As if the finishing hole at Caledonia is not challenging enough, other golfers can gather on the deck overlooking the 18th green and cheer you -- or jeer you -- on. Caledonia, whose high-season green fee is close to $200, can be played at a significant discount with the Myrtle Beach Golf Passport card.
Not every golfer needs or wants to belong to a private club. Sure, the privacy part of it and the ability to walk up and play without a tee time is a luxury, but it can be a costly one. For the price of initiation fees at The Cliffs Communities, for example, you and your significant other could play Pebble Beach and the Old Course at St. Andrews for 15 years, airfare and nice accommodations included (Cliffs membership is $150,000 for access to seven courses).
The Myrtle Beach Golf Passport is again being offered this year to residents of North and South Carolina, as well as second homeowners in the Myrtle Beach area. At just $39 for membership, it is the best way to sample a range of highly rated golf courses at deep discounts. It is also a good reason for golfers who enjoy a variety of layouts to consider a vacation or retirement home between Southport, NC, and Georgetown, SC, a span of exactly 100 miles and encompassing every conceivable type of community, with golf or without, at every price point.
The Passport, which is sponsored by the Myrtle Beach Area Golf Course Owners Association, provides multiple rounds at virtually every daily fee course on the Grand Strand, including Caledonia Golf and Fish Club, rated by respondents to the Zagat survey as good as the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island; TPC at Myrtle Beach; True Blue Golf Club; Heritage Golf Club; Tidewater Golf Club; Pawleys Plantation; Grande Dunes; and the courses at Barefoot Landing, including those designed by Love, Fazio and Norman. The discounts, which are typically about 40% off list prices but sometimes more, are good not only for the card holder, but also for up to three guests. Most courses are available even during the busy seasons in the spring and fall.
The Passport also is good for discounts at some of the more popular local restaurants, include Austin's in Pawleys Island, which I can testify is quite good. Cardholders receive a 25% discount on their entrees at the participating restaurants. The card is also good for a 10% discount on merchandise at a large local golf retailer.
Passport applicants must either show proof of residency or proof of ownership of a second home in the area (a utility bill worked for me). For more information, check out the Myrtle Beach Golf Passport web site, which includes a list of all participating courses, or call them at (843) 477-8822.