MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Every October, as coastal fog drifts inland and the pines fall silent, the Myrtle Beach Golf Trail reveals a different kind of magic. The same fairways that shimmer under summer sun grow darker and more mysterious under autumn clouds, and every water splash echoes like a whispered warning. Stories of haunted clubhouses, phantom swings, and ghostly golfers long lost to the marshes have become part of the Trail’s folklore. For this Halloween, ChatGPT set out to rank the Myrtle Beach Golf Trail courses by spookiness…blending difficulty, atmosphere, and any trace of haunted history.
28. Wellman Golf Club — Spook Score: 4.9
Recently restored, Wellman has a welcoming, community-oriented design ideal for recreational players. Fair landing areas and straightforward greens promote confidence. It’s less about fear and more about rediscovering enjoyment…the calm after the chaos of tougher tracks.
27. Crown Park Golf Club — Spook Score: 5.3
Crown Park’s pine-framed fairways deliver peace and precision. Without housing or heavy traffic, it offers one of the quietest experiences on the Trail. The routing emphasizes rhythm and accuracy, making it a pure ball-striker’s course.
26. Meadowlands Golf Club — Spook Score: 5.5
Meadowlands combines forgiving fairways with deceptive green complexes. Ideal for mid-handicap players seeking manageable challenge. Wind exposure and slick putting surfaces keep tension levels high late in the round.
25. Sandpiper Bay — Spook Score: 5.8
Three separate nine-hole loops offer variety and accessibility. Generous fairways and moderate greens make it more approachable than others on this list. Still, its water hazards and shifting wind directions keep higher handicaps alert. A comfortable yet engaging experience.
24. Indigo Creek Golf Club — Spook Score: 6.0
This Murrells Inlet track winds through dense forest and creekside wetlands. Doglegs and sharp angles emphasize control over distance. The greens are true but difficult to hold, rewarding precise spin management. A classic mid-tier challenge with excellent natural ambiance.
23. International Club of Myrtle Beach — Spook Score: 6.6
Designed by Willard Byrd, the International Club uses natural wetlands and subtle doglegs to create variety across its routing. It’s a fair test that gradually tightens near the finish. Quiet, consistent, and underrated, the course tests concentration as much as skill.
22. Lockwood Folly Golf Club — Spook Score: 6.9
A scenic but serious test with water in play on 15 holes. Narrow fairways bordered by marshland require deliberate target planning. Lockwood Folly’s subtle elevation changes and coastal winds keep golfers mentally engaged. A classic coastal course that rewards smart play over power hitting.
21. Sea Trail – Byrd Course — Spook Score: 7.0
This course offers a slightly more forgiving setup than its siblings but remains strategy-driven. Numerous water hazards and tree-lined fairways make positioning paramount. Its steady rhythm provides few “easy” holes…ideal for steady, confident shotmakers.
20. The Pearl Golf Links — Spook Score: 7.1
Architect Dan Maples framed the courses to challenge all levels of player…risk-reward carries, narrow tee shots, and water lurking on dozens of holes. While the property lacks widely documented ghost sightings, the land itself has a deep plantation and river history (noted near the former Hickory Hall site) whose legacy adds an intangible sense of being “watched” across its shifting light and wind-swept holes. The West Course’s 16th, a 600-yard par 5, remains one of the more intimidating closes in the region; meanwhile the East and North nines invite strategy over brute power.
19. Legends – Heritage Club — Spook Score: 7.1
Built on centuries-old plantation soil, Heritage Club’s design honors its setting with broad corridors, water features, and expansive greens. The par-3 13th, guarded by marsh and cypress, exemplifies the balance between beauty and danger. Heritage’s strategic value lies in tempo…the course rewards patience more than aggression.
18. Sea Trail – Jones Course — Spook Score: 7.3
Willard Byrd’s design presents wide visuals that narrow dramatically near landing zones. Strategic bunkering and shallow greens make for deceptively tricky scoring opportunities. The Jones Course excels at mid-round tension…forgiving off the tee, but relentlessly demanding into the flag.
17. Shaftesbury Glen — Spook Score: 7.4
Modeled after classic English parkland, Shaftesbury feels transported from another era. Morning fog rolls off the Waccamaw River and crawls across the fairways, softening outlines like spectral veils. Its immaculate bunkers resemble open graves for errant shots. Beauty and dread coexist here gracefully. One of the Trail’s most poetic scares.
16. Legends – Heathland — Spook Score: 7.4
Deceptively open and modeled after old-world links, Heathland’s terrors arrive on the wind. When coastal gusts roar, even solid drives vanish sideways into gorse and sand. Its wide visuals mask danger—ghostly illusions of safety. On foggy mornings, bunkers appear and vanish like phantoms. The design is honest yet unkind, a calm surface hiding chaos beneath.
15. Crow Creek Golf Club — Spook Score: 7.6
Crow Creek is a model of subtle difficulty. Slightly elevated greens and invisible contours turn simple approaches into guessing games. Conditioning is consistently pristine, magnifying the precision expected from good players. It’s a quiet, methodical challenge…not loud, but deeply demanding.
14. Sea Trail – Maples Course — Spook Score: 7.6
A technical, tree-lined design that places a premium on driving accuracy. Maples integrated natural wetlands into shot strategy, forcing calculated carries and thoughtful layups. The tight corridors and shaded approaches create visual pressure, especially from the back tees. It’s a test of composure and consistency.
