Known as one of the area’s most challenging courses, the River Club golf course is a semi-private course designed by Tom Jackson, opening back in 1976. With wide fairways and enormous undulating greens, there’s plenty of room here for big hitters from the tee, but accuracy reigns supreme on the course’s approach shots.

With an abundance of water, a bit of accuracy also counts on drives. And if the water doesn’t get stray shots, there are more than 100 sand traps and bunkers waiting. With a tree-lined front-drive and houses lining the back nine, water plays a role on 15 of the course’s 18 holes. Myrtle Beach Sun News readers selected the par-5, 518-yard 18th as one of the area’s best finishing holes. Built on an old rice plantation in Pawley’s Island, the course measures 6,677 yards from the championship tees, short enough that golfers need to remember to keep their short irons and wedges handy.