COURSE REVIEW

Jones course at Sea Trail: A little southern scenery and a chance to rip from the tips

By Tim McDonald,
National Golf Editor

SUNSET BEACH, N.C. (May 1, 2006) — The Rees Jones golf course at the Sea Trail Plantation is the longest of the plantation's three courses, and most say the hardest. That isn't to say you should steel your nerves and gird your loins; all three are resort courses geared to the northern tourist hordes looking for a few birdies and some Southern scenery.

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The Jones course delivers on both counts. It's 6,761 yards from the back tees, and easily played from back there. With a slope of 132 from the tips, mid-handicappers can brag about playing the back tees like the pros without being knocked around. There aren't many forces carries and not that much difference from the back, blue tees and middle white.

Water is found on 11 of the 18 holes, but only occasionally is it big water; most of it comes in the form of small ponds and lakes, though a handful of holes have serious water the length of the fairway. Perhaps a bigger obstacle are the pot and large expanse bunkers Jones placed cagily through the layout.

The course is set among the mildly rolling terrain the plantation is laid out on, just over the border from South Carolina at the quiet, northern tip of the Grand Strand. It differs from the Willard Byrd and Dan Maples courses with its length and the mounding Jones is known for: large fairways usually bordered by mounds, which either hold in mildly wayward tee shots or throw obstacles at seriously wayward drives.

Like most Jones courses, it's imaginatively laid-out, with no parallel holes as you rarely see other golfers and there's a nice mix of yardages. Most of the more difficult holes come in bunches: Nos. 6 and 7 on the front, a 400-yard par 4 with water the length of the left fairway and a 440-yarder with a tight landing area, respectively.

On the back nine, No. 15 is a tough, narrow mid-length par 5 and No. 16 is a 420-yard dogleg left.

Most people find the Jones course harder because of the large bunkers, on the fairways but mainly around the greens.

"With the Byrd course, they used the natural lay of the land. On the Jones, they moved more dirt," said Director of Golf Eddie Pratt. "There's more depth in the bunkers on Jones, that's the main difference in playability. There's more room off the tee on Jones, but you have to be more careful around the greens."

The Jones course opened in 1990 and has four sets of tees. Like most Grand Strand courses in the fall, it was a bit soggy from overseeding in early November.

There are back-to-back par 5s on the front nine, both of which are birdie opportunities with good drives. No. 10 is a fun risk-reward hole, a 345-yard par 4 that wraps around a lake to the right. Big hitters will go for it, particularly from the whites, while the less daring will bite off a good chunk and the meek — or smart — will take the safer route left.

There is a pretty par 3, the fifth, that plays down to a big green across water with a fountain, framed by palm trees.

Stay and play

Sea Trail has one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom accommodations, as well as mini-suites and luxury suites from $72 to $386 a night.

It's on the southernmost coast of North Carolina, and most of the golf villas are on the fairways of the courses, within walking distance of the Byrd/Jones clubhouse and the Magnolia Restaurant. The villas have full kitchens and the plantation has tennis, swimming and fitness centers. It's a terrific place to play the plantation's three courses, as well as the other courses located here at the northernmost Grand Stand.

River Oaks Golf Plantation, just to the west of the Intracoastal Waterway, is also a good, centrally located place for golfers to stay and play Myrtle Beach. It's easy to go north or south via Highway 17, and it's close to Broadway at the Beach and the Atlantic Ocean.

They have one-, two- and three-bedroom villas, many of them overlooking the fairways of the 27-hole golf course on the property. It's also within walking distance of both Fantasy Harbour and the Waccamaw Pottery shopping complex. There are also indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis and walking trails.

Dining out

Myrtle Beach has more than 1,600 restaurants and they aren't all fried fast food. In fact, the area has some nice eateries: Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, Frank's Restaurant and Bar on Pawleys Island, Bella Napoli, Islamorada Fish Company, just to name a few. The buffet at Sea Trail Plantation is said to be excellent.

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.