If you’ve ever considered playing your favorite game at the most desirable oceanfront golfing destination in South Carolina, without the assistance of a golf cart, this will be an excellent read. Myrtle Beach, fondly referred to as the Golf Capital of the World, offers upscale community living and pristine golf courses that stretch far and wide into the horizon. With over 100 golf courses, this vibrant beach town provides plenty of opportunities for golfers to ditch the golf cart and indulge in the traditional method of the game.
Experience the Course in Full
Walking rather than riding gives you an intimate experience. Nothing quite compares to the sensation of the warm Myrtle Beach sand crunching underfoot as you trek from hole to hole, unmediated by artificial acceleration. Walking provides a grounding experience that binds the golfer to the landscape, shaping their strategy and understanding of the course.
A More Strategic Approach
In the absence of a golf cart, your pacing across the greens is deliberate. Walking allows you to fully embrace the game’s contemplative aspect. Golf is, after all, a thinking person’s sport. It gifts you extra time to strategize each swing during the walk between shots. You can scrutinize the subtleties of the greens and adjust accordingly. You have the chance to get the lay of the land, making decisions about your next shot based on the nuances of the course that you might not have spotted from a speeding cart.
Unparalleled Health Benefits
According to a study by the Rose Center for Health and Sports Sciences, golfers who walk 18 holes burn up to 2000 calories, over 1400 more than their counterparts riding in a cart. Golf contributes greatly to your cardiovascular health. Walking strengthens your heart, reduces the risk of stroke and diabetes, and keeps your cholesterol levels in check.
Easing the Crowds
With Myrtle Beach being such a golf-loving community, you’ll often encounter quite a crowd on the courses. Walking can serve as the perfect solution to navigate crowded green fields, as maneuvering a walking bag is far easier and less invasive than a large motorized cart.
Preserving the Course
It’s no secret golf carts can lead to course wear and tear through prompts aeration, compaction and soil disruption. Walking alleviates these issues. It allows the grass more chance to recover, leading to a healthier, more aesthetically pleasing course. Therefore, by walking, not only do you reap personal benefits, but you also contribute to the preservation of these beloved terrains.
Top Walking-Friendly Courses
Several golf courses in Myrtle Beach are known for their walking-friendly layouts. True Blue Plantation’s design allows the player to stroll from green to tee easily. The Heritage Club is another course famous for its walkability, allowing golfers the chance to take in the sheer beauty of large magnolias and 300-year-old oak trees.
Walking the golf course is not just about playing a game, but experiencing the sheer pleasure of physical motion, embracing contemplative moments, and appreciating the bounty of nature. While royal and ancient golf insisted on walking, it’s a tradition worth continuing for the combination of health benefits, strategic advantages, and, most importantly, the deep, profound enjoyment it endows. So, next time you’re booking your Myrtle Beach golf round, perhaps consider leaving the cart behind and regretlessly embark upon a journey of ultimate golfing experience walking offers. Myrtle Beach promises you a trove of walking-friendly golf courses as magnificent as the dawn seascapes the town is famous for.
Ha! I’ll walk the course when every hole is downhill! But seriously, great article! Made me reconsider my lazy cart-reliant ways. Maybe walking will finally elevate my golf game.
This article made me realize how much I’ve been missing out by always hopping into a cart. Didn’t realize I could burn up to 2000 calories by walking! That’s my workout and golf fix in one! Also, it’s a good reminder that we should be preserving these beautiful courses. Will be trying this no-cart experiment next weekend. Wish me luck!
Love the subtle push for the old school, nostalgic approach. I mean, who doesn’t like striding down the fairway with a little extra time to calculate distances and angles? It’s pure, it’s therapeutic. Makes me want to grab my clubs and head out to Myrtle Beach right now!
Really enjoyed your take on the virtues of walking the course. I recently walked Heritage Club and can vouch for its beauty and walkability. Did find myself missing the cart though when the summer heat kicked in around the back nine. Any recommendations for staying cool while walking the course?