Caledonia Golf and Fish Club
The course that announced Mike Strantz to the world. Built on a former rice plantation at Pawleys Island and opened in 1994, Caledonia is a par 70 of low country drama, a live oak avenue, moss draped marsh and one of the most photographed finishing holes in American public golf. Forgiving in length, unforgettable in atmosphere.
Photo: Caledonia Golf & Fish Club via Google.
The verdict
Caledonia Golf and Fish Club was Mike Strantz's first solo design, and it remains the purest expression of why golfers fell for the late architect known as the Maverick. Opened in 1994 on the grounds of an old Lowcountry rice plantation, it announces itself before you hit a shot, with an entrance drive beneath a tunnel of ancient live oaks dripping with Spanish moss that ranks among the most beautiful in the game. The course inside lives up to the arrival.
At a shade over 6,500 yards and a par of 70, it is short by modern standards, and that is the point. Strantz used width, angles and wildly contoured greens rather than length to defend par, so it is playable for any handicap yet endlessly interesting for the better player. The setting of marsh, oak and water, the warmth of the clubhouse with its rocking chair porch, and the famous closing hole make Caledonia a Pawleys Island institution and one of the must play public rounds on the South Carolina coast.
Caledonia at a glance
- Opened
- 1994
- Designer
- Mike Strantz
- Type
- Lowcountry parkland
- Par
- 70
- Yardage
- About 6,526 yds
- Green fee
- Public, from about $120 (2026)
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Caledonia Golf and Fish Club and recognized course databases. It was Mike Strantz's first solo design, opened in 1994, a par 70 of about 6,526 yards on a former rice plantation. Indicative 2026 green fees typically run from about 120 dollars to 240 dollars depending on season, often available in a two course package with its sister course True Blue. Figures are indicative and change by season and year; always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Caledonia opens gently and builds, winding through corridors of pine and oak with the old rice fields and tidal marsh never far away. Strantz's greens are the defining feature, big, bold and full of movement, so position off the tee and into the green matters far more than raw distance. The par 3s are a particular strength, demanding precise irons to well guarded targets, and the routing keeps surprising you with changes of scale and mood.
The round is built toward its finish. The par 4 eighteenth is one of the most famous closing holes in public golf, a short but nerve testing two shotter played to a green set hard against the clubhouse, with water all down the right and spectators on the porch watching every approach. It is a hole you remember long after, and a fittingly theatrical end to a course full of character.
What makes Caledonia special is the whole experience, not just the golf: the oak avenue, the antebellum style clubhouse, the complimentary refreshments and the unhurried Lowcountry hospitality. Pair it with its sister course True Blue across the road, also a Strantz design, and you have one of the best one two punches on the Grand Strand.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Public; open to visitors and a staple of Pawleys Island and Myrtle Beach golf packages |
| Green fee | Indicative 2026: from about $120 in the quieter months up to around $240 in the spring and autumn peaks |
| Booking | Book directly or through a Grand Strand golf package; often paired with True Blue on a two round special |
| On the day | Carts standard; relaxed but proper golf attire; allow time for the clubhouse porch and complimentary hospitality |
| Getting there | Pawleys Island, about 25 minutes south of Myrtle Beach and 70 minutes north of Charleston |
| Best months | March to May and September to November for the finest Lowcountry conditions; mild winter golf is common too |
Access and indicative fees verified June 2026 from Caledonia Golf and Fish Club and current reporting. Rates change by season, so always confirm directly before planning a visit. Prefer it arranged for you? Use our tee time enquiry to have a concierge secure the round.
Where to stay nearby
Pawleys Island is the quiet, upscale end of the Grand Strand, with low key inns and rental cottages that suit a golf group looking for a calmer base than the Myrtle Beach strip. Litchfield and Pawleys make ideal homes for a few days, with Caledonia, True Blue and a clutch of other strong courses all within minutes. For more nightlife and a bigger choice of hotels, Myrtle Beach is a short drive north.
The Grand Strand is one of the great value golf trip regions in the United States, with scores of quality public courses on the doorstep. Caledonia is the marquee round, and we can build it into a costed Myrtle Beach itinerary, secure the tee times and book the lodging around your group.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Caledonia.
Build a Myrtle Beach golf trip
We secure the Caledonia tee time, pair it with True Blue and the best of the Grand Strand and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Caledonia questions
Who designed Caledonia Golf and Fish Club and when did it open?
Caledonia was designed by Mike Strantz and opened in 1994. It was his first solo design and quickly established his reputation as one of the most original architects of his era, built on a former rice plantation at Pawleys Island, South Carolina.
Can the public play Caledonia?
Yes. Caledonia Golf and Fish Club is open to the public and a fixture of any Pawleys Island or Myrtle Beach golf trip. Tee times can be booked directly or as part of a package, often paired with its sister course True Blue, also a Mike Strantz design.
What is the par and length of Caledonia?
Caledonia is a par 70 of about 6,526 yards from the back tees. It is not a long course by modern standards, but its low country setting, tight corridors and bold green complexes make it a strategic, memorable test.
How much does it cost to play Caledonia in 2026?
Indicative green fees in 2026 typically run from about 120 dollars to 240 dollars depending on the season, with the Grand Strand winter and shoulder months cheaper than the spring and autumn peaks. Figures are indicative and change; always confirm directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees for the 2026 season. Last reviewed June 2026.