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Bookends Frame Solid Golf At Willbrook

 

Not so at Willbrook Plantation, one of more than half a dozen Dan Maples-designed courses in the Myrtle Beach area.  At 428 yards from the back tee, its opening hole is the longest par 4 on the course and the number-two handicap hole.  A dogleg-right that darts between majestic live oaks, it is a great barometer and potential confidence booster if one can manage to escape with a par.  But even if not, players can take solace in the fact that a bear of a hole is out of the way.

The 16 holes in between the aforementioned are pretty good, too.  The fifth hole, a 383-yard par 4, is particularly attractive.  The fairway runs out into water at around 100 yards from the center of the green, giving players the option to be bold in order to leave a shorter approach to an elevated, quasi-tabletop green.  Cross breezes tend to complicate matters on both shots, giving the hole more teeth than it appears to have.

The tension between risk and reward returns again at the 11th, the shortest par 4 on the course.  At 336 yards from the tips, a following breeze can give free swingers a chance to drive the ball close to the green.  But is it wise?  The answer: it depends on the given player’s strength.  Two players of similar handicap but different outlook can make birdie on the hole in their own way—one by bashing away and the other by laying up short and right of the left-hand fairway bunkers.  In this way, Willbrook’s refusal to pigeonhole a given player allows it to be enjoyable by all.

Long Bay Golf Club, Handsome, Yet Deadly

Designed by none other than Jack Nicklaus himself, Long Bay Club, opened in 1998, continues to be touted as one of the most challenging and difficult courses along The Grand Strand.  Long Bay has earned a rating of 4.5 stars by Golf Digest’s “Places to Play 2006”as well as claiming 3 of the strands greatest holes (10, 13, and 18) in The Sun News book “100 Greatest Holes along the Grand Strand”.


Surrounded by water the par 3 13th islands green is one of the strands most famous holes.  At 156 yards and reminiscent of TPC Sawgrass, this is sure to prove a fast favorite. The par 3 17th hole, with a patch of Bermuda surrounded by 8 bunkers, will leave a lasting impression as well.  You will have an instant appreciation for the “handsome yet deadly” description offered up by many when referring to Long Bays par 3s.


Many say that the par 4 10th is Long Bays signature hole.  At only 352 yards, this hole will cause even the most avid golfer to sweat.  With an immense horseshoe shaped bunker staring you down as if begging for you to feed it, you quickly realize that a drive into this bunker will eliminate any hope of a par.  Beyond the mouth of the intimidating sand monster is the elevated green with steep sides all the way around.  Keep it in the middle of the fairway and you should be in good shape.  Regardless of the outcome, birdie, par, or even a double bogie, the 10th is an amazing hole.


Long Bays par 5s offer power drivers and opportunity to reach the green in two but, will still require focus and precision play.  Whether surrounded by deep bunkers or a landing area likened to a roller coaster, the par 5s may allow you to pick up a few strokes or at least give you a little breathing room. 


While you will encounter plenty of hazards while navigating your way down the mound lined fairways, over a creek, or trying to avoid one of the bunker “beach” areas, a birdie putt will be in reach for some while others may be drawing snowmen on their card.  Either way, Long Bay’s par 5’s help complete one of the most exhilarating rounds of golf offered up along the Grand Strand.


So, no matter your handicap or skill level, you are sure to enjoy a golf experience that only the Golden Bear himself could offer up.  As you stand at the tee box on 18, take a moment and pay homage to one of the all-time golf greats. Then continue on to the clubhouse for a cold beverage and leave knowing that you have just conquered some of the greatest holes offered up in the Myrtle Beach area.


For more information about the Long Bay Club, please visit, www.longbayclub.com.

Stiff Competition Among Grand Strand’s Best Two-Shotters

Hole 4, Barefoot Resort (Love Course): 294/280/265/252/247—Not enough Grand Strand courses have a true drivable par 4, which is a pity because they are a lot of fun to play.  Who doesn’t love standing on a tee and slashing at a drive with the possibility of putting for an eagle?  To add to the temptation, this hole backs up to Barefoot’s recreated brick ruins, meaning that a tee shot that comes in hot could ricochet back onto the putting surface.

Hole 14, Wild Wing Plantation (Avocet): 308/283/265/221—The second of the drivable par 4s on this list is one where a player can make a birdie in about half a dozen different ways.  Options are the essence of many of the world’s great golf holes and with a double fairway, a fascinatingly contoured green and ten bunkers complicating the proposition, the 14th at the Avocet course deserves considerable praise.

Hole 12, TPC Myrtle Beach: 333/317/277/253/233—A short par 4 need not be drivable in order to be interesting.  Sure, the likes of Masters champion Bubba Watson or Myrtle Beach native Dustin Johnson could reach this green from the tee, but mere mortals have the option of hitting their tee shots out to the right and playing a deft pitch shot to the thoughtfully sculpted green or laying up and leaving a full wedge or short iron approach.  Either way, it is a lovely finesse hole amid many sterner challenges at TPC Myrtle Beach.

