Advice: Myrtle Beach Planning

[TeeAreNY]

I'm looking to plan my group of friends first trip and driving down to myrtle beach and was looking for advice on best and most cost effective way to book it. Just through conversations I've heard several options. Probably looking to book like a 4 night trip.

• Going through these third party booking websites (i.e. www.myrtlebeachgolf.com, mbgolf.com)
  
• Going through the hotels/resorts packages directly (i.e. Legends)
  
• Booking a hotel separately and just using Golf Now to book tee times
  

It would be our first trip as well so if that has any effect on your advice, that would be helpful too. (If there's one resort that you would recommend for newcomers to myrtle beach)Thanks in advance.

[Noyes26]

Depends what your looking for. If you want something where you are staying at the place you are playing like a Legends then go thru one of the third party booking groups. I always liked using Golfzoo.com.

If you want variety, meaning seeing different parts of Myrtle while playing golf then book a room some where for cheap and use MBN.com to book rounds. They have a section on there for "Tomorrow's best deals" and you can really get some deals on there. There are tons of reviews and ratings on there as well so you have an idea on what your booking.

I've done it both ways. And they are both good. Just depends whether you want something that every one pre pays and you head down to Myrtle knowing what you spent on Room/golf. Or whether you want to head down only knowing what you spent on a room.

[TeeAreNY]

[quote name='Noyes26' timestamp='1405953722' post='9748485']
Depends what your looking for. If you want something where you are staying at the place you are playing like a Legends then go thru one of the third party booking groups. I always liked using Golfzoo.com.

If you want variety, meaning seeing different parts of Myrtle while playing golf then book a room some where for cheap and use MBN.com to book rounds. They have a section on there for "Tomorrow's best deals" and you can really get some deals on there. There are tons of reviews and ratings on there as well so you have an idea on what your booking.

I've done it both ways. And they are both good. Just depends whether you want something that every one pre pays and you head down to Myrtle knowing what you spent on Room/golf. Or whether you want to head down only knowing what you spent on a room.
[/quote]

Thanks for the advice, especially the discounted tee times site. For a first time trip, would you recommend going to a resort and playing their courses vs. going around myrtle? For resorts, any recommendations on which ones I should look into? (Legends is just the only one I heard about.) I guess the resort route would also be ideal if you were to fly down there instead of driving down.

[bcclarke35]

1. Do you plan on drinking? It takes a long time to drive from one end of Myrtle to the other, if some of the guys plan on enjoying some beers, you may want to play on site or close by.

2. Are you guys flying or driving? Lots of places by the airport or up North or South.

3. Is nightlife important to your group? This would also factor where you should stay and or play.

[Tim_Gavrich]

A few assorted thoughts from someone who has lived on-and-off in MB for three years and vacationed there for longer than that:

- Don't book through GolfNow. Many courses down there don't do the type of discounts you'd see in other places.
- Don't drive all over creation to play the courses on your itinerary. Pretty much no matter where you choose to stay, there is a vacation's worth of courses within 20 minutes of you.
- If golf is your primary concern and you're not in the market for lots of "nightlife," I'd recommend staying on the south end. Play places like Caledonia, True Blue, Heritage, Pawleys Plantation and the like. The restaurants on that side of town are the highest quality, too, IMO.
- If extracurriculars are going to be involved, stay more central. Legends has three courses and all of them are very good and in the middle price range. Barefoot is higher end, but its four courses are better.

Enjoy.

--Tim

[Itsjustagame]

[u][url="http://www.myrtlebeachgolfpassport.com/"]http://www.myrtlebeachgolfpassport.com/[/url][/u]

[TeeAreNY]

[quote name='bcclarke35' timestamp='1405955261' post='9748767']
1. Do you plan on drinking? It takes a long time to drive from one end of Myrtle to the other, if some of the guys plan on enjoying some beers, you may want to play on site or close by.

