Welcome to the Seaside Golf Capital of the World - the Myrtle Beach area of South Carolina. Nowhere else will you find 115 outstanding golf courses laid out over a spectacular Low country landscape.

The Grand Strand is home to some of the most unique, challenging, and picturesque golf courses in the world. Golfers can experience the beauty of oceanfront holes or stand in the midst of giant live oaks draped in Spanish moss on the site of a colonial rice plantation. Course designers have taken great pains to protect the natural habitat and wildlife indigenous to the area while creating courses that are technically challenging and beautiful. Among the architects are some of the most celebrated names in Golf: Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Robert Trent Jones, Davis Love III, Tom Fazio, Greg Norman, Gary Player, and Pete and P. B. Dye.

The majority of the area's golf courses are open to the public. Many host professional and amateur tournaments. More than 5,000 golfers play in the DuPont World Amateur Handicap Championship each fall, a tournament played out over 70 different courses.

The Grand Strand also has a new ace in the hole: Last year, the area was named "Golf Destination of the Year" by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators, winning out over hotspots such as Palm Springs, Hilton Head, Northeast Florida, Scotland, Ireland, and last year’s winner, Algarve, Portugal. The destinations were rated on customer satisfaction, quality of courses and accommodations, and access to tee times, among other criteria. IAGTO has more than 400 members in 50 countries and is recognized as the global trade association for golf tourism.