Oyster Bay still going strong after 20 years

By Shane Sharp,
Contributing Writer

SUNSET BEACH, N.C. (March 22, 2004) -- The year was 1983. Ronald Regan was President, U2 released its seminal sophomore album, War, and the action series "The A-Team" -- fronted by a gold chain clad Mr. "T" -- crashed through TV sets around the country.

And in an unrelated story -- but one more pertinent to this publication -- Oyster Bay Golf Links opened near the sleepy fishing town of Calabash. Dan Maples, son of legendary superintendent/designer Ellis Maples, laid out Oyster Bay before he became a household name in the Carolinas.

• March Madness in Myrtle Beach The best sports bars of the Grand Strand • Carolina National: White hot Bates contribution to Grand Strand golf arsenal solid, not spectacular • Thistle Golf Club: Where Conditioning is King • Rivers Edge Clings To Reputation As One Of Grand Strand's Best

The younger Maples was coming off a partnership gone bad with local developer Larry Young at nearby Marsh Harbour. The feelings being anything but hard, Young offered Maples a shot at crafting another marshland stunner.

"It was a clean break. My dad was comfortable working with him and knew he had talent," says Danny Young, son of Larry Young and the President of Legends Golf and Barefoot Resort and Golf. "He also knew Ellis because he was subleasing Eagle's Nest from us, which was our first Myrtle Beach golf course."

Just ahead of the boom,
but sliding down the rankings

Oyster Bay and Marsh Harbour (1980) were precursors to the Beach's first true golf course building boom. Between 1970 and 1980, new course construction in the Grand Strand clipped along at a healthy, incremental pace. But from the mid 1980s to 2001, the number of courses along the Grand Strand increased from a modest 43 to an eye-popping 120.

Oyster Bay and Marsh Harbour got in while the getting was good, just before the explosion of new courses went off in earnest in 1987. The settings and designs of each were good enough to warrant numerous accolades from Golf Digest, GOLF Magazine and other well respected, highly circulated golf glossies. As late as the mid 90s, the North Strand duo was still rated among the state's best.

Fast-forward to the fickle golf market of 2004, and the times are decidedly less heady. Marsh Harbour closed in December 2003 after owner LaDane Williamson and Larry Young couldn't agree on the terms for a new lease for the Legends Group to operate the course. When and if the course will reopen remains a mystery.

As for Oyster Bay, it remains open, albeit with a bit of a chip on its shoulder. Seems the course has fallen out of favor with the magazines that once sung its praises. It is no longer the darling of Golf Digest, having been replaced in the magazine's "America's 100 Greatest Public Courses" rankings by neighboring newbie Tiger's Eye and perennial powerhouse Tidewater. GolfWeek's latest ratings of the best courses in North Carolina include Rivers Edge (1999) in Shallotte, but no sign of courses named for shellfish.

Those close to the course believe a lack of advertising dollars spent in national golf magazines (gasp) has led to Oyster Bay's fall from grace. This theory smacks of sour grapes, but it raises valid point -- the older courses of Myrtle Beach -- other than the Dunes Club -- are often ignored in favor of bright, shiny new courses like Tiger's Eye, Rivers Edge, and more recently, Grande Dunes.

Those not so close to the course simply point out that new-course-in, old-course-out isn't a uniquely Myrtle Beach phenomena. Attrition is the norm, they say, not the exception whether it's Scottsdale or Shallotte. Rating systems are Darwinian and the new kid on the block -- the hot new course from the hot new designer -- will always crash the party.

The Verdict

For Myrtle Beach bound duffers, ratings and rankings should take a backseat to reality. And the real story is that Oyster Bay is still one of the must plays of Myrtle Beach. The haunting layout on the shores of Twin Lakes has a collection of holes that are as well-conceived and scenery-soaked as any in the Grand Strand.

The 330-yard, par-4 13th with its giant concrete seawall and watery right side, and the island green at the 165-yard, par-3 17th are the subject of more 19th hole banter than Tiger, Martha, and Annika combined. Lesser appreciated holes like the 530-yard par-5th with its sweeping views of the marsh, and the 210-yard, wind in your kitchen par-3 15th are popular conversation pieces among good sticks.

But like any course celebrating two decades of service, Oyster Bay shows its age from time to time.

The clubhouse is pure late 70s decco. The practice range, with its beat-up ball machine and tired old range balls, isn't becoming of a top tier golf club. And all 18 greens are 100 percent, seven-on-the-stimpmeter, old fashioned Bermuda.

To be fair, Legends Golf has a series of improvements slated for this summer. Young would not comment on the specifics as of this writing, but it is a safe bet to assume they'll address some of the issues above.

As far as conditions - Oyster Bay stacks up with anything in the area. Golfers who gripe about the old Bermuda greens are missing the entire point - and belittling the experience. Sure, the surfaces are a bit hairy. But the many of the undulations are so severe that a cutting the greens any lower would result in miniature golf-like putting displays.

Dining out

Head to Calabash, the seafood capital of North Carolina. Grouper, Snapper, shrimp and scallops fried in a light, crispy batter are the regional specialties, and they are all straight off the boat. For a little evening synergy, head over the bridge to Ocean Isle Beach. The Giggling Mackerel opened in the summer of 2003 along the Ocean Isle Causeway and the beach hasn't been the same since. The three-story seafood grill features a rooftop deck with sound and ocean views. Next door, Sharky's is a local standby with above-average seafood offerings and serviceable, thin crust pizza. After hours, Victoria's Sports Bar on the land-lubbing side of the bridge is the place to be.

Stay and play

Accommodation options are limited in Brunswick County, but there are a handful of chain hotels on U.S. 17 and a smattering of condos available at Sandpiper Bay and Magnolia Greens. One option is to hole up at the Barefoot Marriott Courtyard in North Myrtle Beach so as to be in proximity to ample nightlife and guilt gift shopping. Golf packages including Oyster Bay are available by clicking here, or by calling 866-409-2177.

Fast fact

Oyster Bay is one of Dan Maples' first solo design efforts.

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.