True Blue Golf Club is Caledonia's wilder sibling — Mike Strantz's second Pawleys Island masterpiece sits just across the road and plays like the same designer's other imagination let loose. Where Caledonia threads through centuries of plantation history, True Blue opens up the raw Carolina landscape with massive sandy waste areas and an open sky that makes every hole feel bigger than it is.
At 7,126 yards and a slope of 145, True Blue is not subtle about what it is. This is one of the most challenging courses in the entire Myrtle Beach market, and the elevated rating isn't a fluke — the waste areas, demanding greens, and strategic tee shots create a test that exposes every weakness in a player's bag.
What Makes It Worth Playing
The scale. True Blue's waste areas are not token hazards — they are wide, long, and genuinely punishing. The contrast between the sandy brown waste areas and the manicured green fairways creates a visual drama that feels different from the lush tree corridors of Caledonia but equally distinctive on the Grand Strand.
The routing asks you to think. Every tee shot has a preferred angle, and every waste area punishes the wrong one. Strantz designed courses that reward smart play over brute force, and True Blue is the clearest expression of that philosophy in the Myrtle Beach market — long hitters who spray it will score worse than shorter hitters who pick their spots.
The combination play is what makes True Blue essential. Playing both Strantz courses back-to-back — Caledonia in the morning for atmosphere, True Blue in the afternoon for challenge — is the definitive Pawleys Island day. The two courses are stylistically different enough that each one resets the conversation.
Booking and Access
- Public window: Online at truebluegolfclub.com. Booking windows open far enough out to align with Caledonia planning.
- Green fees: $120–$210, with peak spring pricing at the top. Twilight rates available when the season permits.
- Package consideration: Several Myrtle Beach golf package operators bundle True Blue with Caledonia as a two-Strantz day. If your group is planning a dedicated trip, these packages often include cart and can be slightly more flexible on tee time coordination.
Course Strategy
Waste areas define the strategic conversation at True Blue. The course rewards players who accurately judge carry distances over waste to preferred fairway positions, and punishes those who try to cut corners. Commit fully to every tee shot and accept the penalty for misses — half-swings into waste areas tend to compound the problem.
The length at 7,126 yards is real, and True Blue doesn't offer many easy short-iron approaches. If your group plays from appropriate tees, the mid-course blue tees can take significant length pressure off while still presenting the full strategic picture Strantz designed. Don't let the big slope number bully your group into playing the tips.
Practical Details
- Green fees: $120–$210 (season-dependent)
- Par / Yardage: 72 / 7,126 yards
- Slope / Rating: 145 / 74.1
- Architect: Mike Strantz
- Booking: truebluegolfclub.com
- Location: Pawleys Island, SC (south end of the Grand Strand)
The essential pairing is Caledonia Golf & Fish Club across the road — morning Caledonia, afternoon True Blue is the Pawleys Island two-Strantz experience. For north-end variety, add Tidewater Golf Club to your itinerary. Full planning options in our Myrtle Beach golf trip guide.