Hole 18, Caledonia Golf & Fish Club: 383/377/362/301—Perhaps the Grand Strand’s most spectacular finishing hole, the 18th at Caledonia borders the expansive wetlands and tributaries of the Waccamaw River.  Both tee shot and approach must contend with water.  One can choose to lay up and leave a mid- or long-iron into a narrow, sloping green or hit more club down the left and leave a short-iron and a better angle.  Either way, count on numerous visitors looking on from the rocking chairs on the clubhouse’s wraparound porch, set just beyond above the putting surface.

Hole 4, Tidewater Plantation: 430/416/400/365/255—The 4th at Tidewater is the second hole that borders the Little River Inlet.  A long, thin waste bunker separates the fairway on this dogleg-left from the aforementioned considerable hazard.  A drive that challenges the left side will be rewarded with some extra roll and a shorter approach to a green that is elevated, undulating and guarded by seven bunkers.

Hole 18, True Blue Plantation: 437/419/406/347/309—The 16th and 17th holes deal with water on the right side and True Blue finishes with a hole where H2O guards the left.  A drive in the fairway leaves a mid- or long-iron into a putting surface that measures over 50 yards from front to back and is sloped such that a ball hit up the right edge will filter toward the middle.

Hole 18, Ocean Ridge Plantation: (Leopard’s Chase): 439/417/369/332/298—Everyone loves a nice waterfall now and again, and Leopard’s Chase’s finishing hole delivers.  A long par four plays even longer into the prevailing winds, making hitting a solid drive a must for players who want to escape with par.

 

 

Hole 16, Pawleys Plantation: 444/423/405/360/322—This hole kicks off one of the toughest three-hole stretches in the South.  It is a classic “switchback” hole—something course designer Jack Nicklaus learned from his early work with Pete Dye—where a right-to-left tee shot is ideally followed by a left-to right approach, generally hit with at least a long iron.

Hole 16, Legends Resort (Heathland): 447/428/391/308—From the tee box on this stout two-shotter, the golfer is confronted with an important choice: carry the diagonally-running burn on the right side and enjoy an unencumbered view of the green or lay up to the left-side fairway and carry the burn, as well as an imposing fronting greenside bunker, on the second shot?  If the latter, players will rarely make par but will probably never do worse than 6, but if the former, scores from 3 to 8 can occur.

Hole 18, Myrtle Beach National (King’s North): 464/395/367/355/305—One of the most photographed holes on the Grand Strand, the finisher at King’s North is visually stunning and intimidating, with some 40 bunkers lining both sides of the fairway and surrounding the green.  Nonetheless, the fairway is actually fairly generous as one can focus on it.  The green slopes gently from rear-left to front-right.  If one can concentrate hard enough to hit the fairway off the tee, a birdie becomes a distinct possibility.

These ten par 4s give a great introduction to some of the best golf courses Myrtle Beach and the surrounding areas have to offer.  Come play here and let us know which holes we’ve missed!

Arcadian Shores: Where It All Began For The U.S. Open Doctor

Jones’ talents have been highly sought-after for years, and as the son of Robert Trent Jones Sr., the father of modern golf course architecture, he is as qualified as anyone to design a course that will enrich the experiences of not only Tour players but the average golfer as well.

Myrtle Beach is proud to claim the course with which the younger Jones began his solo golf course design career in 1974.  That course is Arcadian Shores, set on the grounds of the Myrtle Beach Hilton Resort, where Routes 17 and 22 diverge.  With clean lines and distinctive bunkering, Arcadian Shores both showcases Jones’ background and lays the groundwork for a career that, after nearly 40 years, is legendary.

Arcadian Shores is an exercise in efficient routing.  It occupies a fairly narrow, L-shaped piece of land, meaning that Jones had to route the front nine in two angled loops and the back nine in a third.  Where such a piece of land might make for a shoehorned feeling and a paucity of holes with good lateral movement, Jones was able to make it work and create a golf course that challenges the player off the tee without ever feeling cramped.

Jones created the feeling of doglegged holes by carefully placing fairway bunkers on one side of a fairway, often giving the player three options off the tee: hit a fairway wood or long iron and stay short, shape a shot around the hazard or swing away with a driver and bash it over the bunker.  This demand for strategic thinking is evident on the tee shot on the opening hole, a reachable par five that bends to the left around two fairway bunkers.  The golfer who knows his or her limitations and strengths will be rewarded with a chance for an opening birdie.

The second hole brings any notion of an “easy start” to a halt, with a lengthy par three to a green angled from front left to back right, guarded by water to the right and a nasty bunker on the left.  The hole has been ranked among the toughest on the Grand Strand for years and deserves the respect golfers give it.  Par is a steal on this hole and a number of others.

