Arcadian Shores Golf Club

Arcadian Shores is a Rees Jones design from 1974, set on the north end of Myrtle Beach and improved by fifty years of canopy growth. The mature hardwoods and pines that now define the corridors do most of the work that wasn't there at opening, and the result is a layout where mature trees frame greens and create the sense of enclosure that distinguishes older Grand Strand courses from their open modern counterparts. The course hosted an LPGA Tour event during the late 1970s and early 1980s, before Jones earned his "Open Doctor" reputation preparing major championship venues.

You're playing 6,857 yards, par 72. The terrain rolls gently with enough natural elevation to create interesting stances and sightlines. Fairways are moderate width: tighter than Palmer-era resort courses but forgiving enough for a mid-handicap that keeps the ball roughly in play. Miss the fairway and you're typically looking at a blocked approach through the canopy rather than a lost ball.

The greens are medium-sized and gently contoured, with bunkers placed to defend specific pin positions rather than ring the whole green. Read the hole correctly, attack from the right angle, and the pin opens up. Ignore the architecture and you'll find sand. This is subtle work that rewards return visits.