COURSE REVIEW

Myrtlewood's Palmetto course keeps golfers coming back - there must be a reason

By Tim McDonald,
National Golf Editor

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (April 23, 2007) — Myrtlewood Golf Course is further evidence of my theory that the vast majority of golfers are looking for an easy — excuse me, player-friendly — course to spend their hard-earned money on.

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The Palmetto course at the 36-hole Myrtlewood facility has been around for more than 30 years and is one of the top "repeat play" courses along the Grand Strand. That means people keep finding reasons to come back.

Remember, the average golf score is in the neighborhood of 100. Now, playability isn't the only thing many golfers look for. The course must have some character because even if it was easy but bland, it wouldn't attract much attention.

Myrtlewood has the distinction of playing along the Intracoastal Waterway, so there are some very nice views along the way, watching the marine traffic moving north and south. The course is well-conditioned and well-maintained, though it may not offer the pristine experience some of the top Myrtle Beach courses do.

Nor does it exactly offer a wilderness experience, with all the homes and condos around it and with the Highway 17 bypass so nearby.

But, it does offer enough to keep most golfers interested.

"I like it," said Jim Mirabile, playing with his two friends from Pennsylvania, Jend Lecci and Marty Furman. "We've been coming here every year for 30 years and like playing this course. It's a fair course and it's always in good shape."

Of course, it's not in the same league as a Tidewater or a True Blue or many others, but Myrtlewood is a solid course that its owners obviously care about.

It's a flat layout, with a very open and airy feel. Most of the holes are lined with pine trees and there is very little rough to lose your golf balls in — another plus for the budget-minded golfer tired of paying so much for lost balls.

The course is 6,640 yards from the back tees with a slope of only 121, so it can be played from back there and men can tell their wives what beasts they are. The tidwarf Bermuda greens, at least in September, were in good shape when some other area greens were beat up.

If golfers want something more challenging, they need only move next door to play the club's other course, the Pinehills course, with its slope of 133 from the back.

Myrtlewood's Palmetto Course: The verdict

Green fees at Myrtlewood vary from $49 to $79 during peak season and can be bought online cheaper.

For that price, this is a good bargain.

You'll find a fairly good mix of holes, some easy ones with some challenging. No. 9 is a 390-yard par 4 with a wriggle in the fairway from left to right and water running the length of the right side of the fairway.

The 14th is a mid-length par 4 that wraps around a lake to the right, with the fairway tapering down and water sneaking into the right side.

No. 18 is a good closing hole that runs parallel to the waterway and has a gaping fairway bunker right. Three of the par 3s play over water and the par-3 17th is a very picturesque hole, from an elevated tee downhill where you're hitting over a creek that cuts through the fairway.

Myrtle Beach hotels

The Comfort Suites on Frontage Road is a great place to stay at Myrtle Beach, particularly if you're on a fairly long trip here and need to get to a variety of courses.

It's located at the intersection of the Highway 17 bypass and 501, so you can go north, south, east or west with relative ease, while bypassing the busy part of 17.

Myrtle Beach dining

The options are more endless than the golf courses, everything from fast food to fine dining.

For a treat, try Martinis in North Myrtle Beach. It's a piano bar that is said to get rowdy at night.

Try the filet mignon with shrimp, with the best sauce I've had on the Grand Strand. 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.

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.