Magnolia Greens
Golf Plantation
TravelGolf.com Staff
WILMINGTON, N.C. - Magnolia Greens Golf Plantation doesn't seem
to mind its reputation as a "tweener" course. The Tom
Jackson designed golf facility just south of Wilmington
is a popular stop for golfers on their way to and from Myrtle
Beach.
But with 27-holes, a solid selection of golf villas, and a location
just 10 minutes from downtown historic Wilmington, Magnolia Greens
easily stands on its own as one of the area's premier golfing
destinations. The true-rolling bentgrass greens are widely recognized
as some of the best in the Carolinas,
and the courses challenging design earned it U.S.
Open qualifier just a year after it opened.
"The big thing we have been able to capitalize on is our
location," says general manager Patrick Crean "There
are a lot of people flying into Wilmington or Raleigh
and they come down through us on U.S. 17 and right by our front
door."
Magnolia Greens has filled a much-needed void in the Wilmington
golf scene, one that lets golfers play a quality golf course at
an affordable rate. Wilmington is blessed with some older public
courses, some highe end private courses, but not much in between.
Magnolia Greens comes in right in the middle and offers a championship
caliber course that is open to the public, but is maintained to
resort standards.
Crean says he is equally excited to be a part of the ever-popular
Grand Strand golf market, even if his course is bringing up the
northern part of the map.
"I saw a map of the Grand
Strand the other day, and our course was up at the top,"
he says. "I brought it to our owners and said 'look, we've
finally made it into Myrtle Beach.'"
Inclusion in the Grand Strand's repertoire of fine golf courses
is a nice luxury, but Magnolia Greens has plenty to offer as a
stand-alone golf facility.
Jackson's superb routing and imaginative layouts garnered a
4-star rating from Golf Digest, and the course was voted the Third
Best New Course in North Carolina in 1998 by North Carolina Magazine.
In addition to 27 holes of championship golf, the facility boasts
a 12,000 square foot putting green, a practice bunker and chipping
area, and a driving range with numerous grass stations.
Fairways are 419 Bermuda and greens are G2 bentgrass. A meeting
and banquet room is also available overlooking the 10th tee.
"We have golf packages where you can come in and rent a
villa and play here, and we can set up a package where you can
play some of the other courses as well," Crean says. "That
is what appeals to the golfers that come here. It's a slower pace
and scaled down from some of the resorts of Myrtle Beach."
Course Information
Magnolia Greens Plantation
9049 Ocean Highway, U.S. 17
Leland, N.C. 28451
For more information, call 1-800-6777534, or visit www.magnolia-greens.com
MYRTLE
BEACH SHOWCASES:
Myrtlewood Palmetto