Caledonia Golf & Fish Club

This review should in no way shape or form take away from the layout and shape of the course. However, when the round is negatively impacted by the staff, I have an issue. As we finished 9, we waited for 10 minutes to tee off on 10. After teeing off on 11, we were 4 mins behind pace (according to the cart) as a foursome on hole 11. An outside staff cart approached us and said “I got word from the pro shop there is a significant gap between us and the group ahead of us” and that we needed to close that immediately. Attached is a picture taken of the group in front of us, a 6some. The staff member that approached us never addressed the group in front of us, again only our group was given a warning for playing slow.

The cart lady also wouldn’t give us any ice unless we purchased a drink.

I played True Blue and Caledonia in the same day. Maybe because Caledonia gets more acclaim that I wasn't expecting so much, but I loved True Blue, maybe even more than Caledonia. They are quite different: Caledonia is a tighter layout with a beautiful scenic environment. It's holes are strategic but in a way that blends wonderfully throughout the property. True Blue is big and bold, with big features and wider hole corridors that time and again make you think about how to play the hole.
Caledonia is a bit more target golf with the playing strategy apparent on most holes. They bend and roll and the variety is good. True Blue has more visual deception and risk-reward options. True Blue is also a pretty course, but Caledonia is amazing in that regard. True Blue has more very long green to tee distances if you are a walker.
The green sites on both are very fair. You generally have a preferred open angle in from one side or the other, except for shorter holes meant to be attacked with a short iron. The greens have interesting slops and tiers but are not severe. These are two great courses.

I played True Blue and Caledonia in the same day. Maybe because Caledonia gets more acclaim that I wasn't expecting so much, but I loved True Blue, maybe even more than Caledonia. They are quite different: Caledonia is a tighter layout with a beautiful scenic environment. It's holes are strategic but in a way that blends wonderfully throughout the property. True Blue is big and bold, with big features and wider hole corridors that time and again make you think about how to play the hole.
Caledonia is a bit more target golf with the playing strategy apparent on most holes. They bend and roll and the variety is good. True Blue has more visual deception and risk-reward options. True Blue is also a pretty course, but Caledonia is amazing in that regard. True Blue has more very long green to tee distances if you are a walker.
The green sites on both are very fair. You generally have a preferred open angle in from one side or the other, except for shorter holes meant to be attacked with a short iron. The greens have interesting slops and tiers but are not severe. These are two great courses.

We have played here for many years but what a disappointment this year. And shame on Caledonia.
This year there were at least five unplayable greens.
All the bunkers had not been cared for. We were told they were now waste bunkers. No sand in the bunkers and like hitting off concrete.
All this at full price.
Something has gone very wrong at Caledonia. We won’t be back.

Yes, this is a great Mike Strantz design. But this is not his best. Sometimes it feels like he ran out of room and squeezed the 9th hole in. And no driving range. Can’t hit anything more than a sand wedge in the warm up area. But it is what it is. 17 great golf holes when it’s in peak condition.

But played it Wednesday 12/29/21. At least six greens were spray painted sand. No grass. It was confirmed by the starter that burmuda grass got into some of the greens and they had to kill it. This was human error.

The course can be beautiful. Right now, in its current state, it’s barely worth a $30 replay rate from True Blue.

Caledonia is one of the best, if not the best, looking golf courses I have ever played. Blends in to the surroundings very well and that drive up the clubhouse through the trees thick with hanging moss is excellent. Course conditions were great and the experience was excellent. My only quibbles are those that I knew about going in. (1) It is a small, rather tight golf course that, for me, meant a lot of hybrids and 3Ws off the tee. Very easy to be on the wrong side of the fairway and blocked out by large trees. (2) A few of the holes run together in my mind which is rare for a Strantz course. As other reviewers have pointed out, this is a rather restrained design by Strantz in comparison to True Blue across the street. Overall, this is a delightful course that I would love to come back and walk when it isn't 100 degrees outside. I think that is probably the best way to enjoy it.

My first Mike Strantz design was his masterpiece, Tobacco Road. I expected to find some of the Tobacco Road flair at Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, but was met with a more subtle Strantz course that took me two playings to appreciate.

The beauty of Caledonia is that you really feel like you're playing golf in a garden. The setting is so beautiful with tall pines, colorful flowers, artful bunkers and wildlife filled marshes. Life at Caledonia is very relaxed and unhurried.

The golf course greets you with a friendly opening 9 holes where you can score, if you keep your ball in front of you. The 9th hole is a 100 yard par 3 to finish out the really nice opening 9.

The back 9 opens with a long par 5, followed by a nice par three. Then the difficulty amps up with a string of par 4s that will test your game. The finishing 4 holes are among the most beautiful and challenging I've played.

I do feel like I need to add that the staff wasn't as friendly as I had hoped they would be. The starter for our first round was surly, and the bag drop crew was very eager to get us off the course after our 2nd round as we were the last group in. While I still rate this course as 5 stars, this did detract from the experience a little bit.