One of the joys of playing Arcadian Shores is the variety of shots it demands from players.  The player who confidently works the ball in one direction—be it left or right—can succeed, but the golfer who can move the ball in different directions will excel.  It is a course that the truly thoughtful golfer will enjoy getting to know over countless rounds.

April was Great! Bring on May!

Exciting Stuff Happening at MyrtleBeachGolf.com


It’s almost May here in Myrtle Beach- Tomorrow I can't beleive it! I can’t believe it, Spring Golf season has almost come and gone! Now the excitement turns to fall golf, and planning your getaway from the cold weather up north! Just think when the snow is fall up north, the weather down here in Myrtle Beach is just about perfect!

This spring the staff  here at Myrtlebeachgolf.com has gone back and forth about our Fall promotion, and finally this week it has all come together!  We always try to think of what the guest (yourself) would enjoy the most!  Everyone likes gifts, and especially FREE Gifts!  So let’s imagine you get to come to Myrtle Beach on a Golf Vacation, and you get free stuff! You can’t beat that!  This year we are proud to announce that the Ultimate Golf Insider Program which we have run for the past year has gotten even better! The sad news, it’s coming to an end so you have to book early to get all the exciting goodies! 

If you book by Father’s Day which is June 17, 2012 and you play at least 4 qualifying rounds and stay at one of our 18 properties you will receive for FREE- YES FREE! $50 in Gift cards for lunch / dinner, and pro shop credit along with a FREE Pine Lakes Country Club also known as the “Granddaddy” here in Myrtle Beach jacket! Gifts totally $125! WOW! I know what you all are thinking- I’m going to stop reading this blog and head to FREE GIFTS to BOOK NOW! smile But seriously, we’re always trying to thinking of the best gift ideas for you and your groups coming down in the near future!

 


On another note we have some more BIG news! We have booked our 3 millionth round! The lucky 3 millionth round booker is Garret Barber! Mr. Barber has been coming to Myrtle Beach and staying at the Caribbean Resort and Villas for over 20 years! He brings about 40 guys in April and 20 guys in October from Ottawa. “I feel very privileged to be the 3 millionth round booked, and excited to come back to Myrtle Beach in the fall and continuing booking golf with myrtlebeachgolf.com,” Mr. Barber said.  His favorite courses he makes sure to play each year are King’s North at MBN, Wild Wing, and Blackmoor!

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(Mr. Barber after finding out he's won a trip back to Myrtle Beach for being the 3 Millionth round booked)

 

PGA Tour Recap!

We are really lucky to live in the Carolinas, Especially this year!  We have three big PGA tour events right within a 3 hour vicinity of Myrtle Beach, SC!  Two weeks ago the Heritage was hosted down on Hilton Head Island! Some of my co-workers got the chance to experience Harbor Town at it's finest Here are a few snapshots from the weekend! It was a great tournament and congrats to Carl Pettersson on his victory- Harbor Town is NO JOKE, and he went low!

(Great shot of the Lighthouse)

 

This coming week the tour is heading about 3 hours north to Charlotte, NC for the Wells Fargo Championship! Quail Hollow is a neat little course, last year SC Native and Clemson graduate Lucas Glover took home the trophy! This year who knows what the future entiles, but it's defintly hosting a great field including Mr. Woods!  We'll check in next week and see how the table unfold!

(The beautiful Quail Hollow clubhouse in the background)

Then last but not least, the second week of August Kiawah Island Resort Ocean Course is hosting the PGA Championship! Yet again just about a 3 hour drive from Myrtle Beach another great tournament is taking place and you can partake in the festivities that surrounds one of the PGA Majors!  Last year Keegan Bradley took home his first major at the PGA Championship, and defintly will return to Kiawah with full intents of regaining his title of PGA Championship Champion! I will be there in August, so look forward to exciting footage from the PGA tours Final major!

 

See you all next week! xo Susan

 

Snug Crown, Comfortable Throne: King’s North at Myrtle Beach National

BLACK:  7,017 yards / par 72 / 72.6 / 136
GOLD:  6,481 yards / par 72 / 71.3 / 131
WHITE: 6,024 yards / par 72 / 69.3 / 125
BLUE:  5,662 yards / par 72 / 67.5 / 118
RED:  4,816 yards / par 72 / 67.4 / 113 (W)

King’s North is the highest-profile of the three golf courses at Myrtle Beach National.  The 54-hole complex dates to 1971, but the King’s North course, in its present iteration, was crafted in 1996 by the King (in golf terms) himself: Arnold Palmer.

King’s North strikes a genius balance in many ways.  Perhaps the most important of these is that the golf course is clearly designed to be enjoyed by players of all abilities.  Lower-handicap players can risk putting themselves in danger while higher-handicap golfers are almost always given a side on which to miss in order to keep the dreaded “other” to a minimum.

