Myrtle Beach Golf veterans may remember this course as Myrtle West, renamed as Black Bear Golf Club in 2001.

Black Bear is a Tom Jackson Signature design and boasts an opportunity for golfers to get out into nature. No homes or condos line a fairway or encircle a green. Every club in your bag may be needed to get around the layout unscathed. Wide fairways give a player the confidence it takes to go with the ultimate risk reward shots. Completely surrounded by natural vegetation, and sliced into by 23 lakes, makes Black Bear a nice track without the hussle-bussle of other area courses.

Since opening in 1989, this course has had a massive facelift. The greens were reconstructed in 2006 with Champion Bermuda greens. The par-72, 6,800 yard layout got this much needed upgrade in order to redefine the entire experience.

Black Bear is a decent course that is away from all of the busy parts of Myrtle Beach. It is not very expensive, and not too tough, so high handicappers will not struggle very much. You can save a few bucks playing Black Bear in the afternoon or on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. If you happen to be staying in central Myrtle Beach, and book this course, leave the condo/hotel early as it is quite a drive. If you are staying on the north end, the drive isn’t bad at all.