GOLF COURSE REVIEW

World Tour Golf Links gives you a taste of famous courses

By Patrick Jones,
Senior Writer

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (Aug. 27, 2003) -- As you play each hole at World Tour Golf Links, a novel design featuring credible facsimiles of 27 famous holes from around the world, somewhere far overhead an orbiting global positioning satellite beams down pertinent yardage information and a little bit of Herbert Warren Wind.

Tee off on No. 5 on the Open Course, a replica of the 15th hole at the English Turn Golf and Country Club in New Orleans, and the digital display in your cart projects factual tidbits on the 542-yard, par-5 replica that are worthy of the famous golf writer and historian. For the less high tech golfer, bronzed plaques with historical factoids are also found at each tee box.

Knowing that John Daly put four tee shots into the water on his way to a 12 during the 1994 Freeport-McMoran Classic on this hole's inspiration is truly interesting -- if not exactly the mental imagery that sports shrink Bob Rotella would want foremost on your cerebellum while waggling over your ball. Having that background information on the original hole (and Daly) is certainly gratifying, though, if you stay dry, roll in a putt and wind up with a mere third of Long John's carded dozen.

No.1 on the World Tour Golf Link's Championship Course is a reproduction of the 18th hole at Winged Foot in Mamoroneck, N.Y. You don't need Ben Wright riding shotgun to learn that this was the closing hole when Bobby Jones won the U.S. Open in 1929.

And that the USGA must have been on top of its punishing course-setup game that year considering Jones won the championship at 14-over-par.

Gaining edification while playing convincing duplications of holes from classic courses such as Cypress Point, St. Andrews, Augusta National, Royal Melbourne and Valderrama is just one of the charms and services that differentiate World Tour Golf Links from the approximately 120 other courses golfers have to choose from in the Grand Strand area.

But there are more appeals to the course than its novelty.

"The marketing angle of the inspired-by holes gets people in the door initially to try the course," said Dennis Nicholl, recently named the club's director of golf. "But for the most part the comments we get back are, honestly, not about the holes or how close they were to the inspired-by originals. It's more about the service and amenities we offer. That is what brings them back. That's what they were most impressed with that maybe they didn't even think about going into it. They didn't realize they were going to get the total golf experience.

"Myrtle Beach is very competitive, obviously, with 100-plus golf courses," added Nicholl. "What has helped set World Tour Golf Links aside is the consistency of the quality conditions and service we offer day in and day out, 365 days a year. Our ownership strives for consistency regardless of the time of year."

The facility, the brainchild of Charlotte-based owner Mel Graham, is located just 10 minutes from downtown Myrtle Beach off course-laden Hwy. 501. It is an innovative layout that every Grand Strand golf traveler should add to their itinerary.

World Tour Golf Links has climbed to the top of many local and national lists since its opening in October 1999.

It was chosen as "Best Overall Golf Course" by 3,500 participants in a Myrtle Beach Golf Magazine poll released in January. Additional top honors for the course from the magazine voters came in the categories of "Best Greens," "Course Consistently in Best Condition" and "Friendliest Golf Course Staff."

Golf World Business named World Tour Golf Links "A Top 100 Golf Shop in America."

The award most closely taken to heart by the club's staff was being awarded the "2003 Golf Course of the Year" in July by the Myrtle Beach Golf Course Owners Association.

"The award is voted on by the other owners in the area, Mel Graham's peers, and there are other things involved in the award than just the golf course itself," said Nicholl. "It also has to do with giving back to the community, of which Mel Graham is adamant about. It also has to do with quality management and service, among other things. That award was pretty important to us."

With greens fees ranging from $75 to $175 depending on the season and tee time, World Tour Golf Links is not for those committed to frugality. But it is well worth the price if you want the thrill of playing, among others, Nos. 11, 12 and 13 at Augusta National (be it the mock-up version of Amen Corner) and seeing how you fare.

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Nicholl makes it clear that Graham's vision was to replicate the atmosphere of the famous holes rather than to create exact carbon copies, a near impossibility on the area's flat and sandy terrain.

Not that there wasn't precision involved in the research of the holes prior to their construction. Graham and other World Tour Golf Links representatives dispersed around the globe to make thorough notes and bring back their findings. Changes in elevation, green sizes and contours, hole length, and bunker sizes and placements were all replicated in detail.

"There were a lot of construction companies and contractors that came in with specific blueprints of the actual holes," said Nicholl, who previously served as head professional at the Pete Dye course at Barefoot Resort in North Myrtle Beach. "The holes are inspired by the originals. They are not exact replicas. There are some differences here and there. But the bottom line is that we tried to do the best we could to get them as close as we could to the originals."

The favorite nines requested by most golfers are the Open and Championship nines.

The Open nine features two island greens, No. 17 at the TPC of Sawgrass and No. 15 at English Turn. Other highlights include the 16th at Pinehurst No. 2 and No. 18 at St. Andrews.

The primary appeal of the Championship nine is the chance to take on Amen Corner for those who don't have running invitations from Hootie Johnson or his Augusta National compatriots.

The International has holes modeled after Valderrama (No. 4), Doral (No. 18) and Royal Melbourne (No. 9).

Part of the strong customer orientation at World Tour Golf Links is its Ambassador Service. Granted, it's a fancy name for marshals and other course staff. But the facility makes enough noticeable extra efforts to make sure you have a good experience that it's tough not to concede to their preferred lingo while on the property.

The clubhouse at World Tour Golf Links is impressive. The massive 25,000-square-foot antebellum structure makes Scarlet O'Hara's Tara home in "Gone With the Wind" look like a caddyshack.

And they thought you just went to play golf.

Fast fact

World Tour is the Grand Strand's most unusual and unique golf complex with 27 holes that read like a golfer's fantasy list. A readers poll conducted by a local golf magazine voted World Tour Golf Links the "Best Overall Golf Course" in its Best in Golf contest.

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.