By: Patricia Bandurka
Sixty miles of white, sandy beaches stretch along the azure Atlantic Ocean making up what is known as the Grand Strand. Beginning in Southport, North Carolina and ending in Pawley’s Island, South Carolina, it’s famous for its entertaining nightlife, fine dining, and a multitude of historical attractions – it’s no wonder Myrtle Beach continues to be a popular destination all year long.
After all is said and done, golf is just one of the main draws for visitors to Myrtle Beach. When combined with the beautiful sandy beaches, the two are like peanut butter and jelly or milk and cookies – good enough on their own, but so much better when together. With over 100 golf courses to choose from, Tiger Woods said it best when he called Myrtle Beach the “Mecca of the golf world.” Never has there been a more accurate portrayal given by the number one player in the world about the number one golf destination in the United States.

TPC Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach is a prime golf getaway. It’s easy to see why so many golfers choose to vacation in “The Golf Capital of the World”. It’s a year-round playground for golf enthusiasts that delivers an endless variety of memorable experiences at the best prices possible. With design experts like Nicklaus, Palmer, Fazio, and Dye behind the drawing board, Myrtle Beach offers tremendous value for your vacation dollar at premium golf courses. Notable layouts like Dunes Golf & Beach Club, Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, Tidewater Golf Club, and TPC Myrtle Beach are just some of the courses where golfers can appreciate the South Carolina landscape.
All year round, Myrtle Beach welcomes well over one million visitors. Keep in mind these events that may influence you when planning your trip. For starters, next month the Grand Strand hosts the largest amateur golf tournament in the world. The Golf.com World Amateur Handicap Championship is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The event brings over 3,000 golfers from across the world – including Canada. For one week, golfers are treated like pros with the chance to play world class golf courses in a 72-hole stroke play tournament where the winner will be crowned champion. The event is also home to the world’s largest nineteenth hole, where the party never stops.
For more information about how you can participate in this year’s tournament happening from August 26-30 visit www.worldamgolf.com.

Play like the Pros at the Golf.com World Amateur Handicap Championship
Another popular event is the celebration of the Canadian-American Days during the March Break in Myrtle Beach. Canadians are welcomed with open arms to party with their American counterparts and can enjoy a number of events throughout the week. The event recently celebrated its 52nd anniversary with no signs of slowing down anytime soon. If you’re considering taking the family down during the week, there’s plenty of golf to be played and exciting things to do. http://www.visitmyrtlebeach.com/things-to-do/events/can-am-days/
If you haven’t fallen in love with Myrtle Beach yet, there’s still some time to convince you to plan your trip to the best golf region in United States. Here are my top reasons:
- The average temperature in Myrtle Beach during the month of October is in the mid to high 70s.
- Course conditions are at their best in the autumn and the courses are in pristine shape. The bentgrass thrives during the cooler months for optimal play.
- Golf is available for play year round on the Grand Strand.
- Packages, Packages, Packages. Take advantage of some great deals and start planning your trip. Visit http://www.golfholiday.com/quick-quote/v3-index.cfm and start looking!
- Happy hour! Enough said! Where else can you get a Bud for $2?!
- Boys and beaches. Girls, this is a definite win win situation!
- Shopping! Myrtle Beach has some of the best malls, outlets, and shops in the state! With the latest trends available, you’ll leave the Grand Strand looking trendy as ever!
Consider the Canadian Thanksgiving as a possible opportunity to visit the Grand Strand. Travelling to Myrtle Beach has become much easier in recent years. People have been taking advantage of direct flights via Spirit Airlines out of Niagara Falls, New York. Flights are available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays throughout the fall, although dates are subject to change.

Tidewater Golf Club – 13th fairway to green
Now, WestJet and Porter Airlines from Toronto, Ontario offer direct flights with the intent to have golfers on the tee in two hours. Flights are currently available at affordable prices on Thursdays and Sundays. Porter also has a return flight available on Thanksgiving Monday. So, you can make birdies in the morning and carve your own bird later that night..
Canadians have been known to drive to their golf destinations. You can make the trip in just over 15 hours from the Greater Toronto Area. Be sure to save some of that driving for the course, you’ll definitely need it.
Now that you’ve been given a taste of what Myrtle Beach has to offer, it’s time for you to check it out for yourself! Where else can you play golf in the morning, soak up some sun in the afternoon, and enjoy an amazing nightlife?
To learn more about Myrtle Beach and how you can plan your golf getaway, contact the area’s most trusted expert package providers, at www.canada2myrtle.com