Pawleys Island golf: the South Strand courses and the best base
Pawleys Island golf: Caledonia, True Blue, Pawleys Plantation, Heritage and the Litchfield courses, with fees seen in 2026, slopes, drive times and villas.
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Pawleys Island golf means Caledonia and True Blue, Mike Strantz's two public courses across US 17 from each other, plus seven more public courses within about 15 minutes along the Waccamaw Neck. Pawleys Plantation is the area's Nicklaus course and Heritage Club its river plantation. Base in a True Blue villa or a Litchfield condo and you barely drive.
The South Strand has its own evenings and day trips, from the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk to Brookgreen Gardens, so a group can stay put all week. This guide covers each course, what we saw it cost, and where to sleep. Prices change by season and hour, so check before you book.
Quick facts
- Public courses in Pawleys Island: 9 on our map, plus Wedgefield near Georgetown.
- Private: The Reserve, and DeBordieu near Georgetown.
- Headline pair: Caledonia and True Blue, same owner, two-course special available.
- From the SkyWheel: 34 minutes (Tradition) to 43 (Heritage Club), free-flow.
- Peak seasons: spring and fall; summer specials run late June to August 31.
- Time zone: Eastern Time.
Pawleys Island golf courses compared
Drive times are from the Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort, free-flow. "Spring table" is a Coastal Golfaway package-vs-direct comparison for a Saturday, May 2 tee time, captured January 7 (the year is given inconsistently).
| Course | Back tees (yds, rating/slope) | Fee seen | From Litchfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caledonia | 6,526 (71.8/138), par 70 | $189 package (Oct 4, 2026) | 12 min |
| True Blue | 7,126 (74.5/138) | summer 2027 from $109 AM, $89 PM | 9 min |
| Pawleys Plantation | 7,031 (75.7/148) | $230 AM package or direct (spring table) | 13 min |
| Heritage Club | 7,118 (74.9/138) | not published; package only | 14 min |
| Willbrook | 6,722 (72.5/136) | $163 package, $172 direct AM (spring table) | 10 min |
| River Club | 6,692 (72.5/131) | $145 AM package or direct (spring table) | 10 min |
| Tradition | 6,875 (73.1/135) | $97-$113 package (Oct 29, 2026) | 8 min |
| Founders Club | 7,007 (74.2/142) | $100 package, $103 direct AM (spring table) | 10 min |
| Litchfield | 6,677 (72.3/134) | $83 package (Sep 18, 2026) | 8 min |
Caledonia and True Blue
Caledonia (1994) sits on a former rice plantation on the Waccamaw River: live oaks with Spanish moss, marsh and small, well-guarded greens. It is a par 70 of 6,526 yards from the Pintail tees, so it rewards position over length. The 18th plays across water to the clubhouse porch, usually in front of a gallery. Golf Digest's course page shows it 29th for 2025-26 in what matches its South Carolina list.
True Blue (1998) is Strantz at full size: very wide fairways, vast sandy waste areas, lakes and large, contoured greens. It is longer and harder than Caledonia, so move up a tee set.
The two share an owner and a booking office. The two-course special needs one round at each within seven days, paid at the first course, and juniors 12 and under play for $29 any time in summer 2027. See the Caledonia course guide and the True Blue course guide.
Pawleys Plantation and Heritage Club
Pawleys Plantation (1988) is the only Jack Nicklaus design on the South Strand, with a run of holes along the salt marsh and a par-3 13th across it. From the Golden Bear tees it rates 75.7/148, among the hardest on the Strand, so most groups should play a set forward. It is semi-private: members get preferred tee times, so book package times early in spring and fall. It overseeded wall to wall for winter 2023-24; whether it does so every year is not confirmed.
Heritage Club (1986) is a Dan Maples course on a former Waccamaw River rice plantation, with a live oak avenue, a manor clubhouse and green complexes later reworked by Strantz. The 13th is a 235-yard par 3 over water. The main booking site does not sell it on its open tee sheet, so book it inside a package.
The Litchfield cluster
Five more public courses sit off US 17 within a few minutes of each other.
- Willbrook Plantation: a Dan Maples course on a former rice plantation, friendly, with few forced carries. The Hampton Inn is about a 2-minute walk away by one listing.
- Litchfield Country Club: a 1966 Willard Byrd course among pines and marsh, narrow and not long; usually among the cheaper Pawleys rounds.
- River Club: a Tom Jackson course with water on 15 of 18 holes. Bring extra balls.
- Tradition Club: a 1996 Ron Garl course with wide fairways and large, undulating greens. Reviews on conditioning are mixed.
- Founders Club: a 2008 open, sandy layout with few trees, which changes the look. Its reviews average 3.55 of 5 on the main booking site, with complaints about wet conditions after rain.
Founders Group International manages Willbrook, Litchfield, Founders Club and Pawleys Plantation, so they bundle well in its packages.
