The Dunes Golf & Beach Club, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina ? Considered by Many to Be the Masterpiece of Legendary Designer Robert Trent Jones, Sr

The Dunes Golf & Beach Club was formed in 1947 by Myrtle Beach-area businessmen, who commissioned famed golf course architect Robert Trent Jones, Sr. to design the course. The result is considered some of his best work and features some of his favorite design elements, such as well-defined fairway bunkers and huge, elevated greens, to go along with the area's rolling terrain and views of the Atlantic Ocean.

In 1992, Jones oversaw an extensive renovation to the course, wherein the original greens were replaced with Penn Links Bent grass, six holes were modified to make them more player friendly, Hole No. 8 received a new tee box, and the green on Hole No. 11 was relocated.

In 2001, another set of renovations were made to the practice facilities and the course by Rees Jones, the son of the original designer. A unique "alternate hole'' was added between Nos. 13 and 14 for use if/when another hole is closed for maintenance. Hole No. 18 was also given a new tee box that allows the hole to be played as either a dogleg left or the original dogleg right. A-1 Bent grass was also installed on the greens and all the greens were restored to their original shapes.

The 18-hole, par-72 course, which reopened in 2003, plays to 7,165 yards from the longest tees with a slope rating of 141. The course is said to test golfers off the tee, from the fairways and on the greens. A number of green complexes feature large, penalizing bunkers that front the putting surfaces.

Some of the most noteworthy holes include No. 13, the signature hole for the course. Nicknamed "Waterloo,'' this par-5 plays to a hefty 590 yards from the longest tees and a respectable 545 yards from the Blues. Known worldwide, this hole doglegs right around Lake Singleton and has been honored and acclaimed over the years as one of the greatest golf holes in the world. Assuming tee shots land safely, the second and third shorts dare golfers to cut off as much of the lake as they can, while playing uphill toward a small, tiered green.

The Dunes Golf & Beach Club has also received its share of honors and awards, including a ranking at #38 by Golf Digest on its 2009-2010 list of America's Top 100 Great Public Courses.

Practice facilities include a renovated driving range that was expanded in 2001 by 30 yards in length and 40 yards in depth, more than doubling the number of hitting stations.

The Dunes Club also features an expansive clubhouse that features a Ballroom and an oceanfront lawn, which makes it one of the most desirable locations on the Grand Stand for weddings.

In addition to golf, the club also features one of the best tennis programs in the Myrtle Beach area.