The Dunes Golf & Beach Club - Myrtle Beach, SC

I first got the chance to play The Dunes Golf & Beach Club with Kevin Kleinschmidt, better known as @mrproshop on Instagram. Kevin has spent a lot of time around great golf clubs and pro shops, so The Dunes was a pretty fitting place to tee it up together.

The Dunes dates to 1948, long before Myrtle Beach became the golf destination it is today. Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed the course, and more than 75 years later it remains one of the defining clubs of the Grand Strand.

There is an old-school charm to the place that you notice immediately. The clubhouse, locker room and details throughout the property feel connected to the club's history, right down to the classic alligator logo. It is simple, recognizable and fits The Dunes perfectly.

The golf course carries that same traditional character. Jones built a big, tough test with strong bunkering, elevated greens and demanding approaches. Mature trees frame much of the routing, while the proximity to the Atlantic means an ocean breeze can quickly add another element to the round.

The most famous stretch comes on the back nine with “Alligator Alley,” highlighted by the par-5 13th, better known as “Waterloo.” The hole wraps dramatically around Lake Singleton and asks how much of the water you are willing to challenge. It is bold, intimidating and easily one of the most memorable holes in Myrtle Beach.

The rest of the course shouldn't be overlooked. The routing moves between tree-lined corridors and more exposed areas where the coastal breeze becomes a factor. The mature landscape and classic Jones design give The Dunes a character that feels distinctly different from much of the resort golf that later developed around Myrtle Beach.

The club added another chapter to its history in 2024 when it hosted the inaugural Myrtle Beach Classic, bringing PGA Tour golf to the Grand Strand. Chris Gotterup became the first champion at 22-under, followed by Ryan Fox in 2025 after a three-man playoff with Mackenzie Hughes and Harry Higgs. In 2026, Brandt Snedeker added his name to the list, finishing at 18-under and holding off Mark Hubbard by a shot.

Now known as the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic, the tournament has quickly become a great showcase for The Dunes and Myrtle Beach golf. It feels appropriate that when the PGA Tour established an annual stop on the Grand Strand, it landed at one of the clubs that helped build the area's golf reputation in the first place.

What stood out to me most was how well The Dunes embraces its history. It has been updated where needed without losing the personality that comes with more than 75 years of golf. Getting to experience it for the first time with Kevin made the visit even better, especially at a club where the pro shop, logos and little details are almost as fun to take in as the golf course itself.

The Dunes gets the details right. Add in a tough Robert Trent Jones Sr. course and a little ocean breeze, and there isn't much more you need.