While visitors can hit the links at more than 100 highly regarded full-size golf courses found up and down the Grand Strand — earning the Myrtle Beach area its “Golf Capital of the World” moniker — the region also excels in the sport on a much smaller scale. That’s because the Grand Strand is also home to a long list of mini-golf courses, where the entire family — from the youngest of first-time beach vacationers to the seniors who have spent decades visiting the Carolina coast — can get in on the action, and where only a single club will be needed to navigate the course.
So, the next time you and your beach-vacation crew are looking to find a bit of fun and friendly competition, head for one of these five top mini-golf courses in the Myrtle Beach area:
Lost Mine Miniature Golf: Found on Ocean Boulevard in downtown Myrtle Beach — and just steps from the beach’s soft sands — the 18 holes of this gold rush-themed mini-golf course get increasingly harder as players progress through the layout. Golfers young and old will have a blast putting over bridges, through corkscrews and around boulders as they navigate the twists, turns and secrets of the course’s Lost Mine Quarry and old mill. Plan your search for golf-course gold at the Lost Mine website.
Lost Treasure Golf: Inspired by the expeditions of fictional explorer, archaeologist, anthropologist, paleontologist, University of Chicago professor and part-time taxidermist Duffer A. Hacker — who, as the legend tells it, led a pair of 1920s-era expeditions to the Fogclift Islands off the coast of South America — this course’s duo of 18-hole layouts kicks the fun into high gear right away with a mining-train ride to the opening holes on the mountaintop. From there, players embark on a search for hidden gold and diamond mines as they putt their way through an exhilarating round of mini-golf fun while following in Hacker’s footsteps. Explore all the fun in store at losttreasuregolf.com.
Mount Atlanticus Minotaur Golf: This gem on North Kings Highway in downtown Myrtle Beach sports an Atlantis island theme and caters to players who prefer the old-school putt-putt courses. Its 18-hole high course features tiki huts offering great views of downtown Myrtle Beach, while below the man-made mountains, a separate, 18-hole indoor course lets patrons beat the rain or the heat. Get a preview of all the fun in store for your family at myrtlebeachminigolf.com.
Captain Hook’s Adventure Golf: At this Neverland-themed mini-golf course on North Kings Highway, players navigate pirate ships, dark caves, snapping crocodiles and roaring waterfalls, not to mention the layout’s putting challenges, during a round that’s sure to excite both the young and the young at heart in your vacation crew. Additional adventures to pursue during play on one of the two 18-hole layouts here include a Tinkerbell rescue, a trek through a dangerous skull cave and a visit to Captain Hook’s ship. Save your best shot for last, as the course’s final hole features a long shot down the side of a mountain that rewards hole-in-one swings with a free round. Explore all the adventures you can tee up at myrtlebeachfamilygolf.com.
Dragon’s Lair Fantasy Golf: This medieval-themed putt-putt course at Myrtle Beach shopping/dining/entertainment hot spot Broadway at the Beach arms golfers with a putter instead of a sword, then sends them for a rendezvous with a ferocious, fire-breathing dragon named Sir Alfred. Along the way on the 36-hole layout, golfers putt through caves, over bridges, onto a Viking ship and into a realistic castle with a drawbridge. This is a prime place to let the younger set putt around while the grown-ups check out Broadway at the Beach’s shops and restaurants, or for both the young and old in your vacation crew to catch a fun-filled family round. Get a sneak peek of the course at myrtlebeachfamilygolf.com.
After putting your putting skills to the test on one of these area mini-golf courses, head back to the comfortable oceanfront accommodations and wide-ranging amenities at Ocean Reef Resort to rest up for another day of family fun on the Grand Strand. Book your Myrtle Beach vacation today — you’re sure to score some good times and lasting memories on our stretch of the Carolina coast!