Take the par four 13th hole for example.  It is a 407-yard dogleg-left from the back Black tee, up the left side is a long waste bunker and a smattering of tall pines.  Challenge these obstacles successfully and the hole becomes shorter.  But there is another option: there is a generous berth of fairway out to the right, meant for conservative play.  Not all holes—not all courses—offer sufficient bailout while tempting the bold.  King’s North does this beautifully, repeatedly.

King’s North is also home to three of the Grand Strand’s most recognizable single holes.  The first is the 6th hole, known as “The Gambler.”  Conventionally, it is a par five that doglegs around a lake.  The wrinkle, though, is that there is an island fairway that, if successfully hit from the tee, shortens the hole so considerably that reaching the green in two will be a matter of a middle or long iron.

The whimsical 12th hole has existed in some form since the original North course was built at Myrtle Beach National in 1973, but it received considerable polish in 1996.  It is a short par three—only 140 yards from the Black tee and a mere 110 from the middling White tee set.  It is an island green par 3 with a sizable, three-section green that is guarded on the left by two bunkers in a vertical arrangement of “SC.”  Those hazards are not mere decoration, though—they are narrow and require nerve and touch when making an escape.

The closing hole at King’s North is the most striking at the whole Myrtle Beach National complex.  Aptly called “Bullseye,” it is a straightaway two-shotter, 465 yards from the Black tee and 367 yards from the White.  Simple enough right? Right, save for the 38 bunkers that dot the perimeter of the hole and a corner of a pond that guards the front-right portion of the green.  Nevertheless, there is enough fairway for all players to navigate the hole successfully, regardless of handicap level.  Where some golf courses tend in the direction of all-out punishment, King’s North gives customers a sporting chance, with the reward being a steady daily stream of players flocking back to it year after year.

Monday After the Masters- MAM 2012

Monday after the Masters


Every year for the past 17 years Hootie and the Blowfish have hosted the Monday after the Masters Celebrity Pro Am golf tournament.  Over the past 16 years, the Monday after the Masters has donated more than $4.5 million to the Hootie & The Blowfish Foundation, which supports the educational needs of South Carolina and the South Carolina Junior Golf Foundation.


This year Meredith Kirk and I got to be right in the action with our media badges getting interviews from some of the greatest players in attendance.

(Meredith and I at the Driving Range)

We started the morning off on the driving range interviewing my roommate, Zack Byrd current Nationwide Tour Golfer. The interview was quite comical to say the least because lets face it it’s hard to interview one of your best friends and ask him questions you already know!

(Zack Byrd and Blair O'Neal)


Next we moved down the driving range and got an interview with Javier Colon season 1 winner of “The Voice.”  Let me just say if you haven’t seen or heard of him you’re missing out! An amazing voice, great golfer, and such a nice guy! We even got him to sing a little acapella version of the Time after Time which one him the competition.


We then moved to the putting green where we got an interview with Annika Sorenstam- hall of fame LPGA golfer.  Growing up playing golf, she was always in the spot light and the best throughout the late 90s and early 2000s. She was such a pleasure to talk to, and after mentioning her children she really opened up.

(Annika and Meredith on the practice putting green)


Next we moved to the 1st tee where we we’re able to snag interviews with Darius Rucker- Lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish and host of MAM, next we met Jim Furyk PGA tour golfer- he was great and just came off a great finish at Augusta finishing top 15! He was really tired and rightfully so. A long week at the Masters followed by a LONG/FUN weekend in Myrtle Beach! 

(I cant express how much I love Darius Rucker!- WOW)

The interviews we’re very quick and to the point but it will be neat coverage to share with you all once the film has been edited!
I hope you all are having an awesome April, the weather is great here in Myrtle Beach so come on down and visit!

(Matt Killen- 2012 Sweepstakes Winner)


We have an exciting new golf package we are going to be launching this week, and I can’t wait to share it with you all! So check back next week!

Xo Susan!

Ten Of The Best Par 5 Golf Holes On The Grand Strand

Like the courses on which they reside, the Grand Strand’s par fives are distinct and, for the most part, very good.  It is presumptive to try to put forth a declarative list of the best three-shotters, so here, in no particular order, are ten of the many very, very good ones in the Myrtle Beach area.
 


Hole No. 13, The Dunes Club: 590 yards/545/520/500/465—It’s certainly the most famous par five on the Grand Strand, but is it the best?  Who knows, but either way it is a dangerous odyssey and the longest hole on this list.  Nicknamed “Waterloo,” it curls around Lake Singleton in the shape of a “C” to a green guarded by three bunkers.
 


Hole No. 8, Caledonia Golf & Fish Club: 528/512/477/429—The second of Caledonia’s three par fives, this hole is a consummate risk-reward proposition: hit a good tee shot and the opportunity to try for the green arises.  But such a shot requires a considerable carry over a stream that fronts the putting surface, separated into distinct front (low) and rear (high) tiers.
 


