Pawleys Island

Mike Strantz's first solo design and still the one people travel for. The drive in under the live oaks tells you what you're in for — short by modern standards at under 6,500 yards, but every green complex makes you think twice. The finish over water to a clubhouse porch where you'll want to stay through sunset is genuinely one of the best in American golf.

Caledonia's sister across the road and the more demanding of the pair — bigger, sandier, more room off the tee but more ways to lose a ball. Another Strantz, and a lot of locals will tell you it's the better course. Play it the day after Caledonia and you'll see why people get into the Strantz cult.

Jack Nicklaus design where the front runs through pines and the back kicks you out onto the salt marsh for some of the most photographed holes on the Strand. The par-3 13th over the marsh is a postcard hole that plays harder than it looks when the wind comes off the water. Conditioning has been on an upswing the last few years.

Dan Maples routing through an old rice and indigo plantation, with historical markers scattered through the property. Quieter, cheaper, and less hyped than the three big names — which is exactly the point. The kind of round where nobody loses a ball and everybody walks off saying that was a really nice golf course.

Formerly Sea Gull, redesigned by Tom Jackson and now run as an unlimited-play model — pay one rate, play all day, take a cart break between rounds. Not as scenic as the headliners but a smart add for groups looking for a value day. Conditions are honest, the staff is easy, and you can squeeze 27 holes in without anyone complaining.

Ron Garl design just inland from the marsh courses, well-conditioned, fair off the tee, and built around members rather than tourists — which means service is good and pace is reasonable. The right call when Caledonia and True Blue are booked solid and you still want a real course. Not flashy, just solid.

Dan Maples again, a few miles south in Pawleys, running through avenues of live oaks on the old True Blue and Midway plantations. Wider and more forgiving than the Strantz courses, with several memorable holes along the Waccamaw. A good shoulder-round when you want to ease into a trip or wind down the last day.

On-course villas at the Nicklaus track — two- and three-bedroom units that sleep a foursome comfortably and put you a cart ride from the first tee. Not luxurious, but the convenience for a golf group is hard to beat. Book direct through the resort's stay-and-play and the math usually wins.

Big condo-style resort that handles most of the Pawleys golf-package business. Rooms range from hotel units to multi-bedroom villas, and the resort can package tee times across most of the area courses through their golf desk. Easier than herding eight guys into a rental house, harder to feel like you're really getting away.

Old-school oceanfront boarding house on the island itself — no TVs in the rooms, three meals a day included, screened porches, shared bathrooms in the original wing. Not a fit for every group, but if your guys appreciate a place with actual character, this is the most Pawleys thing you can do.

Small independent hotel attached to the Hammock Shops complex — clean, modern rooms in a walkable spot with restaurants and shops a few steps away. The right call for a smaller group that doesn't want to deal with a rental house but wants something better than a chain on 17.

The move for groups of six or more. Creek-side houses on the marsh-facing side of the island run $500–$1,000/night in shoulder season and split four ways are cheaper than hotel rooms, with a kitchen, deck, and the option to cook in. Book early — the good houses go six months out for spring and fall.

Just south in Murrells Inlet, a small lodge built specifically for sportsmen — golf, fishing, boating groups. Big rooms, good beds, easy access to both the Murrells Inlet restaurants and the Pawleys courses. Worth considering if you want a base that's a half-step nicer than the standard golf-package fare.

The big dinner in Pawleys, and has been for thirty years. Frank's is the white-tablecloth side, Outback is the open-air patio with a wood grill and a more relaxed menu — same kitchen, different feel. Get the wood-grilled fish or the pork chop and stay for one more bottle.

Smaller, newer, and the kind of place that tells you Pawleys has actually grown up a little. Seasonal menu, good wine list, owners on the floor. Easier to get into than Frank's and a strong call for a group that doesn't want a chophouse night.

Local seafood spot in an old house off 17 — fried shrimp, she-crab soup, hush puppies, the works. Not trying to be anything other than what it is, which is the right kind of low-country place after a round. Bring an appetite and don't skip the appetizers.

The post-round bar. Outdoor deck at the Hammock Shops, cold beer, live music most nights in season, decent pizza and wings. Nobody plans a meal here — you end up here, stay three hours, and call an Uber.

Up the road in Murrells Inlet, family-run since 1948, and the place to go if you want fried seafood done right. Cash or check only last time anyone checked. Cap'n Bill's combo platter is the order — flounder, shrimp, oysters, deviled crab.

If the group wants the Murrells Inlet Marsh Walk experience — boardwalk, water views, a dozen bars within stumbling distance — Wicked Tuna is the best of the lot for actual food. Sushi, tuna done several ways, decent fish entrées. Come for dinner, walk the boardwalk after.

The takeout move when you've rented a house and don't want to cook. Lowcountry boil, fried chicken, sides by the quart — call ahead, pick it up, bring it back to the porch. Solves the 'what are we doing for dinner' problem for a group of eight.

Breakfast before the morning tee time. Big portions, fast service, the kind of pancake-and-bacon stack that lets you skip the turn dog. Locals eat here too, which is the tell. Expect a wait on weekends.

Not a destination restaurant, but the porch at Caledonia after a round with a beer and a pulled pork sandwich watching the 18th green is one of the genuinely great golf experiences on the East Coast. Tip the kid running the grill.