If you're searching for a pleasant way to spend a few days at Myrtle Beach and you want to get a little bit of exercise, consider venturing out to one of the area's magnificent golf courses. Whether you're a rank amateur or a seasoned player, you're sure to discover a course to meet your needs. Many of the courses have an International flavor, filled with those little touches that make European courses so appealing.

One course that offers the best of the Britannia spirit is Shaftesbury Glen. The course embodies the elegance of Shaftesbury, England and is brimming with British accents--from the Olde English Clubhouse to the stone-gated entrance. The work of architect Clyde Johnson, Shaftesbury Glen features elevated greens, exceptional traps, expansive fairways, and enticing par 3s and par 5s. The course is also unique in that it also offers an exceptional fishing venue along the Waccamaw River. The tees are classified according to a color system: blue, white, gold, and red. The blue course has the most yardage at 6935; the red course the least at 4976.

For another golfing experience, try the Tidewater Golf Club and Plantation, which has also been called the "Pebble Beach of the East." In fact, Golf Digest has rated Tidewater as the top course on the Grand Strand every year since 1990 when it debuted as a public course. The Tidewater is situated on a forest-rich peninsula overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Intracoastal Waterway, and saltwater marshes. The course is considered particularly appropriate for players who fancy themselves as risk-takers and enjoy strategic play. Like Shaftesbury Glen, Tidewater is divided into color-coded courses; in declining order of yardage they are black, gold, silver, copper, and jade.

Yet another distinct golfing venue is the Wild Wing Plantation. There, you'll have your choice of four different courses that share two things in common: quality fairway surfaces and exceptional bent grass greens. Choose from among the Wood Stork, Hummingbird, Avocet, and Falcon courses. The Avocet, for example, was designed by Larry Nelson and Jeff Brauer, and features double fairways, elevated tees and greens, grass bunkers, a double green serving two holes, and unique contouring.

Thus, whether you're interested in old English charm or modern convenience, views of the ocean or of forests, you'll find that Myrtle Beach offers a golfing experience second to none, and well worth the price of your flight.