Hole No. 14, Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club: 525/495/471/446/409—The final par five on one of the Grand Strand’s two Jack Nicklaus Signature courses is a beauty, curling to the right around an expanse of marsh.  Most of the time, general wisdom dictates that if you are going to lay up, it is best to take an iron and play to a spot in the fairway to leave a full shot.  But because the narrow 14th green at Pawleys Plantation is angled sharply from front-left to back-right, the best layup is the longest shot the player is comfortable hitting, ideally leaving a pitch up the length of the green.



Hole No. 6, Myrtle Beach National (King’s North): 568/525/497/484/430—A Grand Strand par five so well-known that it has a nickname—“The Gambler”—the sixth at King’s North.  It doglegs to the left around a lake, but for those who want to risk a high number at the expense of a chance for an eagle, there is an island fairway in the lake that shortens the hole by some 70 yards.  For those who take the conventional route, three large fairway bunkers guard the right side off the tee.
 


Hole No. 18, River Club: 518/493/369—Another par five for players who like to gamble a bit.  This one is shorter, with a peninsula of fairway sticking out tantalizingly, letting the bold challenge a pond with their tee shots in pursuit of an iron approach.



Hole No. 18, TPC Myrtle Beach: 538/515/496/473/443—The Tom Fazio gem located in Murrells Inlet finishes with a flourish with a dangerous par three and this reachable par five whose fairway is bisected by a creek and whose green is guarded by a pond on the left. Merely laying up does not ensure safety, though, as fairway and greenside bunkers are scattered on the right side.
 


Hole No. 7, Legends Resort (Heathland): 479/459/429/295—The Heathland course is Tom Doak’s only Myrtle Beach design.  Doak, a minimalist who draws inspiration from the classic links of Great Britain and Ireland, crafted an homage to St. Andrews’ famous Road Hole, though this is a par 5 version.  A steep dropoff to the right of the green simulates the road while a nasty pot bunker eats into the left side of the putting surface and swallows up reckless shots and the golfers who hit them.



Hole No. 9, Thistle Golf Club (Mackay Nine): 558/530/500/426/400—Tim Cate has designed a number of courses in the northern parts of the Grand Strand and the 27-hole complex at Thistle just over the North Carolina border is a gem.  The closing hole on the Mackay (formerly the West) side is brawny, with water all down the left and a green guarded by a large beach bunker.  The stone clubhouse stands majestically in the background.



Hole No. 13, Tidewater Plantation: 543/529/475/460/377—Tidewater occupies a gorgeous piece of marsh-front property in Little River and sports a number of picturesque holes.  One of these is the 13th, a straightaway three-shotter whose entire right side is bordered by wetlands.  Players bold enough to go for the green in two will have to avoid six greenside bunkers.
 


Hole No. 8, Barefoot Resort (Dye Club): 543/486/445/400—Pete Dye, the living dean of golf course architecture, is responsible for many thrilling, strategic par fives.  His course at Barefoot Resort has four excellent ones, with the eighth hole being the best of the bunch.  It is reachable by the longest hitters but for us mortals, a copse of centerline bunkers complicates the layup.  Hitting left of them opens up the view of the green but brings a pond into play.  Laying up behind or to the right of them results in a blind or semi-blind approach.  What to do?
 
T

hese ten three-shotters are by no means meant to be a be-all, end-all list of the best par fives Myrtle Beach and the surrounding areas have to offer.  If you have a glaring omission to this list that you’d like to tell us about, let us know!  Otherwise, come down to Myrtle Beach and get on the birdie train.

Maters Week 2012

Masters Week is FINALLY Here! AHH….


Hey Everyone, I’m beyond excited for this week! When you’re a golfer, or golf fan you can’t deny the excitement that surrounds this week!  Ever since my first trip to Augusta when I was 6, I have been in love with everything about it! The game’s greatest all join for the first major of the year at one of the Most Beautiful courses in the World!


This year I had the pleasure to attend Wednesdays practice round with a first timer.  Going with someone for the first time is almost as cool as it gets! That first walk past the clubhouse to number on tee is breathtaking! I’ve been 5 times, this being my 6th and the older I get the more I enjoy and appreciate what Augusta National has to offer!
Tuesday night 4/3/12 storms ripped through Augusta leaving the course covered in debree.  The gates we’re supposed to open at 8am but didn’t end up opening until 8:30 due to tree limbs and pine straw everywhere.  The saddest part was the wind and rain ruined all of the Azaleas which are a staple in the Masters scenery.  But what can you do about Mother Nature? NOTHING!  They are expecting more rain today and tomorrow- so hopefully as many groups get in as possible! 

 

Some key groups in the first round are: 8:45- Adam Scott, Bo Van Pelt, and Martin Kaymer. 12:47- Mike Wier, Brandt Snedeker, and Webb Simpson. 12:58- Vijay Singh, Lee Westwood, and Jim Furyk.


