The third leg of our Myrtle Beach trip took us to the Tidewater Golf Club located in North Myrtle Beach. The Tidewater Golf Club is well known in Myrtle Beach and to date is the only golf course named best new course by both Golf Digest and Golf Magazine. Opened in 1990, Tidewater won great acclaim for the Ken Tomlinson designed course. Tomlinson had a great canvas to work with; Tidewater sits high atop a peninsula overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
Some holes play along a saltwater marsh while the Intracoastal Waterway flanks several holes on the north and west; the 13th green even gives you a glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean. Building upon an already great reputation Tidewater underwent a major renovation in 2014 which saw new Mini Verde greens installed along with several other improvements.
Arrival at Tidewater Golf Club is like many places in the south, welcoming. We pulled into the bag drop area and we were quickly assisted by staff and directed to the clubhouse. After walking around the pro shop I was impressed by the large offering of apparel which also included a large youth selection. The biggest complaint I had so far was the fact that the Tidewater Golf Club logo was so blah. I planned to pick up something from each stop of the trip but after seeing the Tidewater logo I decided to stop that trend. We checked in and headed over to the carts where our bags were loaded and waiting. Our next stop was the driving range which was located close by and had plenty of room for everyone. After hitting a few practice balls we walked over to the huge practice green off to the right.
Before hitting the first tee shot we got a few words of wisdom from the starter including the fact that there is no out of bounds at Tidewater, if you find your ball in someone’s backyard simply pick it up and drop it back on the course with no penalty. We weren’t really expecting those instructions and some of us in the group took more advantage of that local rule than others. 
The first hole is a long straight par 5, the fairway is wide but lined by trees all the way up. Avoid the trees and the bunkers and you’ll be off to a good start. After playing the second hole which had a slight dogleg right that was also lined with trees I started to ask myself are we playing Tidewater or Tidewoods. Thankfully the question was answered as we approached the 3rd hole, a par 3 that plays along a majestic marsh. From the 3rd tee box you get a glimpse of what’s to come and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed!
As we mentioned course designer Ken Tomlinson had a great canvas to work with, to that point, Tidewater features multiple signature holes. Tidewater has two of the best Par 3s you’ll find on any course. The 3rd hole is the table setter while the 12th is the cherry on top with its peninsula green that requires you to carry the Cherry Grove between the tee and green.
If that wasn’t enough the Par 5 13th which goes along the Intracoastal and provides a view of the Atlantic Ocean from the green is breathtaking. As you play all three of these holes you’ll want to make sure you have your camera ready to capture the moment. If all that wasn’t enough, the 18th hole isn’t too shabby featuring a picturesque backdrop of the clubhouse as you finish up your round and shake hands on the green.
Tidewater Golf Club Overall Rating 4 ⅓ out of 5 Stars
At the end of the round the biggest complaint about Tidewater remained their lackluster logo. With the logo being the biggest complaint that should let you know just how good the golf is at Tidewater. Even with all the rain that recently hit the area Tidewater was in great condition. The two areas that did impact the rating were pace of play and beverage service.
The pace of play was a little slower than you would like to see, but with all the scenic views it’s hard to complain about people taking an extra few minutes to take in everything the course has to offer. The only thing slower than the pace of play is the beverage cart, be prepared to serve yourself. When it was all said and done we had an amazing time at Tidewater. The course features stunning views and the layout is well thought out with each hole flowing into the next as you make your way around. Tidewater Golf Club was our 2nd highest rated course in Myrtle Beach, check the rest of our Myrtle Beach reviews to see which course was the best of Myrtle Beach.