13. Wachesaw East — Spook Score: 7.8
This former LPGA event host is a polished tournament venue. Fairways framed by towering pines lead to elevated greens requiring crisp approaches. The closing stretch is particularly strong, with water and wind dictating risk management. Wachesaw East’s professionalism and quiet menace make it a cerebral round for better players.
12. Arcadian Shores Golf Club — Spook Score: 7.8
Rees Jones’s first solo design remains one of the Trail’s timeless tests. The layout balances strategy and aggression, with eight holes involving water and 64 sand traps that influence shot selection. Arcadian’s par-3 13th, framed by trees and water, delivers the most pressure per swing. It’s a quintessential “thinking golfer’s” course that never plays easy.
11. Legends – Parkland — Spook Score: 7.9
The Parkland course at Legends Resort blends traditional parkland aesthetics with Dye-style deception. Wide fairways disguise complex angles into firm, contoured greens. It demands placement, not distance. Among the Legends trio, Parkland provides the most strategic subtleties…less theatrical than Moorland, but every bit as nerve-testing.
10. Diamondback Golf Club — Spook Score: 7.9
A low-profile gem, Diamondback emphasizes precision over power. Tree-lined fairways and subtle doglegs reward thoughtful course management. Natural isolation enhances the mental challenge: one mistake can feel amplified by the quiet surroundings. A balanced layout that punishes arrogance and rewards patience.
9. Legends – Oyster Bay — Spook Score: 8.0
Oyster Bay is as beautiful as it is punishing. Water guards more than half the holes, and its small, undulating greens demand precision iron play. Architect Dan Maples emphasized bold visual framing…from island greens to marsh-edge par-3s. The course’s serene setting belies its reputation as one of the toughest mid-length tests in the Carolinas.
8. The Wizard — Spook Score: 8.3
Also designed by Dan Maples, The Wizard blends whimsical aesthetics with genuine architectural bite. Its mounded fairways and forced carries require adaptability, particularly in the wind. The finishing island green provides one of the most nerve-racking shots on the Trail. The Wizard’s mix of artistry and strategy makes it both enjoyable and humbling.
7. Blackmoor Golf Club — Spook Score: 8.5
Gary Player’s only Myrtle Beach design demands precision from the tee. The split-fairway par-4 8th is a masterclass in risk-reward architecture. Dense forests border narrow landing zones, and Player’s routing ensures constant angle adjustments. Blackmoor’s quiet, shadowed environment amplifies its difficulty…a mental test disguised as a serene walk.
6. Prestwick Country Club — Spook Score: 8.5
Designed by Pete and P.B. Dye, Prestwick feels like a hidden championship venue. Strategic bunkering, mounded fairways, and demanding approach angles place a premium on accuracy. The first two holes immediately announce the challenge, while the back nine punishes complacency. Prestwick’s blend of design intensity and relentless pressure earns it a high intimidation score.
5. Man O’ War Golf Club — Spook Score: 9.0
Built entirely around a 100-acre lake, Man O’ War is a rare course where water is in play on every single hole. Its island fairways and greens turn mid-round lapses into nightmares. Architect Dan Maples’s use of water for both risk and reward gives Man O’ War its deserved reputation as one of the most visually intimidating designs in the region.
4. Rivers Edge Golf Club — Spook Score: 9.1
Arnold Palmer’s contribution to the Trail mixes strategic brilliance with visual intimidation. The Shallotte River borders seven holes, including the signature par-5 9th, “Arnie’s Revenge.” Every decision here demands full commitment. The course’s shifting tides and marsh winds add a natural unpredictability that keeps golfers on edge throughout.
3. Glen Dornoch Waterway Links — Spook Score: 9.2
Clyde Johnston’s coastal masterpiece sits on bluffs overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway. The closing trio (16–18) ranks among the most scenic and punishing in South Carolina golf. Elevation shifts, narrow approaches, and wind exposure create both visual beauty and genuine unease. Glen Dornoch isn’t “haunted”… it’s simply unforgettable.
2. Wedgefield Country Club — Spook Score: 9.3
Built on the grounds of the old Wedgefield Plantation, the property’s legend of “The Headless Sentry” dates back to the Revolutionary War…a British guard executed for treason who still patrols the grounds in spectral form. Staff and locals have long reported phantom hoofbeats, flickering lights, and cold pockets near the clubhouse after sundown. From a golf perspective, Wedgefield’s tree-lined fairways, dogleg par 4s, and subtle greens already demand focus; the lingering stories only add to its psychological edge. Whether or not you believe in ghosts, the quiet at dusk feels charged…as if history itself is still watching your backswing.
1. Legends – Moorland — Spook Score: 9.5
P.B. Dye’s Moorland Course remains one of the boldest designs on the Grand Strand. Known for its dramatic mounding and deep bunkers, it tests precision and patience from the first tee. The par-4 16th, “Hell’s Half Acre,” is among the region’s most feared holes, requiring exact distance control to avoid disaster. Dye’s trademark optical illusions heighten the tension. Moorland earns top marks for architectural intimidation alone…no ghost stories required.
The Myrtle Beach Golf Trail is less about ghosts in the dark than the ghosts within us…the fear of water, the curse of bunkers, the haunting of missed chances. Each course has its own personality, its own whisper in the pines. For Halloween golfers, the real spirits aren’t dead…they’re just buried deep in the rough. Make sure to book your next tee time on myrtlebeachgolftrail.com