I’m going to make this week short and sweet and share my array of pictures I took yesterday afternoon!

( The line to get in! )

( Main Scoreboard )

( Rickie Fowler and Bubba Watson ) 'my key group'

( Tiger WOODS! )

( Skip the Ball) great spot to spend an hour!

( Front of the Clubhouse )

( See you next year Augusta National )

 

Happy Masters Week to you all, who do you all think will bring home the prestigious green jacket this week? I have my money on Lee Westwood, Tiger Woods, or Webb Simpson! We’ll see? Can’t wait to watch it all unfold.

See you Monday to recap the weekends events! - Susan

Waccamaw Golf Trail: The South Strand’s ‘Birdie Dozen’ (Part Two of Two)

River Club is situated in close proximity to Willbrook, Tradition Club and Litchfield Country Club, and many golfers build their vacations around the four courses.  For its part, River Club, a Tom Jackson design, offers an interesting look to players.  Whereas many area courses feature extensive mounding and sharp slopes, River Club’s broad, gentle shaping shows that subtlety can be as intriguing as boldness.  Its closing hole is a reachable to a wide, shallow green that players can reach in two if they challenge a pond off the tee.

A tribute to the natural beauty of the region, Caledonia Golf and Fish Club is an intimate, gorgeous 18-hole journey crafted by Mike Strantz and world-renowned in golf circles.  Its generous fairways and huge, undulating greens are bordered by majestic, gnarled live oaks as well as deep bunkers and well-incorporated ponds and streams.  Because houses can only be seen in a few places along the periphery of the property, Caledonia gives golfers the feeling of seclusion and heightens the focus on a great golf course and enjoyable time.

True Blue Plantation, set across Kings River Road from fellow top-100 public course Caledonia, is the Grand Strand’s other Mike Strantz masterpiece.  Where as Caledonia trades on intimacy among Spanish moss-draped oaks, True Blue plays through mostly pine forest on sandy soil, its wide fairways and spacious greens challenging players’ powers of distance control and putting.  Sandy waste areas border every hole, providing stunning visual contrast.  The par three 14th features an hourglass-shaped green and horseshoe-shaped tee area, allowing the hole to play completely differently one day to the next.

At Heritage Club, players will encounter some of the largest and most boldly contoured greens on all of the Grand Strand.  Some of the area’s stateliest live oak trees can be found here, as well as some of the boldest and most inventive bunkering in the South.  At the heart of everything is a traditional manor clubhouse that backs up to the wetlands outlying the Waccamaw River.  All thee elements make it easy to see why Heritage Club has been ranked so highly among “Courses You Can Play” by major golf publications.

Pawleys Plantation, one of two Jack Nicklaus Signature designs on the Grand Strand, opened in 1988 and has challenged and beguiled golfers ever since.  It features one of the most iconic holes on the South Carolna coast, the 145-yard, par three 13th hole, whose green is almost completely surrounded by tidal marsh that separates the mainland from Pawleys Island and the Atlantic beyond.  With extensive resort amenities, including the Phil Ritson-Mel Sole Golf School, Pawleys Plantation is a great place to spend a morning, afternoon, weekend or entire trip.

Finally, Wedgefield Plantation anchors the Waccamaw Golf Trail from its serene post outside of Georgetown, South Carolina.  Opened in 1972, Wedgefield is one of the “old guard” courses on the Grand Strand, but it is by no means tired.  With moss-draped live oaks and finishing holes that back up to a tributary of the Pee Dee River and the stately Revolution-era manor house serves as the clubhouse, Wedgefield drips with ambiance.  The golf is pretty good, too: the Porter Gibson/Bob Toski design is heralded as a hidden gem by many golfers.

From Murrells Inlet down to Georgetown, SC, the Waccamaw Golf Trail is very much the backbone of the South Strand golf scene.  Its twelve excellent courses give visiting and local golfers alike a variety of combinations of courses to play on a trip of any length, and exactly zero ways to go wrong in doing so.

Waccamaw Golf Trail: The South Strand’s ‘Birdie Dozen’ Part One of Two

Being that the Grand Strand is such a large expanse of coastal land, it is good, when thinking about it, to imagine it as multiple segments.  Most agree on a three-way separation: the North, Central and South Strands.  Vacationers to the area tend to spend the majority of their time in the portion of the Strand where they are staying, a testament to the distribution of great vacation amenities throughout the greater Myrtle Beach area.

As with hotels, restaurants and attractions, Myrtle Beach’s golf offerings are spread quite evenly through all three sub-regions of the Grand Strand.  The South Strand features an exquisite cadre of golf courses; one could spend two weeks and not play all of its enjoyable courses.  Twelve of the very best of these courses comprise the Waccamaw Golf Trail, from the charming, historic town of Georgetown in the south to Murrells Inlet—the seafood capital of the state of South Carolina—in the north.  Let’s take a look at the courses:

Blackmoor Golf Club, located in Murrells Inlet, is the northernmost Waccamaw Golf Trail course.  A Gary Player design, it has a loyal following of golfers who hold its 18 unique and interesting holes in high regard.  The best of these holes is the 8th, which can either be played as a sharp dogleg-right or, for long hitters, a narrow, straight, risk-reward 300-yard par four.

