Grande Dunes Resort Course

Grande Dunes Resort Course is the longest layout on the Grand Strand at 7,618 yards from the tips, designed by Roger Rulewich in 2001 along the Intracoastal Waterway in Myrtle Beach. Rulewich spent decades as a lead designer under Robert Trent Jones Sr. before establishing his own practice, and the influence shows: generously sized greens, bunkers positioned to challenge the approach rather than the tee shot, and a routing that emphasizes strategic angles over forced carries.

The yardage filters the audience. The course rating of 77.3 confirms what the distance suggests: this is a serious test from the championship markers, with par 4s averaging well over 430 yards and par 5s stretching to legitimate three-shot holes for all but the longest hitters. If you do not carry the ball 270 yards with regularity, play forward.

Five holes play along the Intracoastal Waterway, and these are the memorable ones. The Waterway here is wide and active, with boats passing during the playing day and the opposite shore visible in the distance. The 14th, a par 4 running parallel to the water, is the standout. The inland holes are less visually dramatic but no less well designed; Rulewich used the residential lots to define corridors without the claustrophobic feel common at resort courses built within communities.

Multiple tee boxes scale the course from roughly 5,000 to 7,600 yards. The middle tees at around 6,800 yards provide a balanced test for single-digit handicaps. Conditioning is consistent with the resort's positioning: greens run at moderate speeds, fairways accept moderate misses, rough provides a playable lie. Carts are mandatory; walking is not permitted.

The Grand Strand's longest course, with five Waterway holes that justify the round and enough strategic depth elsewhere to keep things interesting. A driver-friendly choice for big hitters in a market that often penalizes them.