Gilligan’s Island Funland – Garden City/Myrtle Beach, SC

Reviewed by Mr. Tee

Played October 8, 2023

After the 2022 Masters, I took my first trip up King’s Highway south of the Myrtle Beach airport to explore the slightly off-the-beaten-path courses. I only documented each of the courses in the area briefly in 2022 for a potential Drive By review but ultimately came back in 2023 to play when I had some extra time in town after the 2023 Masters. Gilligan’s Island looked rough in 2022 but on my return visit I noticed that the turf had been replaced so I figured I would give it a whirl.

Rating

I hopped around and played both courses to get the full experience but opted for a single course review because both courses were quite similar in style and layout. The course is supposedly themed after the popular 1960s American sitcom, Gilligan’s Island, where the cast is shipwrecked on a remote island. Other than having a large body of water that was visible from the main road and some relatively common tropical features like palm trees, greenery, and rocks, it is a pretty run-of-the-mill mini golf facility with green astroturf and red bricks. My biggest complaint is the frustrating metal-rimmed cups that make a fun clink when you land your ball in the cup but add unnecessary difficulty. I did like the wheel you could spin after your round that could reward you with free games if you landed on the holes you got a hole-in-one. In most cities, this is a better-than-average course but in the Myrtle Beach area, these courses don’t stand out in the crowd. If you’re a completist and want to play everything in the Myrtle Beach area or stay nearby, give it a shot but I’d probably recommend playing most of the other nearby courses first.

Lookie lookie! New turf installed sometime in late 2022 or early 2023

Overview of the layout from the peak of the course

Tee off mats are not my favorite but they are not above the grade of the turf

A few cave holes to help you escape the sun/heat

Handful of pipe holes. I remember this one playing very poorly.

But the real stinker on these courses were the metal-rimmed cups that were already in bad shape and impact play

Numerous holes with the traditional and standard red bricking

Gotta keep the ball online or you’ll end up in a gully like the one to the right

A few of the holes even had some concrete walls with few seams

Fun walkway but slightly dangerous and not at all accessible

Palm trees do give the courses a nice vibe

Lots of blind shots where you don’t have a good look at the cup when you tee off

Guide the ball to the hill and drop it down towards the cup

Chance to win a free game based on the holes you aced

Condition of the course in 2022 for context. It was in BAD shape.

Gilligan’s Island Funland Website

3009 S Hwy 17, Garden City, South Carolina 29576

Comments

Metal-rimmed cups that in a few cases are damaged and play poorly
Turf was replaced within the last two years and plays well
Tropical greenery, rocks, and large water features look nice and feel immersive
Hard to distinguish one course from the other
A few holes were particularly frustrating

Lacked a distinct personality in an area with courses full of personality and theming

Nerdy Notes

2 18-hole courses & Castaways and Minnow
Adults $14.95 | Kids (7-10) $11.95 | Children (6 and under) $6.95
Play both courses from 10am to 6pm for $9.95 or $7.95 for one round. Children 6 and under $6.95