2. Are you guys flying or driving? Lots of places by the airport or up North or South.

3. Is nightlife important to your group? This would also factor where you should stay and or play.
[/quote]

Thanks for the feedback. To answer some of the good points you brought up -- Golf is definitely the priority and we would definitely be drinking but aren't particular about making the trip about the nightlife. Flying vs driving down is still up in the air - i guess it depends also on the route we take - Going all over myrtle to play so driving down would be ideal vs. staying at a resort and playing only their courses so flying down would be easier with that route.

[TeeAreNY]

[quote name='Tim Gavrich' timestamp='1405955676' post='9748851']
A few assorted thoughts from someone who has lived on-and-off in MB for three years and vacationed there for longer than that:

- Don't book through GolfNow. Many courses down there don't do the type of discounts you'd see in other places.
- Don't drive all over creation to play the courses on your itinerary. Pretty much no matter where you choose to stay, there is a vacation's worth of courses within 20 minutes of you.
- If golf is your primary concern and you're not in the market for lots of "nightlife," I'd recommend staying on the south end. Play places like Caledonia, True Blue, Heritage, Pawleys Plantation and the like. The restaurants on that side of town are the highest quality, too, IMO.
- If extracurriculars are going to be involved, stay more central. Legends has three courses and all of them are very good and in the middle price range. Barefoot is higher end, but its four courses are better.

Enjoy.

--Tim
[/quote]

Thanks for the feedback Tim. With your advice, would you lean towards staying at a resort to play their courses or just booking a hotel separately and playing different courses? I'm sure I'll be back to Myrtle, just looking to figure out what's ideal for a group of first timers.

[JJCOOP7]

myrtle beach passport.... or

You can go into the PGA tour store and they have a golf bookie person that you can sit down with and set up your rounds at discounted rates.. I like this b\c you can wait and see what the weather forecast is like.

[poppyhillsguy]

If golf is your priority them I would book a trip through Barefoot Reservations and play all the Barefoot courses. Request pricing for the Barefoot Yacht Club condos and ask that breakfast be included in your rate. The breakfast at the clubhouse is excellent.

Have your warm-up round be on the Norman course then play Love, Dye, and Fazio. Book early morning rounds so you can have the option of replay which is only about $55.

There's plenty of nightlife and restaurant in that area to satisfy that requirement.

Since this is your groups first trip to Myrtle, play the best multiple course option on The Grand Strand.

http://www.barefootgolf.com/

[Noyes26]

I did two trips this year in back to back weekend fashions in Myrtle. The first weekend we booked a room at Barefoot and played all over Myrtle, never at Barefoot. It was nice, I liked it. As long as you understand how to use a site like MBN (its very similiar to GN but just for Myrtle Beach) and know how to look up an address on your phone for directions, I like that route. In my opinion it makes every day different and a cool experience. The rooms at Barefoot are fairly inexpensive and you have the ability to go over to the awesome range/bar there.

My 2nd weekend we stayed at Barefoot and played Barefoot and I'll be honest, I was very unhappy with the experience. Poppyhills guy is right, the breakfast buffet is amazing. The service is rude as anything but the food is good (and we paid for it). I will tell you that we prepaid for our rounds and it was full boat $170 a round. We had a couple late joiners and some how they were able to play for $120 a round since they paid the day of round.

I reached out to Barefoot about the issues and ....... CRICKETS ......

There are better courses for less money then Barefoot, I'll honestly never play there again. I'll stay there and I'll go to their range, but I won't play any of the courses again.

[JJCOOP7]

[quote name='Noyes26' timestamp='1405965891' post='9750699']
I did two trips this year in back to back weekend fashions in Myrtle. The first weekend we booked a room at Barefoot and played all over Myrtle, never at Barefoot. It was nice, I liked it. As long as you understand how to use a site like MBN (its very similiar to GN but just for Myrtle Beach) and know how to look up an address on your phone for directions, I like that route. In my opinion it makes every day different and a cool experience. The rooms at Barefoot are fairly inexpensive and you have the ability to go over to the awesome range/bar there.