Caledonia Golf & Fish Club is a must play in the Myrtle Beach/Pawley's Island area. If you're a Mike Strantz fan, you need to see this course and experience a more subtle version of his artistry. Also, be sure to slow down and enjoy the drive into the property.

My favorite hole on the property is the par 4 13th hole. It is less than driver off the tee, then an exacting approach to a green perched above a trademark Strantz bunker.

Played here a half dozen times over 20 yrs.
Very disappointed this year with pace of play.
Played on Fri afternoon and Sun morning.
Never saw a ranger. Five hour round on Fri and 4:45 on Sunday. Don’t think I will ever return.

Love the layout. Well-conditioned. Greens running 9-10 Stimp. Strantz’s masterpiece but not managed to expectations.

When you plan your golf trip to MB, I Highly Recommend this Course. It’s Challenging Fun and Perfect for Any Golfer.!! We all had a blast !! This is what a vacation is all about ! Fun Times !! Thank You Guys ! We will be back !!

Caledonia is an awesome layout that allows every level of golfer to enjoy the game of golf. For better players the strategic element of golf is evident by the risk vs. reward concept.

I will be returning to play this course. The spirit of the game is present and Mike did a phenomenal job in designing this course.

It all starts going down Caledonia Drive. A long row of Southern oak trees with Spanish moss draping from them. It reminds you of what the Master's participants experience when they go down Magnolia Lane. At the end of the drive is a beautiful white planation style clubhouse. Throughout the course, you will see colorful trees and landscaping, especially on holes 1,9, 10 & 18. Some of the best ambiance I've ever experienced on a course.

The course is in great shape. The only exceptions were the collar around hole 1 and a few of the tee boxes. They were top dressing a few of the greens with sand while we played. They say they need to do this to ensure the putting surfaces stay smooth and firm. When you try to read their greens, they never break as much as you think.

Caledonia is a solid golf course. Not a bad hole on it. The most memorable holes are holes 11 & 18.

The only concerns I have about the course are (1) there is no driving range but you can hit balls at their sister course True Blue, (2) ending the front nine on a very short par 3 which looks like it was shoehorned in, (3) they tee off groups on both sides which discourages fast play for the starting group and (4) the par 5, 8th hole's green is tricked up. It has a very large swale in it with the top level being about 20% of the green and it that section slopes away from you.

I've been lucky that Caledonia Golf & Fish Club has been one of my golf "happy places" for 20-plus years, as my family has spent a lot of time in Pawleys Island in that interval and I've played it a dozen or more times over the years. I still get as excited to play it now as I did when I was a golf-geek kid. Between the strong Lowcountry setting and the artistic, fun course design by Mike Strantz, it endures as a golf place - more than just a course - with huge appeal.

My most recent round, on July 4th, didn't disappoint. The course was in its typical good shape (I did notice a little bit of green shrinkage in recent years, though), the staff were friendly and the staff were great about keeping the experience safe amid the pandemic (including lunch on the porch overlooking the 18th green). Myrtle Beach's golf scene has been hit hard this year, but Caledonia continues to be successful because great golf courses seem to be a little bit crisis-proof.

Second time playing this course and again not impressed had a discount rate and friend wanted to play ...I can’t imagine the outrage I would have had paying the 150 bucks people pay to play average course ..Sand traps were awful and greens were good ...This is a fifty dollar course and that’s it ...Pace of play was ridiculous the GPS said we were 40 minutes behind pace because of the group in front of us never saw a ranger ..Don’t waste your money better cheaper options out there

We chose Caledonia to be the course for South Carolina in our quest to play golf in all 50 states. We knew this was going to be a challenge and it was of course. All the reviews are spot on. The staff was great and the course was long as was told by the starter.
Just by luck, we didn't have to pair up with anybody, so, it was a leisurely morning and the Mrs was happy. The Mrs.had a great day for her and I stuggled.

Caledonia Golf and Fish Club is a world-class golf destination that offers an unparalleled experience. While its greens fees may scare many away, those willing to bear the cost are rewarded with an intimate, near-magical encounter with the sights, sounds, and feels of the very best Pawleys Island and designer Mike Strantz have to offer.

There are few public golf courses that present a more private club-like greeting as the entrance to Caledonia. The narrow driveway leading in, enveloped by a tunnel of live oak trees, sets the scene from the start that this is no ordinary club. The 18-hole course is set on a property smaller than just about any I’ve played, yet the luxurious feeling of isolation can be felt on nearly every hole.

And that’s a good thing because the beauty, shape, and feel of the course is enchanting and you’ll want to savor every moment as you play each hole. The abundance of flowering plants, finely shaped shrubs, epic-looking trees, and playful wildlife provide a garden-like feel to the property. Except for the resident alligator; he’s slightly less playful.

