COURSE REVIEW

Myrtle Beach golf's Possum Trot: Pickup- truck name, '68 Mustang course

By Tim McDonald,
National Golf Editor

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (Sept. 14, 2006) - The name scares some people off, especially Yankees. "Possum Trot Golf Club" doesn't exactly conjure up images of country-club swank.

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More like images of some Southern backwoods cow pasture that doubles as a hillbilly watering hole.

But the golf course's owners have steadfastly refused to adopt some fancy, high-falutin' moniker and as a Southern man, I respect that. I love the name; it sets the course apart from all those phonies who stick an "e" on the end of "grand" like they was above their raising. You know who I'm talking about.

And the golfers who try Possum Trot end up coming back. Even the carpetbaggers.

"Actually I think this is one of the relatively undiscovered courses down here," said Bob Kirkpatrick, a New Jersey transplant now living on the Grand Strand with wife, Jane.

"I like it more than the other Glen courses," Kirkpatrick said, referring to Possum Trot's stablemates in the Glens Golf Group, Heather Glen, Glen Dornoch and Shaftesbury Glen. "It's wider and more forgiving."

Possum Trot's the kind of place where you can unload your golf clubs from the back of a pickup truck, as the group ahead of me did. But the course itself - as well as the service, the clubhouse, the excellent practice facility and other amenities - is more like a vintage 1968 Mustang.

It isn't one of those Myrtle Beach Cadillacs, but neither will you be paying Cadillac sticker prices on your green fees.

"We paid $29, including cart," Jane Kirkpatrick said. "I think that's a heckuva deal for this course."

Russell Breeden designed the tree-lined parkland course, about 40 yards short of 7,000 yards from the back and with few homes to mar the feeling you're possum-hunting in the deep woods. You've got your pines and oaks, and a lot of palm trees - the owner loves palm trees and makes room in the budget every year for 100 new ones.

There's a pretty big difference between the back tees and the whites, which play to 6,343 yards with a slope of 118. It's a course women enjoy, with few forced carries.

The conditioning is good, if not excellent, with some colorful flourishes around tee boxes and greens. Breeden made good use of the water on the course, most of it lateral, though you will be hitting over some of it to reach the green.

The verdict

This is one of the better values in Myrtle Beach, with summer and winter bargains that give you a cheap day on a good course.

I loved No. 11, nicknamed "Big Possum," a 460-yard par 4 that tees off uphill, usually into the wind, to an elevated green protected by bunkers both sides. The ninth is another long par 4 with an uphill tee shot, and you'll be hitting your approach into the prevailing ocean breezes.

The par 5s are all good holes, some inviting birdie, like No. 1 with its downhill tee shot. The two closing holes are among the course's most difficult, a long par 4 and mid-length par-5 finisher with a gaping lake to the right of the green.

Stay and play

Possum Trot has the first complete indoor/outdoor practice facility in Myrtle Beach.

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.

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.

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.