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South Carolina

For generations, many South Carolinians have lived in the "upstate" region and owned vacation homes at the beach, a trip of no more than 3 1/2 hours from even the farthest regions of the state. In fact, Pawleys Island, just south of Myrtle Beach, claims to be America's first beach resort. Whether it is or isn't, Pawleys is just one of many golf happy areas of South Carolina, led by its neighbor immediately to the north, Myrtle Beach, which even after some pruning in the golf course ranks, can still boast about 100 layouts in the area. Farther down the coast, in the Low Country, Kiawah Island (10 golf courses within 12 miles or so) can boast of arguable the best in the state, the fabled Ocean Course by Pete Dye. But don't ignore upstate, where Greenville, a sophisticated burgh can lay claim to top 5 Chanticleer, one of Greenville Country Club's two outstanding tracks. We could go on about South Carolina golf (and reference Bluffton, Beaufort, Aiken, Columbia and other areas); we encourage you to go see for yourself.
Public Options: Non-Private Golf Communities at Discount Prices
Over the last four days, I played four excellent golf community courses in the Myrtle Beach area, all in South Carolina, that were fun to play and in nice condition. And, like most golf courses...
Coastal Carolina Hits the Big Time
The last two weeks have put Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC, on the map for big time sports. Conway is the last town you pass from the west as you enter the much better known Myrtle...
Woodside Communities golf home sites selling fast
As of last week, nine of the 23 new home sites released for sale on June 10 at Aiken, SC’s Woodside Communities had been sold. The general economic and demographic environments seem to be driving...
Excellent golf, played inexpensively
Life inside the gates of a golf community may not be the best choice for every golfer. Some golfers crave variety and would rather not face the obligation of playing the same course or two courses...
One Myrtle Beach Zip Code Deemed “Boomtown”
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has published its list of the zip codes that are poised for the greatest growth in the nation, and one zip code in Myrtle Beach made the list at #18. The...
Cottage Industry: $400K villas one way into DeBordieu
DeBordieu Colony could be the best upscale golf community you have never heard of –- although in recent years, the long-time Georgetown, SC, community has been flexing some marketing muscle with...
Silly Season Strikes Myrtle Beach
All regions of the nation have their own styles of political corruption, but something I tripped on today in the Myrtle Beach area takes the cake in terms of bad timing and superb irony. While...
The Cream Stays at Top Among Best SC Golf Courses
The South Carolina Golf Course Rating Panel members have, once again, anointed Pete Dye's Ocean Course at Kiawah Island the best golf course in the state. The 2016 list of the top 50 golf courses...
Wexford Plantation: Lavish homes, and a golf course to match
I have mixed feelings about Hilton Head Island, especially after my first round of golf at the recently renovated Wexford Plantation. It almost made me forget about traffic there, a major headache for...
Pawleys Island, SC, golf community market humming
Whenever I arrive in Pawleys Island, SC, as I do a few times a year, I grab from the rack at the local supermarket one of those brochures that include listings of current homes for sale. When you do that...
The Cliffs spruces up its practice facilities
Back in the day at The Cliffs Communities when its founder, Jim Anthony, spent lavishly to burnish his communities’ deluxe image, a half-million dollar investment in anything might have seemed like petty cash....
How and Where to Live in Splendid Isolation
Thanks to the hyperactive optimism of speculators who bought properties just before the 2008 recession, beautifully sited home sites beside a terrific year-round golf course within an easy walk of the...