FEATURE STORY

With golf courses by Byrd, Maples and Jones, Sea Trail Plantation stands out among Myrtle Beach-area resorts

There are more than 100 Myrtle Beach golf courses. But on a Myrtle Beach vacation, you might want to stay put. Here is a look at Sea Trail Plantation, an excellent, multi-course resort with golf courses by William Byrd, Dan Maples and Rees Jones.

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For many, a Myrtle Beach golf trip means getting in as many courses as possible. The Grand Strand will do that to golf travelers, after all, as more than 100 golf courses will always leave duffers feeling like they've missed something.

That's where multi-course facilities come in. Myrtle Beach is home to several golf resorts that will give players a ton of options under one roof. And few do it better than Sea Trail Plantation.

Sea Trail is a wonderland for golf and more, as it boasts two clubhouses, lounges and restaurants, as well as a lighted driving range. And with tennis, swimming, sauna, an exercise room and a plethora of outdoor activities, Sea Trail Plantation is fun for the whole family.

But if it's golf you're after, it's hard to find a sweeter collection of layouts anywhere in Myrtle Beach. Here's a look at Sea Trail's first-rate golf courses, which Golf Digest named among North Carolina's "Top 100 Courses" in 2006.

Jones course

Rees Jones added his own remarkable touch to Sea Trail Plantation, and the Jones course stands out as the longest - and toughest - of the three runs here. At 6,761 yards with a 132-slope rating from the back tees, this is not your prototypical resort course by a long shot.

The Jones course's pleasant rolling terrain is marked with potential hazards. Pot bunkers, strategically placed by Jones, quickly come into play, while water is found on 11 of 18 holes, adding an extra element to toy with players' nerves. And while there are plenty of scoring opportunities, there are also several holes where some grinding will likely be required.

Byrd course

The legendary Willard Byrd showed what could be done with a beautiful slab of land at Sea Trail Plantation. The Byrd course gives players some target golf action on a course often described as a parkland layout.

A favorite of seniors and women, the Byrd course has a few forced carries over water, but its flat layout does more to show off the scenery than the flaws in a golfer's game.

"The course showcases its lakes and ponds more dramatically than many water-heavy courses, and the subtle landscaping makes it stand out," Tim McDonald wrote in a review for MyrtleBeachGolf.com. "There are some large waste areas, nicely complemented with dead trees, but other than the water, the pine trees are the stars here, lining the fairways of almost every hole."

Maples course

Dan Maples lived up to his stellar reputation when he designed the Maples course at Sea Trail Plantation. It opened to rave reviews, being named one of the outstanding new resort courses in the country by Golf Digest in 1986, and has settled into its current role as the player-friendly golf course at Seal Trail Plantation.

Sea Trail Plantation Golf Resort & Convention Center 211 Clubhouse Rd. Sunset Beach, NC 28468 Brunswick County Tee Times: (866) 409-2177 Click here for more information on Myrtle Beach golf packages.

Known for its gently rolling coastal terrain, water oaks and interesting bunkers, the Maples course is as much a treat for the eyes as it is to a player's game. Playing to just over 6,700 yards from the back tees with a 121 slope rating, the Maples course accommodates a range of skill levels. Maples has said in the past that many architects - after years of trying to dazzle duffers with difficulty - are joining the school of thought that sometimes playability is trump.

"[Designers] got so much publicity and the courses were so hard that they've all come back around to trying to build playable golf courses. I think that's probably what is happening," Maples said in an interview with MyrtleBeachGolf.com.

December 3, 2007