My 2nd weekend we stayed at Barefoot and played Barefoot and I'll be honest, I was very unhappy with the experience. Poppyhills guy is right, the breakfast buffet is amazing. The service is rude as anything but the food is good (and we paid for it). I will tell you that we prepaid for our rounds and it was full boat $170 a round. We had a couple late joiners and some how they were able to play for $120 a round since they paid the day of round.

I reached out to Barefoot about the issues and ....... CRICKETS ......

There are better courses for less money then Barefoot, I'll honestly never play there again. I'll stay there and I'll go to their range, but I won't play any of the courses again.
[/quote]

Sad to hear that.

I played Barefoot in 2005 and came away with the same feeling.

Played again this May and came away thinking it was a much better experience... Maybe I was older and they took me more serious, IDK, but we also only paid like $50 by making our reservations within 48 hrs

[Noyes26]

[quote name='jjcopeland7' timestamp='1405966122' post='9750773']
[quote name='Noyes26' timestamp='1405965891' post='9750699']
I did two trips this year in back to back weekend fashions in Myrtle. The first weekend we booked a room at Barefoot and played all over Myrtle, never at Barefoot. It was nice, I liked it. As long as you understand how to use a site like MBN (its very similiar to GN but just for Myrtle Beach) and know how to look up an address on your phone for directions, I like that route. In my opinion it makes every day different and a cool experience. The rooms at Barefoot are fairly inexpensive and you have the ability to go over to the awesome range/bar there.

My 2nd weekend we stayed at Barefoot and played Barefoot and I'll be honest, I was very unhappy with the experience. Poppyhills guy is right, the breakfast buffet is amazing. The service is rude as anything but the food is good (and we paid for it). I will tell you that we prepaid for our rounds and it was full boat $170 a round. We had a couple late joiners and some how they were able to play for $120 a round since they paid the day of round.

I reached out to Barefoot about the issues and ....... CRICKETS ......

There are better courses for less money then Barefoot, I'll honestly never play there again. I'll stay there and I'll go to their range, but I won't play any of the courses again.
[/quote]

Sad to hear that.

I played Barefoot in 2005 and came away with the same feeling.

Played again this May and came away thinking it was a much better experience... Maybe I was older and they took me more serious, IDK, but we also only paid like $50 by making our reservations within 48 hrs
[/quote]

If you charge me $50 and give me an average to above average golf course I'm very very happy. If you charge me $175, have a practice green thats slower then my shag carpet, rude waitresses at your own bar in the clubhouse, and a guy driving around on a cart handing out cups of ice water (when he decides he can hear you or see you to stop) This is when I leave with a bad taste in my mouth. When it happens on back to back days..... I don't come back.

And again, I did reach out to Barefoot with an email. Nothing bad, just figured I would let them know what happened and how a large group of us were really disappointed in a lot that weekend. Seriously, not a peep. Not even an email saying, thanks for staying.

[poppyhillsguy]

My group paid for our Barefoot reservations 10 months before our trip. Several weeks before the trip we all received a $75 refund. When we asked why they said it was due to a new "Fall Discount" they could provide.

That is service that I'd love to get from the airlines, hotel, or car rental companies.

The only rude employee we found was a waitress at the Dye Club. Man she must of hated her job.

[Noyes26]

Nothing against Barefoot, again. I just really think there are not only courses that are better but also cheaper.

Now rooms and staying there.... I'd have a hard time being able to beat what we paid to actually stay there.

[sheppy335]

Are you looking to stay close to were you play? Then you have options(Barefoot, Legends, Caledonia and MBN for some starters) You can book through them or go to myrtlebeachgolftalk.com and look up Brian Noblin he can help you out. You can also go to golfdesk.com and get some good rates.

If you want to spread out your golf what tier are you looking price wise?
Condo's, house or hotel room?

[Metzexpress4]

I've booked trips to Myrtle Beach the past two years and I've used the Glens Golf Group...http://www.glensgolfgroup.com/

Never have had a bad expereince with them and you can build your own package to play almost all the courses down there with a discount from what the daily fee is. The town homes were very nice but they are located in North Myrtle. Easy access to North and Central Myrtle but if you're looking to play some of the courses furhter down it can be a bit of a hike. Past two years I have played mostly in central and North Myrtle and I might look into staying down in South Myrtle to play those next year.

