Grande Dunes Resort Course

At 7,618 yards from the back tees, Grande Dunes Resort Course is the longest layout on the Grand Strand. That number alone filters the audience. Players who reach for the tips here had better carry the ball 270 yards with regularity, because the par 4s average well over 430 yards and the par 5s stretch to legitimate three-shot holes for all but the longest hitters. The course rating of 77.3 confirms what the yardage suggests: this is a serious test from the championship markers.

Roger Rulewich designed Grande Dunes in 2001 as part of the larger Grande Dunes development, a mixed-use community along the Intracoastal Waterway. Rulewich spent decades as a lead designer under Robert Trent Jones Sr. before establishing his own practice, and the influence shows. The greens are generously sized, the bunkers are positioned to challenge the approach rather than the tee shot, and the routing emphasizes strategic angles over forced carries. It is architecture that rewards the player who thinks backward from the green to the tee, choosing landing zones that open the best approach angles.

Five holes play along the Intracoastal Waterway, and these are the memorable ones. The Waterway here is wide and active, with boats passing regularly during the playing day. The holes that border it benefit from the openness of the setting, with the opposite shore visible in the distance and the tidal water providing a natural hazard that no amount of landscaping could replicate. The 14th, a par 4 that runs parallel to the Waterway, is the standout. The tee shot plays along the water's edge, with the ideal drive finding the left side of a fairway that cants gently toward the bank. The approach plays to a green with the Waterway as a backdrop, framing the shot against water and sky.

The inland holes are less visually dramatic but no less well designed. Rulewich used the residential lots that border several fairways to define corridors, though the homes are generally set back far enough to avoid the claustrophobic feel common at resort courses built within communities. The 5th, a par 3 of approximately 200 yards, plays to an island-like green surrounded by waste bunkers and native grasses. It is the kind of hole where the visual intimidation exceeds the actual difficulty, provided the player commits to the center of the putting surface and ignores the flag.

For players who find 7,618 yards excessive, and that includes most players, the forward tees offer significant relief. Multiple tee boxes on each hole allow the course to play anywhere from roughly 5,000 to 7,600 yards, and the middle tees at around 6,800 yards provide a balanced test for single-digit handicaps. The course is designed to scale well across tee options, with hazards positioned to affect all skill levels without simply punishing shorter hitters with forced carries they cannot reach.

The resort operates under the Marina Inn at Grande Dunes, and guests of the property receive preferred tee times and occasionally discounted rates. Non-resort golfers can book through GolfNow or directly through the course, with green fees ranging from $150 to $200 depending on season. The rate includes a cart, which is mandatory. Walking is not permitted, a common policy at resort courses in the area.

Conditioning is maintained to a level consistent with the resort's positioning. Greens run at moderate speeds and are kept smooth without being excessively fast. Fairways are wide enough to accept moderate misses, and the rough is managed to provide a playable lie rather than a punitive one. The bunkers are generally well maintained, though the waste areas that border several holes are left in a more natural state, with varying sand depth and occasional organic debris.

The practice facility includes a driving range with both grass and mat options, a practice bunker, and a putting green that reflects the speed and contours of the course's greens. The clubhouse offers food and beverage service with Waterway views, and the pro shop carries merchandise from the Grande Dunes brand alongside standard equipment options.

Grande Dunes fills a specific niche in the Myrtle Beach market. It is the course for players who want length and a resort-quality experience without the peak pricing of TPC Myrtle Beach. The Waterway holes provide genuine visual appeal, the Rulewich design offers strategic depth, and the overall facility operates with a professionalism that justifies the green fee. For big hitters who feel constrained by shorter coastal layouts, this is the place to let the driver breathe.