> DAY 1
When doing the strand, we’ve always preferred to work south-to-north. So we
begin on an extraordinary note in Pawleys Island with a round at Heritage Club
(800-552-2660;
legendsgolf.com). Heritage was sculpted from 600 acres of
300-year-old oaks, fresh-water lakes and marshes—the site of two former rice
plantations—and blanketed with stands of crape myrtle, camellias and azaleas.
Afterward, toast your good fortune with a drink in the Colonial-style clubhouse
that overlooks the Waccamaw River, then head over to Wachesaw Plantation Club
and settle into one of its quaint guest cottages. The private community offers a
limited number of cottages as rentals, and these Lowcountry-style town homes are
beautifully decorated and fully equipped. (Seasonal rates from $169-$219 per
night; 800-373-1263; wachesaw.com).
Later, get some shopping out of
the way at the Hammock Shops (thehammockshops.com). In addition to the
world-famous hammocks, the complex also features a variety of specialty shops
and galleries nestled around a meandering moss-draped footpath.
Then
head back into “downtown” Pawleys Island for dinner at Frank’s (843-237-3030;
franksandoutback.com). A local landmark, Frank’s is an elegant candlelit room
with crisp white linens, impeccable service and extraordinary food. Stop for a
drink at the massive, antique mahogany bar and, weather permitting, dine outside
at Frank’s Outback.
> DAY 2
Time to get serious. Grab a danish and coffee on the fly and make the short drive over to Caledonia Golf & Fish Club and True Blue. No excursion is complete without a stop at this magnificent Pawleys Island property, the former site of a working rice and indigo plantation. Start with True Blue (888-483-6800;
truebluegolf.com), a brutally engaging spread from the hand of the late Mike Strantz with varying elevations, sprawling fairways, numerous waste bunkers and native vegetation. As a test of golf, this one favors the longer hitter, but it also lends a greater appreciation of your afternoon round at Caledonia Golf & Fish Club (888-483-6800; fishclub.com). Sited on just 115 acres and playing to just over 6,500 yards, Caledonia is a shot-makers course that seamlessly blends into its palette of massive live oaks and Waccamaw River wetlands. As the afternoon shadows begin to fall across the 18th fairway, with the antebellum-style clubhouse looming in the background, you’ll begin to wonder how it can possibly get any better.
Drag yourself back to the cottage for a quick shower, and then head down U.S. 17 to Louis’s at Pawleys and The Fish Camp Bar (843-237-8757; louisatpawleys.com). “Louis” is the inimitable Louis Osteen, a culinary legend who is passionately devoted to the foods of his Southern ancestry and the Lowcountry. You can dine at The Fish Camp’s outdoor deck, nestled among the oaks and strung with fish lights and whimsical art, or venture inside the renovated plantation house overlooking Pawleys Creek and choose from a variety of fresh seafood as well as the best Shrimp and Grits on the planet.