[damnorcross]

Most of the good courses in MB have gone away from golfnow, they only have 10-15 courses, they used to have 30+. We've been going for 6 years, and last year we stayed at Barefoot for the first time. Had no issues, so we booked again for this fall.

[prsgtrman]

ive done the glens, done the legends, done the big cats, done the dunes and this year i organized independently(just got back sunday night actually). if youre willing to be hot, there are ton of deals for noon or later golf, a ton of deals, and the courses will be empty.
a couple of recommendations
wild wing avocet
the thistle
the grand dunes(play in the afternoon, cheap)
pawleys is ok, super tight with a few nice holes
cape fear national(about 45 mins north and well worth the trip)
leopards chase(standout)
sea trail(byrd or jones course stay away from the maples)

drinking: molly darcys, bars on 31st house of blues, captain poos, biminis

[Tim_Gavrich]

[quote name='Redstorm2011' timestamp='1405957366' post='9749113']
[quote name='Tim Gavrich' timestamp='1405955676' post='9748851']
A few assorted thoughts from someone who has lived on-and-off in MB for three years and vacationed there for longer than that:

- Don't book through GolfNow. Many courses down there don't do the type of discounts you'd see in other places.
- Don't drive all over creation to play the courses on your itinerary. Pretty much no matter where you choose to stay, there is a vacation's worth of courses within 20 minutes of you.
- If golf is your primary concern and you're not in the market for lots of "nightlife," I'd recommend staying on the south end. Play places like Caledonia, True Blue, Heritage, Pawleys Plantation and the like. The restaurants on that side of town are the highest quality, too, IMO.
- If extracurriculars are going to be involved, stay more central. Legends has three courses and all of them are very good and in the middle price range. Barefoot is higher end, but its four courses are better.

Enjoy.

--Tim
[/quote]

Thanks for the feedback Tim. With your advice, would you lean towards staying at a resort to play their courses or just booking a hotel separately and playing different courses? I'm sure I'll be back to Myrtle, just looking to figure out what's ideal for a group of first timers.
[/quote]

Seeing as you want to focus on golf, I would reiterate my recommendation that you stay on the south end. I think your top option is to book a package through Caledonia Golf Vacations, in that case. You can stay on-site at True Blue (they have two- and three-bedroom condos, I believe) and play there and Caledonia for a good bit below rack rate, and it's pretty easy to book golf at other area courses. The folks who run True Blue and Caledonia are great people and the courses are always in really excellent shape.

If you're concerned a bit more about budget, look at the packages available through the Waccamaw Golf Trail, which is the group of courses in that Pawleys Island/Litchfield Beach area.

Hope this helps.

[damnorcross]

Caledonia and True Blue are awesome courses. I can't comment on the lodging, but the courses are great.

[gmzbball]

I went to MB this spring. If you want to stay at one resort would go to Barefoot Landing because they have 4 different courses and a great restaurant very close, Greg Norman's Australian Grill. It was fantastic. I would also recommend Myrtle Beach National as they have Kings North with has the gambler, a great island fairway par 5.

[tekin112000]

I don't go to the high end resorts or courses, I'm more ahem, blue collar.

Glen Dornoch and Heather Glens are two I play every year

Always have good luck with glensgolfgroup.com

North Myrtle condo, great courses available, small operation you get individual attention.

[CDM]

Redstorm2011,
The advice on this thread is pretty accurate from my experience. We have gone now 9 times in 12 years, as of late we have slowed down and gone other places mainly because we have played ALOT of the courses out there. Typically play for 5 days and get in about 7-8 rounds... exhausting but fun.

It is hard booking IMHO the first time you go since there is sooo many courses out there it is a bit overwhelming. We got the book with the listings the first time and it took us forever to pick the courses. Last few trips we stuck with ones we really liked.

Location, we typically stay around the 501/17 intersection. We do drive to courses, but as some noted they stay at one place is easier. Additionally it is in a good area for nightlife and close to some good food.

