Hilton Head, Kiawah, Myrtle Beach a South Carolina golf vacation brings to mind visions of golf paradise and the great South s charming presence veils you with a happy glow. If you are a golfer planning a golf holiday you ought to be banished to Scott Adam s Elbonia if South Carolina does not have a resounding presence on your golf package.

But that threat is unnecessary for most golfers because with more public courses per capita and some of the most captivating tracks the Myrtle Beach/Grand Strand area and Hilton Head are the most popular golf holiday destinations in the country. So pick up your clubs and stuff your wallet with some greens, point your golf travel to Hilton Head and start off one of the most memorable golf tours with the Long Cove Club, ranked as the top most tracks in South Carolina by Golf Digest.

All of the 7,026 yards of the Long Cove Course set have an unmistakable Pete Dye stamp. It is in the rolling fairways lined with massive Oaks, the water hazards built around the creeks, the testing but immaculate greens and the overall experience that demands every skill you have. Before you move on to The Harbor Town Golf Links, spend a day at this $104 layout to start off your golf vacation on a great note.

Harbor Town Golf Links designed by Jack Nicklaus and Pete Dye is one of the most recognizable landmarks on the PGA Tour and needs to be included in your golf holiday because anything else would be sacrilege. Sure it ll rip your heart out with a whopping $295 but you would come back satisfied after a day of measuring your skills against the challenges the track throws up at you “ shots can t be anything but accurate and you can t be anything but consistent. At 6,916 yards par 71, this is an unconventionally short course so be prepared to test your chipping skills.

South Carolina also offers thousands of other courses that slip through the cracks because golfers are unable to get their eyes off Kiawah Island courses. But then The Ocean Course truly is one of the most stunning courses you ll ever come across. This Pete Dye beauty is rated #1 by Golf Digest in the state and offers one of the toughest challenges ever. Include it for $305 in your golf package and battle the vagaries of the sea wind on 7937 yards laced with 10 sea-side holes, large greens and sand hazards.

Your golf vacation cannot be called complete without playing the captivating courses in Myrtle Beach. Tee off at The Dunes Golf & Beach Club ($170), Arnold Palmer designed King s North at Myrtle Beach National ($156), Tidewater Golf Club ($200) and it s easy to see why.