The course itself rises to match its high-class setting. This is the first solo layout by renowned designer Mike Strantz’ and it is beautifully executed. Each hole has a particular look and feel yet they all carry his distinctive lines and shapes, if more subtly than his most famous work at Tobacco Road. For a parkland-style course, there is a surprising level of creativity and strategy to be applied for each hole, with plenty of risk/reward options. Multiple backstopping green slopes allow the more playful golfer to use indirect ways of sneaking their ball close to the hole.

The course is a fair but firm challenge as well. The myriad of fantastically-shaped and dangerously-positioned sand traps will make weaker bunker players pale with anxiety. There are a few narrow fairways that require straight tee shots and some small greens with little room for ball-striking error. Yet even on holes where I didn’t care to count up all my many strokes, I never felt the need to blame the course (side note: I highly recommend utilizing the practice bunker before your round, just saying).

This is a course that even while playing, I knew would require multiple plays to fully appreciate its design. There were a number of holes I liked very much but I doubt I could pick out favorites until at least another go around.

The conditions of the course are exactly what you’d hope for from a course charging well into triple figures; smooth, even fairways, buttery greens (albeit still recovering from aeration a few weeks ago) and well-maintained bunkers, tees, and rough. Despite a solid soaking a couple days before, the course was dry with no noticeable soft spots.

The staff here is great as well, very friendly and professional and they are coping well with the challenging dynamics of social distancing. Pool noodles were present in each cup and other measures were in place to make every guest feel safe and comfortable. Many have remarked on the lack of a driving range here, a surprising omission from any course but especially a premiere club such as this. That said, there is no shortage of nearby driving ranges and the aforementioned practice area is far more worth your pre-round time than a range would be anyways.

In my mind, however, the absence of a driving range is more than offset by the presence of an amenity available at fewer than 50 courses nationwide: Finn cycles. These electric motorcycle-style scooters offer a transformative way to experience the course, exponentially adding to the enjoyment of your round. This was my first time on one and it took all of 30 seconds to feel comfortable riding and steering it. Some golfers might feel intimidated by something that requires a kickstand to stay up, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a truly euphoric feeling riding down the middle of a Caledonia fairway, the gentle breeze in your face, not a care in the world. It works well with golfers and golf bags of every shape and size, the gradual acceleration and brisk top speed make it all the more manageable and fun. As a bonus, with no one slowing you up, you’ll shave 20-30 minutes off your round since you can ride them anywhere you would take a push cart.

For those looking for a more leisurely experience I can’t recommend walking this course enough. Certainly on my return trip I will be walking to take in the full beauty and serenity this course has to offer.

A beautiful setting, a dynamic layout, immaculate conditions, a fun mode of transportation, any one of these aspects would make for an enjoyable round of golf. Caledonia offers them all to you. Once you consider that, the price of admission suddenly becomes far more palatable. In fact when you compare it to places like Harbour Town and Sawgrass, Caledonia measures up as a good value. Sure, the other places might make you feel more like a pro when you play because of their presence on the PGA Tour. But at Caledonia, they make you feel like something even better: the member of an exclusive, exceptional club. That makes it worth every penny.

Played here after heavy rains and despite the course still being wet it played nicely and long, so we did lift clean and place. Greens were pristine. The staff were super friendly and helpful, and we knew in advance they don't have a driving range so we warmed up at Tupelo Bay range before our round. The large practice putting green serves for chipping/pitching as well (or at least we did not see the usual No Chipping sign). Except for the initial walk to the first tee and between 6th green and 7th tee, the course is walker friendly and we played in 4 hours. Pleasantly distracted by the abundant wildlife. The layout is fair and manageable, and not too many blind shots - except be wary of 18th drive - just stay in fairway, don't try to carry water unless big bomber. Nice snack bar and attendant at turn. I want to try the sister course True Blue and would play Caledonia again for sure.

No course is better then this one in the Myrtle Beach area. From the second you turn in and see the tree lined driveway that leads to the plantation style clubhouse. It’s just jaw dropping and you will also be able to start to take sneak peaks of the course as you drive in. The club house has all amenities you need for before and after your round. As for the course, it’s always in perfect condition from tee to green. The course can be challenging and will definitely have you thinking about the next shot. The 18th will have the nerves going as your second shot is all carry over water and you will have to deal with the crowd eating lunch on the outdoor patio looking over the green. This course will not disappoint and you will want to play this every time you’re in Myrtle Beach.

I loved this course! Not only was it breathtakingly beautiful, but the course was in great shape. The greens were like glass. Not a dimple on them, and fast and true. The fairways were a bit chewed up due to recent rains, but the grounds crew had gone through the night before and filled them all. Pace of play was awesome. It was cart path only but that didn’t deter from a great round. The “chowder guy” was at the turn and the alligators were out sunning. Great course!!!
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