 COURSE REVIEW
The Founders Club in Pawleys Island: Myrtle Beach welcomes another upscale golf courseBy Brandon Tucker,
PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. - The Founders Club on Pawleys Island held its grand opening ceremony Jan. 30, giving its owners a chance to reflect on the good ol' days, back when the original Sea Gull course opened in 1966.
"Back then it was $4 to golf, and about $5 for a cart," recalled Charlie Byers, one of its original founders. More than 40 years later, Sea Gull's rebirth as the Founders Club will have a peak season price tag over $150 - and GPS in every golf cart. That's not to mention plenty of competition in the neighborhood, like upscale gems Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, True Blue, Pawleys Plantation and TPC Myrtle Beach - all of which have emerged on the South Strand in the last 20 years. The owners decided to close Sea Gull, which had become dated, and join its top-notch neighbors by blowing it up for a course fitting of its time. Thomas Walker, former lead associate of Gary Player Design, was called upon to deliver the course. Walker moved tons of dirt around and created visually dramatic bunker complexes, wide fairways and large greens. "The goal is to create a course that appears challenging, but is very fair," noted Walker, who was pleased with his first assessment of the finished product during his first round in January.
"The biggest difference to me is the amount of waste bunkering," recalled Dave McLaughlin, a resident of the area for 13 years who remembers Sea Gull. Many of the holes were framed tighter than they are now, thanks to the transitional areas, which often wrap around most sides of the fairway. McLaughlin adds, "I like how it allows the speed of play to pick up. Hitting into the waste bunker will penalize you, but you can find your ball."
It does seem pretty effective moderating the pace, especially because you can drive on either side of the fairway on most holes, so there's never a horribly long walk to your ball. During the club's grand opening, a shotgun start with two groups on most holes, pace of play was right on schedule. One of the holes widened the most was the par-5 12th, which now features a two-tiered double fairway, split by moguls with bunkers dotted within them. Take the left-hand route and you have a shot at going for the wide, elevated green in two shots, which is guarded by a solid 60-70 yards of carry over a pond. There are a few other greens guarded by water in front, including the 18th: one of the more narrow holes off the tee, capped by a tricky short iron over water to a multi-tiered green in front of the brand new, lowcountry-style clubhouse. The Founders Club: The VerdictThe Founders Club anchors the South Strand as the southernmost course on Pawleys Island, just down Highway 17 from Pawleys Plantation, Caledonia and True Blue. It is the highest-end course in the Classic Golf Group and also a member of the Waccamaw Golf Trail.
The good news about the delay of the club's opening from last fall until February 1st is that you won't encounter many of the problems a new course faces, like rock-hard greens, bare fairways and a trailer clubhouse. The greens were in fantastic shape, firm and true. Conditions and facilities fit the upscale price tag at Founders Club, though be aware there is no driving range. There are five sets of tee boxes, ranging from 4,800-7,007 yards. Fast factThe Founders Club received its new name from a 2006 competition that had more than 3,000 entries. February 4, 2008 Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans. |
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For those familiar with the old Sea Gull, playing the Founders Club is a different experience. The routing of the course remains the same, and only a handful of holes have different pars, but Walker's sculpting of mounds and bunkers give it a wider, more dramatic canvas.
The course resembles its neighbor True Blue in some ways in that it features wide, bowled-in fairways encircled with waste bunkering, though it plays a little fairer. Water comes into play on many of the holes, but aside from the epic carry on the 12th, can be avoided by most golfers.
Founders Club at Pawley's Island
River Club
Myrtle Beach Insider
Steven wrote on: Apr 8, 2008
Compared to other courses in that exact area (Caledonia, True Blue, Pawleys), Founders just doesn't cut it - at least More »
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Larry wrote on: Feb 19, 2008
As a part-time resident of Pawleys Island, I've watched them transform the old Sea Gull. In December, I walked a number More »
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Alesha wrote on: Feb 19, 2008
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND FOUNDERS AT PAWLEYS ISLAND. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GOLF AT THIS BEAUTIFUL COURSE THIS PAST More »
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