Our group has been locked in on the following course last few times, typically a surcharge in golf packages.:

Caledonia
True Blue
Rivers Edge
Tidewater
Dune
Grande Dunes
Barefoot (Fazio or Dye)
Leopard Chase or Tigers Eye

Hope you have a great time as it fun out there is the weather is good.

[PThomas]

Anybody been down there in early November? Try to gauge the weather and see if it's still shorts weather during the day or you have to break out the pants.

[poppyhillsguy]

[quote name='PThomas' timestamp='1407446289' post='9882073']
Anybody been down there in early November? Try to gauge the weather and see if it's still shorts weather during the day or you have to break out the pants.
[/quote]

You can still wear shorts, but mornings can be cold if you have early AM tee times.

[RichieHunt]

If you're looking for a cost effective way to do it, you can save a lot of money by simply going to the grocery store and cooking your own food. The restaurant bills really hit your wallet after a while and you can easily save enough money to pay for a couple of rounds by eating in. I would look for a place with a good kitchen and outdoor grill for the food.

Driving all over Myrtle doesn't work well with groups of people. I've tried it many times and it is just too big of a mess to handle. Somebody won't want to drive that far, you can get lost and miss your tee time, etc. And if the course is a disappointment, somebody is going to be unhappy that you drove that far for that.

In a 4-day golf trip with a group of guys, I would recommend staying basically in 1 area. If you want to play in different areas...then I would recommend finding 3 courses in the same area and then for 1-day make a special trip to a course everybody really wants to play.

I lived in Myrtle for 4 years...it starts to get cold in the mornings right around Thanksgiving. Come noon it is usually perfect out. The Ocean waters in early November still run around 75+ degrees (believe me, I've been in those waters in November )





RH

[jmacky614]

I've planned quite a bit of golf trips down to Myrtle over the last 11 years. We have guys that fly in and some of us drive from NJ. Over the years, we've learned a lot about how to go about planning.
Being this is your first time there and I'd want you to make this a place you return to, I'd recommend staying in the southern portion of Myrtle Beach (look into the True Blue condos).
I'd say you must have Caledonia on your list of places to play. There are a number of courses in that area that will wet your appetite. I am not a believer in staying and playing at Barefoot mainly because it is a bunch of resort courses that you can find anywhere in the country. Don't get me wrong, they are fun courses, great condition, and their practice facility is one of the largest I have ever seen. I just think for getting that Myrtle Beach/Plantation golf feel, you should look elsewhere and save the barefoots for a later trip.
Courses I'd look into:
Caledonia
True Blue
Pawley's Plantation
Heritage

With some lesser priced courses:
Tradition
Willbrook Plantation
Blackmoor
Prestwick

If you are driving down, you could definitely play a place on the way down/back home that is in NC/No. Myrtle Beach but I would definitely recommend trying to stay and play in the same vicinity. It might not look far on a map, but 30 miles will take you forever when driving around Myrtle Beach.

Depending on your group size, I might recommend staying in a house rather than condos. If you are a group of 4, you'd be better off in a condo.
I don't want to speak about anyone's budget, but Myrtle Beach is very different than other golf destinations. You can play great courses and keep the trip very affordable. That is how we started back in the day.
I would probably go against the grain and try and book your courses before heading down there so you can simply enjoy your time down there and not worry about where you are playing the next day.

Have a great time.

[Armypilot84]

I did a package deal at the Big Cats in April. It is nice having your itinerary planned out for you with the packages, but you if your looking for variety I would say just stay at somewhere like Barefoot and book tee times yourself. If your group wants to hit up some bars or Gentleman clubs at night then I would suggest staying away from packages that gave you staying in Calabash. There is like one nice place to hang out in Calabash called the Boundary House, but thats really it. If you stay in Barefoot then you ate pretty close to good spots like Broadway on the Beach. There are just so many good options, take your time and do your research.

[Armypilot84]

I forgot to mention looking into Packages at the Glens group also. They are awesome courses and are located in a good spot between North and Central Myrtle. Usually pretty cheap too.