"I'd put it in the top five of Myrtle Beach," said Larry Darby, playing with fellow member Ted Olczak. "No question."
Olczak agreed: "I haven't played the courses over at Barefoot Resort, but I'd say this has got to be top five or six. It's always manicured, the greens are always beautiful."
They probably wouldn't find much argument among those who frequent Grand Strand courses.
Myrtle Beach Golf Magazine honored Glen Dornoch in its "Best in Golf" awards in 2003 and 2004, naming it the area's most challenging track and singling out the 16th and 18th holes. The course has made Golf Digest Myrtle Beach top-10 list, and Sports Illustrated's William Nack named it one of his three favorite places to play from North Carolina to Florida.
The Clyde Johnston design opened in 1996 just below the North Carolina border. The loveliest holes play hard by the Intracoastal Waterway, opening on to views of the marshes. You can stand on the greens and fairways, watching the casino boats and shrimpers heading out to sea, and almost forget about the golf.
The conditioning is superb, and the locals say it stays that way year-round. Even when many Grand Strand greens are suffering from overplay and a hot, dry summer, Glen Dornoch's look like something fresh from the oven.
Johnston gives you an excellent test without beating you over the head with a mashie. The holes throw different looks and angles at you, with virtually no repetition. There are plenty of risk/reward, pond and marsh carries and doglegs to be cut down to size.
It only gets better at the end - Glen Dornoch's closing trio might be the best course climax on the Strand. The 16th is classic strategy hole, with a hill on the right and the fairway narrowing to a trickle on the left. Hit to the crest of a hill to have the best angle down into the green, over marsh. And put away your driver or suffer the consequences, as I did.
No. 17 is a very unusual par 3 where you hit over a tall oak and more marsh while trying to avoid the waterway to the left and a huge, steeply sloping, bunker-topped hill to the right. Worry too much about finding the marsh and you can easily land in the waste area at the bottom of the hill.
The finisher has a visually intimidating look from the tee and an odd "bailout," a split fairway to the right for those who don't think they can carry the marsh on the left-hand side. This hole is all about the drive; a good one puts you in excellent position for a birdie.
"I think 16, 17 and 18 are the hardest closing holes on the Grand Strand," Olczak said. "Besides being beautiful."
The verdict
Aesthetically, Glen Dornoch is first-rate, with thick strands of oak, pine and magnolia to keep you occupied when you aren't agog at the Intracoastal Waterway views. You get good elevation (especially for the Low Country) to enjoy them from.
Be aware, though, that if you come in seasons you'll pay for this opulence: Rates rise from $48-$53 to $97-$112 in peak periods.
Glen Dornoch is 6,850 yards from the back tees, with a slope rating of 141. The blue tees shrink to a more manageable 6,446 yards and the whites are 6,035.
Stay and play
The Comfort Suites on Frontage Road is a great place to stay in Myrtle Beach, particularly if you're on a longish stay and planning to play a variety of courses. It's located at the intersection of the Highway 17 bypass and 501, so you can go in any direction with relative ease while bypassing the busy part of 17.
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Dining out
The dining options are as plentiful and diverse as the golf courses, ranging from fast food to fine dining. For a treat, try Martinis in North Myrtle Beach. The filet mignon with shrimp sports the best sauce I've had on the Grand Strand, and the in-house piano bar is said to get rowdy at night. It's a local hangout that's been through a number of changes over the years and keeps coming back. I hope it stays the way it is.
MB National West