Just to the south of Blackmoor is TPC at Myrtle Beach, a Tom Fazio-designed gem that is consistently rated as one of the top courses on the Grand Strand.  It held the Senior Tour Championship in 2000 and hosts PGA Tour players such as Dustin Johnson (who holds the course record, a nine-under par 63) when they come to town, as well as thousands of visiting amateur golfers who want to play where the pros play.

TPC at Myrtle Beach is not the only Waccamaw Golf Trail course that has held high-level professional tournaments.  Wachesaw Plantation East, a Clyde Johnston design, hosted an LPGA event for four years.  It features one of the Trail’s best par fives: the 500-yard risk-reward 17th, with a green fronted by a meandering creek.

Willbrook Plantation is the Trail’s next course going south, located in Litchfield Beach.  It is a Dan Maples design that meanders through dense forest and out onto wetlands that branch off the Waccamaw River, the scenic and ancient body of water for which the Trail is named.  The green at Willbrook’s home hole, a 535-yard par five, backs up to a tributary of the river and inspired many players to head straight to the first tee for another round.

Voted among the “Best New Public Courses” by Golf Digest when it opened in 1996, Tradition Club has been a popular South Strand course ever since.  Designed by Ron Garl, Tradition Club offers a fair, fun challenge to all levels of player, with sets of tees ranging from the 6,875 yard Tournament set down to the 4,106 yard Forward set, which is ideal for ladies and junior players.  Two holes with island greens supply plenty of drama as well.

One of the venerable courses on the South Strand, the Willard Byrd-designed Litchfield Country Club has been in operation since 1972.  Always in excellent shape and with an intimate, cozy feel, Litchfield welcomes many of its players back year after year with a convivial atmosphere that is appreciated by locals and visitors alike.

Welcome to the world of Blogging!

Welcome everyone first let me introduce myself: I'm Susan Eskridge, and i'm the Golf Marketing Manager here at MyrtleBeachGolf.com, this is my first blog and I’m so excited to leap into this exciting adventure! I hope you take time to read my “Scorecard” every week to see what’s happening in Myrtle Beach, and more importantly what’s happening on the links.


Summer time is here in Myrtle Beach, but it’s only the first of Spring- I don’t understand but I’m not complaining either! High of 77, I’ll take it! The only thing I wish is I could actually enjoy this nice weather and not just talk about it!


If you all haven’t started planning your late spring/early summer golf trip it’s never too late! May is great time to come to Myrtle Beach- the weather is HOT Amazing and the courses are ready to play! The family trips haven’t begun, the prices are great, and the rooms are going fast- so BOOK NOW! I hope to see you all here in the upcoming months!


Here are my top 5 reasons to come to Myrtle Beach: Do you all have any other favorites?

1. The Beach- Myrtle Beach stretches over 80 miles of beautiful coast from Little River to Georgetown, SC! And so many beautiful spots along the way! Whether you’re looking for quiet serene beaches or crowd hopping busy beaches the “Grand Strand” has something to offer!


2. Golf- Myrtle Beach is the “Golf Mecca” of the US, also known as the golf capital of the US! There are over 100 golf courses to choose from within the Grand Strand!  From Luxury to municipal courses, Myrtle Beach has everything to offer its guests.  If you’re not looking for ‘real golf’ there are over 50 miniature golf courses also! TONS to choose from- why are you waiting! Visit www.myrtlebachgolf.com and start planning- I’ll see you there!


3. Accommodations: Whether you’re looking for oceanfront accommodations or on site golf condos we have plenty to choose from.  Take time to call one of our exceptional golf coordinators and have them help you plan a vacation of a lifetime! When coming to Myrtle Beach (www.myrtlebeachhotels.com) is the site with all of your planning tools for the family vacation!

 


4. Food: Myrtle Beach has 100’s of different dining opportunities depending on tastes buds! Whether you’re coming to Myrtle Beach for “Real” Seafood or unique family owned restaurants the Grand Strand offers it! Some of the top places to hit in Myrtle Beach are the Famous Sea Captains house which has been in existence since 1962! The Sea Captains offers a wide array of Sea Foods, and Steak specialties.  This year is the Sea Captains House 50th Anniversary and is still pulling in large crowds night after night!