South of Pawleys: Wedgefield, DeBordieu and The Reserve
Wedgefield near Georgetown is a long, watery public course on the Black River, 42 minutes from Litchfield, with a $51 GolfNow deal seen for September 5, 2026. The Reserve, a Greg Norman course, and DeBordieu, a Pete Dye course, are private. See private golf clubs in Myrtle Beach.
Where to stay for Pawleys Island golf
- True Blue villas: owner condos for six to eight beside True Blue's tees, 4 minutes from Caledonia, sold by Caledonia Golf Vacations with preferred pricing and tee-time access at both courses. About 3 miles from the beach.
- Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort: oceanfront, ocean-view and fairway condos and beach homes, plus villas at Pawleys Plantation and True Blue. Golf packages include a hot breakfast and a best tee-time price guarantee.
- Pawleys Plantation villas: one to four bedrooms on the Nicklaus course, 2 minutes from the first tee and 9 from Caledonia.
- Hampton Inn Pawleys Island: the value hotel, 4 minutes from Tradition. Guest-reported stays averaged $258.89 a night in April 2026, so compare it with a condo in spring.
Resort rates were "check rates" on November 1, 2026. A Golfbreaks listing showed a True Blue Resort package at $515 including tax and resort fees, with length and dates not stated.
When to play Pawleys Island golf
Caledonia and True Blue say plainly that green fees vary by season, with spring and fall the peak. Summer is the value window: Caledonia's 2026 specials, June 22 to August 30, ran from $129 in the morning, $99 in the afternoon and $79 after 4 pm, and the 2027 specials (June 21 to August 31) are already posted at $129 and $109. True Blue's 2027 summer specials start at $109 and $89.
Fall brings overseeding. A reviewer in November 2025 was told Caledonia was cart-path-only because of it, though the club publishes no dates or seed type. In winter, non-overseeded bermuda goes dormant and tan but stays playable, and frost delays are common on cold mornings.
Getting to the South Strand
Myrtle Beach International (MYR) is the usual airport, about 9 minutes from the SkyWheel, with the Pawleys courses further on. Charleston (CHS) is about 2.5 hours from the SkyWheel via US 17 through Georgetown, which makes it a sensible choice for a Pawleys or Litchfield group, or a trip that adds a few days in Charleston.
Beyond Pawleys Island golf
TPC Myrtle Beach and the Murrells Inlet courses are 18 to 22 minutes north of Litchfield; see Murrells Inlet golf. For dinner, Frank's and Frank's Outback on US 17 is the South Strand's splurge, and the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk is the night out. Brookgreen Gardens and Huntington Beach State Park fill a rainout morning, and the Hammock Shops are a short stop on US 17.
For how the South Strand compares with the other bases, see where to stay in Myrtle Beach for golf and the Grand Strand golf guide.
Plan it on the map
Open the Myrtle Beach golf map to see Pawleys Island golf course by course, with the villas and condos beside them. The $30 plan builds a South Strand trip day by day, with Caledonia and True Blue inside the seven-day window.
Courses in this guide
Questions golfers ask
How many golf courses are in Pawleys Island?
Nine public courses on our map list Pawleys Island as their town: Caledonia, True Blue, Pawleys Plantation, Heritage Club, Tradition, Founders Club, Willbrook, Litchfield and River Club. The Reserve is private, and DeBordieu and Wedgefield are further south near Georgetown.
What is the best golf course in Pawleys Island?
Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, a 1994 Mike Strantz par 70 under live oaks on the Waccamaw River, with the 18th green under the clubhouse porch. True Blue, its sister across US 17, is longer, wider and usually cheaper. Most groups play both.
How do I get a tee time at Caledonia?
Caledonia is public: book on the club site or by phone. Tee times are scarce in peak spring and fall weeks, and a stay-and-play through Caledonia Golf Vacations, with True Blue villas and rounds at both courses, is the dependable way to get them. Its packages have a three-night minimum with three rounds.
How much does golf cost in Pawleys Island?
One package operator listed Caledonia at $189 for October 4, 2026. Litchfield Country Club was $83 for September 18, 2026, and Tradition $97 to $113 for October 29, 2026, both package rates. Caledonia's summer 2026 specials ran from $129 in the morning to $79 after 4 pm.
Where should I stay for Pawleys Island golf?
True Blue villas put you at True Blue's first tee and 4 minutes from Caledonia. Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort has beach and fairway condos 8 to 14 minutes from most of the courses. The Hampton Inn Pawleys Island is 4 minutes from Tradition and 6 from Willbrook.
Can I play The Reserve or DeBordieu?
Not as a visitor. The Reserve is private, for members, their guests and McConnell Golf members. DeBordieu, inside a gated colony near Georgetown, is for members and their guests; one listing says DeBordieu renters with a golf-only membership can play.
How far is Pawleys Island from Myrtle Beach for golf?
Caledonia is about 40 minutes and True Blue 38 minutes from the SkyWheel, free-flow. TPC Myrtle Beach is 22 minutes from Litchfield Beach. North Strand courses such as Long Bay are 64 to 75 minutes from Pawleys bases, so keep a South Strand trip on the South Strand.
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