Southport, N.C. is about as far removed from the carnival-like atmosphere of downtown Myrtle Beach as one can get and still be considered the same area. As they like to say up here, there is more wildlife than nightlife. The St. James Plantation offers yet another diversion: golf, golf and more golf. Three courses are the appeal, and they are of high enough quality to make the longish drive north for a daylong (or longer) visit worthwhile. The Gauntlet course was designed by P.B. Dye, son of the famed architect Pete Dye, and like his father, P.B. enjoys making life a bit difficult for golfers. In fact, The Gauntlet has the highest slope rating of any course on the Grand Strand. The ever-present wind has a lot to do with that rating. But so do Dye’s deep and penal bunkering, his routing through many water hazards and his hard, fast greens. You will know you’ve been in a battle when you get through the Gauntlet. Everybody likes a good challenge every now and then, but many regular visitors to St. James Plantation prefer one of the other two tracks, which are both more user friendly. The Hale Irwin-designed Members Club and the Tim Cate-designed Players Club are several strokes less stressful, but always loads of fun. You may decide that being this far away from Myrtle Beach is a good thing. In which case, there are oceanfront villas for rent as well as a handful of small inns and motels in the area.