of research.
However, there was one course above all that we knew we had to try to get on, and that was The Dunes Golf & Beach Club.
Originated in 1948, the club is the most prestigious in the area, and has played host to several notable championships including the PGA Senior Tour Championship and the PGA Myrtle Beach Classic this month.
One of our favorite tidbits on the course was a commemorative plaque on the 11th tee, the exact location a group of local businessmen and women met in 1947 to brainstorm post war entertainment ideas in Myrtle Beach, leading to the birth of the Dunes Golf & Beach Club.
At the time in the 40s, Robert Trent Jones was finding his footing as a course designer after World War II and wasn’t yet known as the prolific golf architect he is today. In fact, the Dunes club was his first solo design that received national acclaim.
The course is a reflection of his philosophy in shifting the style of the game towards longer, higher golf shots with signature elevated greens and ample use of strategic bunkering. Runway style tee boxes (another trademark Jones feature) are abound at Dunes as well.
We were extremely fortunate to get the opportunity to visit and play the course a couple of months before the PGA Myrtle Beach Classic, and are excited to share our review of this classic Southern club.
First Impressions
The Dunes Golf & Beach Club is located within a luxury residential development named you guessed it, The Dunes.
Weaving in and out of the oceanfront mansions leads you to the entrance of the club where a security booth awaits.
The club was quiet on this early February morning, and we were told we’d basically have the course to ourselves. Score!
We checked in at the (very) impressive pro shop and headed to the range.
It took about 30 seconds on the property to feel like we were members. The cart and pro shop staff couldn’t have been more welcoming, and went above and beyond to provide first class service.
The range at The Dunes is very solid, with TaylorMade practice balls and plenty of targets with varying yardages.
We were the only ones on the range, and it felt like the club was exclusively ours. We couldn’t wait to get going, and it was all systems go for our 8:20 tee time.
The Course
Design: Robert Trent Jones
Year Built: 1948
Yardage: 7425 (Championship), 6735 (Blue), 6181 (White), 5580 (Green)
Slope: 149 (Championship), 142 (Blue), 136 (White), 128 (Green)
Accessibility: Private
Cost: N/A (February weekday morning)
The Front 9
We arrived at the 1st tee and were given lots of information about the course and what to expect by our starter Robin Hood (yes, his actual name). He was great and we hope he’s there when we return.
With the imposing approach on the 18th hole to our right, we locked in on the 1st fairway in hopes of firing off a good round.
We played from the whites in the name of vacation and enjoying the course, and the 1st tee box was the first example of Robert Trent Jones signature runway tees.
The opening hole is a generous and straight par 4, with most drives remaining playable to go for the green on the second shot. Fairway bunkers come into play for longer hitters as the fairway narrows around 300 yards out, but the key to scoring on this hole is an accurate approach.
Like nearly all of the holes on the course, well placed bunkers are prevalent and protect both sides in front of the green. Accurate approach shots are the name of the game at this course and misses often result in a trip to the beach.
Shayne got acclimated with one of these bunkers on the 1st but hit a great sand shot and got up and down for par. My poor drive led to a layup, chip, and 2 putt for an unfortunate bogey to start.
Hole #2 is a dogleg left par 4 that will play as a driver hole for the pros but an easy 3 wood was the better play from the white tees.
An elevated green and ample bunkering are featured here as well, setting the tone for the round to come. The back pin placement made this approach shot particularly treacherous as the green sloped off hard behind the flag, sending any shot that went long down the hill with a brutal chip back up.
The 3rd is a long straight par 4. The fairway is narrow and protected by a bunker on the left about 260 yards out, with large bunkers defending the green on both sides.
It didn’t take us long to learn that clubbing up here is a must.
With the altitude at sea level, we were left scratching our heads as approach shots we hit really well played 5-10 yards short of stock yardage, and ended up in the bunkers.
The first par 5 of the course is 4th, and is a really well designed hole properly named “Temptation”.
The hole plays as a dogleft left with a wide fairway to the right of and extending beyond a bunker, offering players the first risk reward option of the day. Laying up to the right with 3 wood is the prudent play, but longer hitters will likely look to clear the bunker allowing the chance to go for the green in 2.
