The Myrtle Beach answer guy
weighs in on the upcoming golf season

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (Jan. 27, 2004) - Blizzards are blitzing the Midwest and Northeast this week. Heck, even the Carolinas are dealing with the dreaded "wintry mix." Makes it hard to think about the proverbial spring golf fling to Myrtle Beach, what with all the inclement weather.

Yeah, right.

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Every severely off-plane swing that grazes the family heirloom lamp in the living room is made with the spring golf trip in mind. Every putt that slips off line on the 10-on-the-stimpmeter-carpet is attempted with visions of lush green Bermuda or bent grass.

Over 13 million people make their way to the Grand Strand each year. Most are doing so to golf on one of the region's 100-plus courses. That translates into a lot of would-be golfers making bad swings and putts in places they just shouldn't be swinging and putting this winter.

Thanks to the Myrtle Beach Golf Answer Guy, at least they can play through the antique dining room set with a clear head.

Every time my group gets to Myrtle Beach we pass by two or three new courses. So what's new this year?

Time was the MBGAG could fire off the names of some new courses in this space. Nowadays, a new tee box is noteworthy. The Dunes Club, the Parkland Course at Legends and Blackmoor have new greens, and Crown Park and Indian Wells look like totally new courses thanks to first rate remodeling efforts.

If your group hasn't been to Myrtle Beach in a few years, you'll find a couple new, efficient ways to get around. With the recent opening of the Veteran's Highway (S.C. 22) and the Carolinas Bays Parkway (S.C. 31), it's now possible to get from North Myrtle Beach and Little River to Conway in less than 20 minutes by avoiding congested segments of U.S. 17 and U.S. 501.

Getting around in the Central Strand is made easier by the Robert M. Grissom Parkway. The RMGP is a four-lane route from 62nd Ave. North in Myrtle Beach to Harrelson Blvd., near the Myrtle Beach International Airport.

Okay, MBGAG, so what's not new?

For starters, Marsh Harbour and Ocean Harbour remain closed. Marsh will reportedly reopen in 2005. A spokesperson for the course said owner Landane Williamson has had conversations with the Fazio Design Group about revamping the once popular layout. The MBGAG spoke with an architect from (Tom) Fazio's firm, but she would neither confirm or deny the report.

As for Ocean Harbour - it may never feel the gentle press of a soft spike again. And that tedious pace of play that has come to mark the spring golf season doesn't show any signs of getting better, either. Total rounds played in the Grand Strand dipped slightly after 9-11. But the level of play has returned to pre-2001 levels, and then some. That makes for some happy golf directors but for some long rounds come March and April. But a healthy Myrtle Beach is a happy Myrtle Beach.

My group hasn't made its reservations yet. Is it too late?

In most cases, no.

"As far as accommodations they aren't going to have a problem with that," says Kristen Young of Fore Travel, a local golf packaging company. "But big groups are going to have trouble finding the exact tee times they want."

Young recommends that groups of 12 or more book by late December for an April golf trip. Looking for a golf packager to take care of your group's last minute needs? Hey, these pages are littered with them - dial away.

This is my group's first trip to Myrtle Beach. A friend of mine who goes down every year keeps talking about double teeing and replays. What gives?

All Grand Strand courses offer replays either at their facility, nearby courses, or affiliated courses. The relationships between courses are as foggy as the pea soup rolling in off the Atlantic, and the best thing to do is ask your package provider. Replay discounts usually approach 50 percent of the "rack" rate, and $20 to $25 a golfer from package rates.

The drawback is you are not always guaranteed a spot in the rotation, and could spend the afternoon making phone calls or driving around. And for your morning tee time, know this up front - molasses could make its way down a 50-foot Live Oak before you putt out on the 18th hole.

This is, in part, due to double teeing. In order to ram rod more golfers through the system, courses will send players off the No.1 and No. 10 tees until approximately 9:30 a.m. The next available tee times are usually between 11:30 a.m. and noon. But aren't we all just killing time until the Masters, Crazy Horse and Bottom's Up open?

We are one of those groups that haven't booked yet! Could you help us with some course lineups?

In short, no. For the MBGAG to sit here and endorse one course over another would be totally subjective and unfair (not that such considerations have stopped the MBGAG before). Heck, I don't even know what your group's price points are. But I can give you guys a slight nudge in the right direction.

If money is not a consideration, a handful of top flight courses should make their way onto your list: Caledonia Golf and Fish Club, Tidewater Golf Club, the Dunes Club, Tiger's Eye, Rivers Edge, Grande Dunes, the TPC of Myrtle Beach and the four courses are Barefoot Resort.

If money is something of a consideration but your group still enjoys top shelf golf, look for a package that includes King's North, Glen Dornoch, Pawleys Plantation, the Tradition Club, Carolina National, the Heritage Club, any of the three Legends courses off 501. If your group is looking for some courses that blur the line between non-surcharge (included in a golf package without an additional fee) and surcharge, you might want to check out Crow Creek, Farmstead, the four courses at Wild Wing Plantation, Heather Glen, Shaftesbury Glen, the Witch, the Wizard, Wachesaw East.

My group is looking for some out of the way, hidden gems. Is there such a thing in the Grand Strand anymore?

The Strand is over 60 miles long, so you can still get off the beaten cart path if you don't mind the drive. St. James Plantation, just a chip shot from Wilmington, N.C., is home to three solid layouts - the Members, Founders and Players Clubs. The later, designed by local architect Tim Cate, may be one of the strongest tracks your group hasn't heard about. Across the way in Holden Beach sits Lockwood Folly - a vintage Willard Byrd layout with one of the best finishing holes in the Strand.

What sort of course conditions can my group expect?

MBGAG would have an easier time nailing every over and under line for the Super Bowl than pegging the conditions for 117 courses. The inclement weather that hit the Carolinas this week will affect course conditions for the next couple weeks, but the spring golf season is a full month and a half away.

MBGAG can say this - many courses around the Strand were in excellent condition for the fall golf season and up until this week, the winter had been mild. Look for our conditions report, to be published in early March. See you then.

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.