JD Cuban/Golf Digest
JD Cuban/Golf Digest
JD Cuban/Golf Digest
JD Cuban/Golf Digest
JD Cuban/Golf Digest
JD Cuban/Golf Digest
Caledonia Golf & Fish Club
Caledonia Golf & Fish Club
369 Caledonia Drive
Pawleys Island, SC 29585
United States
Telephone
Overview
Caledonia was Strantz’s first solo design in 1994, and his creativity shines on this golf-only, oak-dotted, sand-dune parcel abutting the marshes and rice paddies of Pawley’s Island. The design is ordered and composed, twisting low through the heavy tree canopy while setting up classic hole strategies into angled greens. There are touches of Pete Dye and just enough quirk to suggest something more intense and experimental brewing under the surface. Two musts: The chowder at the turn, and a drink on the porch behind the 18th hole.
About
Awards
Ranking history:
100 Greatest Public: Ranked from 2003-'10, 2015-'22.
Highest ranking: 58th, 2005-'06.
Best in State: Ranked inside the top 25, 2013-'22. Ranked 28th, 2023-'24.
2023-'24 ranking: 28th.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“Well designed golf course with an excellent layout variety and a plethora of shot options. In addition Caledonia is also a significant challenge while still being fair to the player."
Read More2024
Review
“For a Strantz layout, very disappointing. Did not see his use of creative visuals to distract the golfer off the tee. Several holes - 1, 3, and 10 in particular - lack much character at all. The nines feel very similar in how they start off. The back 9 has some standout holes - 16 - 18 - that are very solid. Conditioning was lackluster and layout used very little of the march which left a dull experience."
Read More2024
Review
“Fun and challenging course, with typical Stranz holes that you don't find very often"
Read More2024
Review
“Shot options: Need to some good drives here, and in some cases required to set up a shot at the green; Hole by Hole comments:Hole #1: Easy starter hole, not much to it; Hole #2: tighter driving hole, ordinary after that; Hole #3: fun long par 3, have to hit it straight; Hole #4: requires good drive an approach; Hole #5: all about the drive; Hole #6: Difference between easy front pin and tough back pin is very high, left bunker will strike fear in any golfer; Hole #7: really interesting hole that makes you think before the first time you play it, and probably a lot after as well. Right pins are blocked off, requiring a drive short of trees to hit over; Hole #8: Love the bunkers off the tee, frame drive well, approach has to be played well, tight on all 4 sides of the green; Hole #9: Shallow green with sand in front requires solid shot; Hole #10: Excellent risk/reward on 2nd shot if going for it; Hole #11: well framed hole, with pin positions making this hole play very differently from day to day; Hole #12: Tight driving hole; Hole #13: Requires 2 very good shots, miss the drive and no hope of getting there. Then have to hit great shot not to be in the deep bunker that goes all the way around; Hole #14: another hole that requires really good placement off tee, but also gives you a couple options, love this green too. ; Hole #15: requires good drive; Hole #16: need good enough drive so can go for green; Hole #17: interesting hole with pin up front; Hole #18: Need a good enough drive to approach, otherwise laying up; : Challenge: Driving well is necessary here, and with some tightness, can make it hard for most; Layout variety: Other than flatness that is indemic to this area, wonderful mix of holes; Aesthetics: Quite easy on the eyes, but constant trees all over the place limits the appeal a bit with me; Conditioning: Didn't play in prime weather of the year, but reasonably firm and sorta rolled true; Character: For a modern course, its quite good. Not nearly Tobacco Road because it doesn't have the land for it, but a pretty good take on it; Fun: A bit hard for some golfers, so marks it down a bit, but I had a lot of fun"
Read More2024
Review
“Course flows well. Greens are all unique and different. Overall length contributes to lower challenge score. A couple tough driving holes needing strategy. Several par 4s play nearly identical length and feels redundant. Hole 9 par 3 feels out of place, like an afterthought jammed into the property, away from other holes with a sub 100 yard half swing hole. Conditioning could improve as standing water in some bunkers after a rain the night prior."
Read More2024
Review
“great Aesthetics, shorter target golf experience"
Read More2023
Review
“The course is built on a former rice plantation and is built and meanders through the live oaks and water framing the course, it is unique from many of the coastal South Carolina courses. Although relatively short, each hole has a view that is specific for that hole. The fairways are generous in size and the risk reward is from how much of a dogleg one wishes to cut off in the tee shot. The trees frame the course and generally are not in play, particularly for the scratch golfer. Many holes allow the ball to be either run up onto the green or hit is the section of the green where the pin is located that day. The greens are small to moderate in size with differing shapes depending on the terrain of that hole. The shot options on that hole, that particular day are dictated by the pin placement. The greens are generally fairly flat with moderate amounts of undulations but not severe in any place. The hazards in the fairways and around the green, add to the uniqueness of the whole design but not often in play off the tee box; for the scratch golfer, playing out of most of the bunkers will not be difficult as they do not generally have steep faces, except at the greenside. I walked the course and it is like walking back in time. The marshes, the live oaks, the sandy soil, make for a journey that is quite nice. The uniqueness of the initial Strantz design is noticeable. Compared to some of his later ones (like Tobacco Road), the uniqueness is more subtle and seemingly more artistic in nature. I played with my son and son-in-law on our family vacation, and did not identify myself as a Golf digest panelist, and we had a really good time. I will have great memories of the day both with the course and its uniqueness, and the company."
Read More2023
Review
“Beautiful property, excellent condition!"
Read More2022
Review
“Great layout and really fun to play. Driving range is across the street at True Blue, so need to add a few minutes to your arrival if you want to hit balls before you play. Strongly recommend."
Read More2022
Review
“Course is always in tremendous shape. It offers one of the best layouts in the myrtle beach area. Great course for match play!"
Read More2022