This doesn’t come without danger however, as the green is guarded with a pond in front. A great par 5 that’s both attackable and thought provoking.
The 5th is the first par 3 on the course and proved to be no match for Jay Sigel in the 1996 Senior Tour Championship. The club does a great job commemorating history and accolades accumulated through the years with plaques at the tee boxes throughout the course.
There were no aces to be had on this day, but my first sand save of the day led to a stress free par while Shayne followed suit with par after a strong tee shot.
The 6th is another long par 4 bending slightly to the left. A bunker is in play on the left side of fairway, and a pond is on the right albeit not a factor.
However, an ominous warning is offered and sets the stage for what’s to come!
The par 4s continue at the 7th, an easier par 4 that’s very scorable with an accurate tee shot. I had a good look at the green before ending up in the you guessed it…
The 8th is a straight par 5 for members, but a new tee box was in the process of being installed for the Myrtle Beach Classic to make the hole longer and more difficult.
This hole’s another example of RTJ’s sense of humor, as the fairway narrows and includes multiple bunkers right around where most drives (for amateurs) will land.
The final hole on the front 9 is a par 3 that offers what’s surprisingly the only view of the Atlantic Ocean despite the course’s proximity to the beach.
This scenic hole plays directly towards the ocean with intimidating bunkers surrounding the green. We were both fortunate to avoid visiting the bunkers on this hole and made low stress pars.
Approaching the entrance of the club, the 9th is the first hole you see and the depth of the bunkers is truly imposing as you pull in.
The Back 9
The Dunes has to have the best smelling turn we’ve experienced.
The breeze off the ocean funneled the strong smell of chowder towards us as we approached the 10th and had us as excited for our post round meal as the back 9 ahead.
We tried to focus on the 10th amidst the fantastic smell, and it’s a hole that offers the opportunity to score but is not to be taken lightly.
It’s a short par 4 that calls for a precise 3 wood or hybrid off the tee to avoid the water beyond the fairway, leading to a wedge shot to an elevated green.
Holes 11-13 are the most noteworthy on the course, a stretch known as “Alligator Alley”. As the warning sign on the 6th foreshadowed, alligators are likely to be seen on this stretch of holes as they play along the marsh crescendoing to the dramatic 13th.
Alligator Alley starts off with a par 4 with water in play down the right side. The landing area for drives is forgiving as long as misses to the right are avoided.
The approach on the 11th grabs your attention and is a great shot, with the green tucked back into the marsh and surrounded by water on the right and all the way around the back.
The par 3 12th remains one of my most memorable holes I’ve played thus far.
With the pin placed to the right guarded by bunkers in front and behind the green, I took aim at the safe play and went for the left side of the putting surface.
However, the ball came out a little bit right and took a line directly at the pin. From our vantage point, we saw the ball land a few feet ahead of the hole, roll right at it, and disappear.
I hadn’t had a legitimate hole in one scare, and Shayne thinking I had one as well only added to the pain driving our cart up and seeing the ball on the green. It turned out that there was a little ridge that sloped towards the back of the green that blocked our view from the tee box.
Of course, the birdie putt after such a rush went just as I drew it up, and I walked off with one of the more disappointing pars I could ask for!
Our hearts were pounding and I can only imagine the excitement of pulling off the ever elusive hole in one. Maybe one day, maybe one day…
Following that adrenaline rush was the signature hole not only at The Dunes, but in all of Myrtle Beach.
In fact, it’s one of the more uniquely designed golf holes we’ve seen let alone played.
Dan Jenkins and Sports Illustrated featured the 13th known as “Waterloo” in their best 18 holes in America, claiming that anybody who has played the hole enough will lose all of the golf balls they own before succumbing to an alligator bite.
I don’t think words can describe this hole with the justice it deserves, so here’s the Director of Golf at The Dunes, Dennis Nicholl explaining it in detail.
We were both thrilled to walk away from this wild ride with par, and a visit from one of the local residents…
A truly great hole that lived up to the hype we had for it headed into the round.
