Myrtle Beach vs Pinehurst
Two Carolinas golf institutions, two and a half hours apart, and two very different buddies trips. Myrtle Beach is the volume and value capital, with around 80 courses, a beach and a nightlife strip. Pinehurst is the genteel home of American golf, built around the legendary No. 2. Here is the honest head to head, verdict first.
Photograph: Pinehurst No. 2, via Google
The verdict
For a high-volume, high-energy, great-value buddies week, Myrtle Beach wins. The Grand Strand packs around 80 courses into a single stretch of the South Carolina coast, the densest golf concentration in the country, with genuine quality at the top in Caledonia, True Blue, the Dunes Club and the Barefoot and Pawleys layouts, all sold through slick stay and play packages that make a week of golf surprisingly affordable. Add the beach, the restaurants and a lively nightlife strip, and it is the original American golf-trip machine, built for groups who want to play a different course every day and have somewhere to celebrate afterward.
For history, prestige and pure quality, Pinehurst wins. The Sandhills village is the spiritual home of golf in America, a quiet, pine-scented resort built entirely around the game, where Donald Ross's restored No. 2, a multiple US Open host and now the anchor of a permanent USGA presence, sits among ten resort courses and a cluster of nearby classics in Mid Pines, Pine Needles and Tobacco Road. It is quieter, more reverent and more expensive than Myrtle Beach, but the golf is deeper and the sense of occasion is unmatched. Pick Myrtle Beach for value, variety and a party, Pinehurst for a bucket-list golf pilgrimage.
Head to head
| Myrtle Beach | Pinehurst | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of courses | Around 80 across the Grand Strand | Ten resort courses plus elite Sandhills neighbors |
| Headline courses | Caledonia, True Blue, Dunes Golf and Beach Club, TPC Myrtle Beach, Barefoot Resort | Pinehurst No. 2, No. 4, No. 8, Mid Pines, Pine Needles, Tobacco Road |
| Character | Volume, value and variety on the coast | History, prestige and a true golf village |
| Off course | Beach, restaurants, bars and a lively nightlife strip | Quiet, genteel resort village; golf is the whole point |
| Green fees, 2026 | Affordable; strong stay and play packages (indicative; confirm) | Premium, especially No. 2 (indicative; confirm) |
| Best for | Big groups, a different course every day, a budget and a party | Bucket-list rounds, history buffs, a quality-first trip |
| Season | Spring and autumn prime; playable year round, hot in summer | Spring and autumn prime; playable year round, hot in summer |
| Nearest airports | Myrtle Beach (MYR) | Raleigh or Fayetteville; about 2.5 hours from Myrtle Beach |
Course facts and indicative fees verified June 2026 from resort and operator listings; fees and packages vary by season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
Who should pick which
Pick Myrtle Beach if
You want maximum golf, maximum value and a lively base. The Grand Strand gives you around 80 courses, so a large group can play a fresh layout every day, the stay and play packages keep the cost down, and the beach, bars and restaurants give the trip its energy after the round. It suits big buddies trips, society outings and golfers who would rather play a lot of good, varied courses than a few expensive ones, all wrapped in a proper coastal holiday. The classic American golf week.
Pick Pinehurst if
You want history, prestige and the best golf. Pinehurst is the home of American golf, where the restored No. 2 and a clutch of Donald Ross-era classics deliver a deeper, more revered golf experience than anywhere on the Grand Strand. It suits golfers chasing a bucket-list course, history lovers and groups who value a quiet, immersive golf village over nightlife. Bring your A game and your reverence, play No. 2, and pair it with Mid Pines, Pine Needles and Tobacco Road for a Sandhills trip to remember.
Plan your Carolinas golf trip
Myrtle Beach's value and variety, Pinehurst's history and No. 2, or a combined Carolinas week that takes in both. Tell us roughly when and how big the group is, and one concierge builds the tee times, the lodging and the route, and costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Myrtle Beach vs Pinehurst questions
Is Myrtle Beach or Pinehurst better for a golf trip?
It depends on the trip you want. Myrtle Beach is the volume and value capital of American golf, with around 80 courses, lively nightlife, the beach and affordable stay and play packages, making it the classic high-energy buddies week. Pinehurst is the historic home of American golf, a quiet pine-scented village built around championship courses led by the famous No. 2, where quality and prestige trump quantity. Choose Myrtle Beach for value, variety and a party, Pinehurst for history and bucket-list golf.
How many golf courses are in Myrtle Beach and Pinehurst?
Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand have around 80 courses, the densest concentration of golf in the United States, designed by names from Pete Dye to Greg Norman. Pinehurst and the surrounding Sandhills have a smaller but elite collection, led by the ten courses of Pinehurst Resort plus nearby gems such as Mid Pines, Pine Needles and Tobacco Road. Myrtle Beach is about choice, Pinehurst about pedigree.
Is golf cheaper in Myrtle Beach or Pinehurst?
Myrtle Beach is significantly cheaper and is built around value, with stay and play packages, multi-round deals and a wide range of green fees that make a long week affordable. Pinehurst is a premium resort destination, and a round on No. 2 in particular is one of the more expensive public tee times in the country. For a budget-conscious group trip, Myrtle Beach wins on cost. Always confirm current rates and packages before booking.
Can you visit both Myrtle Beach and Pinehurst on one trip?
Yes. The two are around two and a half hours apart by car, so a combined Carolinas trip is easy and popular: a few high-energy days on the Grand Strand and a couple of reverent rounds in the Sandhills. It is a great way to pair value and variety with history and a bucket-list course. Both are within easy reach of Myrtle Beach, Wilmington and Raleigh airports.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts and indicative fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.