Golf News

The Dunes Golf Club Celebrates 60 Years as One of America's Greatest Courses

The Dunes Golf and Beach Club will celebrate its 60th anniversary as one of the United States’ most renowned golf courses on Saturday, May 31st. On that spring day back in 1948, a group of prominent Myrtle Beach area business leaders met for the second time at Chapin’s Cabin, a small building formerly located on the property near what is now the 11th tee, and formally decided to proceed with the incorporation to build The Dunes Club, the area’s second public golf course.

After selecting Robert Trent Jones to steer the design, course construction began shortly after the May 31, 1948 meeting. After 18 months of arduous construction required due to the course’s proximity to the ocean, The Dunes Golf and Beach Club opened the first nine holes for play on October 22, 1949, followed by the second nine holes in December of 1950. The Club was the first Myrtle Beach area golf course to feature views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Since opening, The Dunes Club has developed into one of the area’s most exclusive golf clubs with more than 650 social and golf members. Tee times are reserved for the members with the remaining times open to guests of the Club’s hotel and resort accommodation providers. The Dunes Club has been a consensus “Top 100 Course” selection, according to Golf Digest, GOLF Magazine and Golfweek. “Waterloo,” the famed 13th hole, was selected by Sports Illustrated as one of the “Best 18 Holes in America.”

The Dunes Club has hosted many professional and amateur golf tournaments during the last six decades. The Dunes Club played host to the finals of the 1973 PGA Tour Qualifying School, the 1962 USGA Women’s Open Championship, the 1960 Southern Golf Association Championship and Senior Championship, the 1957 South Carolina Women’s Amateur and the 1953 Carolinas Golf Association Championship. The PGA Senior Tour Championship began its six-year run at The Dunes Club in November 1994. The first Golf Writers Association of America held its initial tournament at The Dunes Club in 1954 with the event held at the club each year through 2005. For 17 years, The Dunes Club has served as the host site of the championship round of the World Amateur Handicap Championship, the world’s largest amateur golf tournament.

The Caravelle Resort is a resort member of The Dunes Club which allows our guests member privileges during their stay. Please call for more details on how you can experience this fantastic golf course yourself.