The 14th gives an opportunity to exhale and reflect on Alligator Alley as it’s a straightforward par 4 just a hair under 400 yards. The trouble on this hole is on the left, and the right side of fairway offers the easiest look at the green.
Hole #15 is a narrow par 5 playing as straight as an arrow. Fairway bunkers are well placed on the right side, and a bunker protects the front of the green on the right side.
We took a walk back to the PGA tee box growing in, and needless to say, it’s crazy that these players will almost certainly have eagle looks on this hole.
A shorter par 4 with the (in our opinion) most aesthetically pleasing bunkering on the course stands as the 16th. The hole is cleverly named “Bulls Eye” and it’s easy to see why.
There isn’t much trouble to speak of off the tee with the exception of a fairway bunker on the right side, but we’ll let the picture do the talking for the view that awaits on approach.
The fairway slopes a downhill towards the green, leaving a tricky lie to a small elevated green surrounded by a carousel of large, deep bunkers. We loved this hole and haven’t seen bunkering like it anywhere else in our travels thus far.
The 17th is a shorter par 3 requiring accuracy to avoid any of the 3 bunkers surrounding the green. The green doesn’t feature anything over the top, making this an opportunity to score with a well placed tee shot.
The finishing hole at The Dunes is a great par 4 requiring strategy every step of the way.
Longer hitters should avoid driver off the tee as the fairway runs down to a pond in front of the green, leaving tee shots too close to the water with a nasty downhill lie on approach similar to the 16th.
The final approach shot of the day is scenic, and it was easy to envision walking to the 18th green surrounded by grandstands and patrons like the pros have and will.
Post Round
It would be irresponsible to review our day at the club without mentioning our post round lunch, specifically the house chips. After catching a whiff of the kitchen at the turn, we couldn’t have been more excited to grab some food after our round, and it didn’t disappoint.
The casual dining option at The Dunes is the Waterloo Restaurant (the club also features a formal restaurant called the 1948 Grill).
It overlooks the ocean and is a great place to relax after playing 18.
We were given these complimentary house made chips that were absolutely delicious- the waiter let us in on the secret to these chips and the dressing, and you’d never expect the combination they use.
Out of respect for the club, we won’t reveal the full recipe, but the dressing contains Old Bay and a very common salad dressing. We’d come here daily just for these if we were members and cannot wait to have them again.
In addition to the chips, we enjoyed corn chowder and a buffalo chicken flatbread, both of which were excellent. Make sure you include a trip to the restaurant after your round because we promise you won’t be disappointed!
The locker room and pro shop are also well worth stopping by. The guest locker room has all of the amenities you’d expect from a members locker room, and the pro shop is stocked with everything you can imagine with apparel from the mainstay premium brands.
Final Thoughts
To say we enjoyed our day at The Dunes would be an understatement. Our first experience with a Robert Trent Jones course gave us a great idea of his mindset when designing this character filled track. Relentless bunkering in perfect locations requiring accurate, high flighted approach shots define this course, and we loved the layout.
Perhaps more impressive than the course was the treatment we received from the first minute to the last. The staff at The Dunes is first class through and through, and we felt like members for the entire day. We mentioned that to one another several times and it left a lasting impression.
It’s easy to see why the PGA picked The Dunes as the host for the inaugural Myrtle Beach Classic. We think it’s the class of Myrtle Beach and we’re lucky enough to have a return slated for August. Until then, we’ll dream about the chips!
Pros
-A classic course with historical significance in the Myrtle Beach area, excellent layout
-Top tier staff, service, and amenities
-Great food
Cons
-N/A
Favorite Holes
Mike: #13, honorary mention to the hole in one scare on #12
Shayne: #13
What Would We Pay?
We’d happily pay the guest fee any time we have the opportunity again, this is our favorite course in Myrtle Beach to date and it’s absolutely worth the effort to get on if you’re in the area.
Final Score
8
See how we score here
We’d love to hear about your experience at The Dunes! Let us know below- do you think it’s the best course in Myrtle Beach?