The Senior PGA Championship site where Hall of Famer Tom Watson prevailed, TPC Myrtle Beach remains a must-play destination for serious golfers visiting the Grand Strand. As the only course on the Strand to receive a five-star rating from Golf Digest, TPC Myrtle Beach consistently draws traveling pros and avid players seeking a championship-caliber test. Designed by Tom Fazio and opened in 1999, the course reflects Fazio’s reputation as one of the leading golf architects working today. With more than 120 courses to his credit and numerous entries in top-100 lists, Fazio’s design at TPC Myrtle Beach showcases strategic routing, interesting elevation changes, and a variety of memorable holes.
We played 27 holes on a beautiful April day, enjoying the course’s condition and thoughtful design. Our foursome included Mike “Corky” Donahue, who struggled with accuracy; Jimmy “The Cop” Spratt, serious and focused but occasionally distracted; John “IBM” Ecklund, who warmed to the layout as the day progressed; and myself, turning in a typical mix of pars, bogeys and double bogeys. Below are highlights from several noteworthy holes we played.
HOLE 1 | 377 yards, par 4 — “Off the Bat”
The opening hole sets a tone of precision. A dogleg left, it’s ranked the No. 9 handicap hole at TPC Myrtle Beach and demands a well-placed drive to set up a manageable approach. Two bunkers guard the landing area, and the green is deep at nearly 40 yards. Three of us hit solid tee shots that left good looks into the green; John’s drive found trees and short grass, forcing a recovery that left him in a bunker after returning to play. The hole can bite quickly if you miss the fairway, and our group returned a mix of bogeys.
HOLE 2 | 547 yards, par 5 — “Wally and John”
This long par 5 wraps around water left, rewarding distance and shot-shaping while threatening any approach that drifts. A memorable encounter with local wildlife added color: a large alligator was sunning itself near where John’s tee shot had landed. After some good-natured debate, John took a drop rather than risk a recovery near the animal. The hole demands three precise shots to reach the green in regulation, and the combination of hazards produced bogeys and double bogeys as the group found its rhythm.
Hole 11 © FRANCIS X. GALLAGHER
HOLE 9 | 472 yards, par 4 — “Relief”
The highest-rated hole on the front nine is a demanding par 4 that requires two solid shots. Drives need enough carry to clear swampy brush beyond the tee while leaving an approach that accounts for an uphill, elevated green. A small pond lurks to the right, making distance control essential. All four of us favored the left side off the tee and avoided the water, but the uphill approach and a single well-placed bunker made scoring difficult. We left with bogeys and a sense of relief rather than celebration.
HOLE 11 | 425 yards, par 4 — “Spinner”
Hole 11 produced one of the most memorable moments of our round. Mike delivered an unusual tee shot that struck a white tee marker, sending the marker spinning and the ball ricocheting approximately a foot and a half from the impact point. The shot was equal parts loud and comical and became a running joke for the group. On the hole itself, I managed a steady par, and John followed with an excellent approach and a birdie. Jimmy, still shaken from the ricochet, found trees left and carded a double bogey. Fazio’s design here rewards bold tee shots but penalizes the errant with trees and strategically placed bunkers.
HOLE 18 | 538 yards, par 5 — “Distraction”
The finishing hole is a classic Fazio finishing test: long, strategic and visually compelling, with water features and a large green complex backed by the clubhouse. The fairway shows evidence of routed drainage and is often kept cart-path only, which can be easy to overlook late in a round. A stream splits the fairway, and a large pond guards the second landing area and the approach. My drive left me slightly behind John’s, and while walking to my second shot I lost focus as John walked toward his ball. The resulting shank sailed into the water left and led to a penalty stroke, though I recovered to a bogey after a solid recovery. The hole is an ideal closer, capable of producing dramatic swings on the scorecard.
TPC Myrtle Beach showcases a variety of holes that test every part of a player’s game. From strategic par 5s that require thoughtful course management to par 4s that call for both length and precision, the routing and conditioning reflect Tom Fazio’s design strengths. Whether you encounter wildlife, produce an unforgettable ricochet, or simply enjoy thoughtful greens and bunkers, TPC Myrtle Beach is a rewarding stop for golfers visiting Myrtle Beach.
TPC Myrtle Beach
1199 TPC Blvd. Murrells Inlet, SC 29576 tel 843 357 3399