5. Attractions: If you all haven’t been to Myrtle Beach in the past few years there are some new exciting attractions to be sure to visit! The Sky Wheel is new to Myrtle Beach for 2011, it is a Ferris wheel which is situated along the boardwalk in the heart of Myrtle Beach! It has over 1 million LED lights which light up the boardwalk and surrounding areas with beautiful light spectrums. Dixie Stampede closed down in 2010, and this past fall was reopened in the Pirates Voyage- which is still owned by Dolly Parton! Instead of watching horses racing around, you are entered into a pirate’s voyage (which still includes the amazing meal to go along with it).  Be sure to check out these things when planning your trip to Myrtle Beach!

 

 

 

See you guys next week! - Susan

MYRTLEBEACHGOLF.COM BOOKS THREE MILLIONTH ROUND

MyrtleBeachGolf.com is the preeminent golf portal site for visitors looking to book vacation tee times at over 100 courses along the Grand Strand.  The site features extensive player reviews, photography and videos pertaining to each course, all with the express goal of assisting golfers in planning their golf vacations to Myrtle Beach.  It also offers quick quotes on golf packages and specials as well as information about accommodations at Brittain Resort Management’s over 15 properties.

“We were really excited when that three millionth booked round came in,” said Patrick  Norton, director of marketing for Brittain Resort Management.  “More and more golfers book their vacation rounds through MyrtleBeachGolf.com all the time and we look forward to booking the next million.”

For more information about putting together a memorable golf vacation to Myrtle Beach, visit www.MyrtleBeachGolf.com and www.MyrtleBeachHotels.com.

Pawleys Plantation:  Marshside Jewel of the South Strand

GOLD:  7,026 yards / par 72 / 74.5 / 142
BLUE:  6,522 yards / par 72 / 72.0 / 135
WHITE: 6,127 yards / par 72 / 70.0 / 129
YELLOW: 5,534 yards / par 72 / 67.7 / 121
RED:  4,976 yards / par 72 / 70.1 / 122 (W)

The Grand Strand is home to over 90 golf courses.  Not all are luminaries in the golf world, but a very high number of them can be considered “must-see” and those high-mark courses are scattered throughout the region, from Pawleys Island in the south up to Calabash, North Carolina.  In the former area sits Pawleys Plantation, one of two Jack Nicklaus Signature courses on the Grand Strand.  Since it opened in 1988, Pawleys Plantation has entranced golfers with the beautiful natural setting it enjoys and confounds others with the challenge it poses.

As its rating and slope figures suggest, Pawleys Plantation is one of the most difficult courses on the Grand Strand.  But instead of beating hapless players over the head constantly, it gives the golfer, regardless of handicap, opportunities for glory while punishing carelessness and poor execution sternly.  It is this judiciousness that earns it an especially lofty reputation among the many high-level amateurs and mini-tour pros who spend time in the Myrtle Beach area.  There are some holes where it is necessary to hit quality shots, of course, but there are a number of other holes where prudence is rewarded.

The par 5 fourth hole is a perfect example of the latter dynamic.  Playing 543 yards from the back “Golden Bear” tees and a more sporting 468 yards from the middle “White Egret” tees, it features a string of three fairway bunkers that sit in the middle of the fairway, forcing an interesting decision off the tee.  Hit for the narrower, lower left-hand fairway and the chance to reach the green in two shots increases.  Hit for the safer right side and play the hole as a standard three-shotter.  Many golfers get wide eyes off the tee and try to take the short route by slinging a drive right-to-left, only to end up in the deep fairway bunkers with little hope of making birdie.

Any discussion of Pawleys Plantation would be incomplete without due mention of perhaps the single most iconic hole on the Grand Strand, the 145-yard 13th.  The putting surface, part of a double green with the 16th, juts out into the expansive marsh that separates the mainland from Pawleys Island proper.  That green is effectively an island--miss it and you will likely be heading for the drop area.  Hit it and you will have a good chance to make birdie.  It is one of the few holes the author has seen that would yield more double bogeys than bogeys in a major amateur or professional tournament.  This factor causes it to be a somewhat polarizing hole, but if you play the proper set of tees, it can be safely navigated more often than seems likely.

Until the last 18 months, Pawleys Plantation operated as an independent, semi-private facility.  As such, a limited maintenance budget saw some areas of the course fail to reach peak potential of upkeep.  But since National Golf Management purchased the course, proper attention has been paid to all aspects of the golf experience, including a recent project that renovated the entire practice area, from enlarging the putting green to rebuilding the short game area to expanding the grass teeing area for the driving range.

At the far end of that range sits the facility for the Phil Ritson-Mel Sole Golf School, which has been operation since 1991 and boasts locations in Atlanta, Greenville, S.C., Ellicottville, N.Y. and Mexico in addition to its post at Pawleys Plantation.  Add to this a stately clubhouse with a full-service pro shop, the Palmetto Pub and a gracious and professional staff and it is easy to understand the respect Pawleys Plantation receives from locals and visitors alike.

A Properly Enjoyable Experience Awaits Golfers at the Resort Club at Grande Dunes.

GOLD:   7,618 yards / par 72 / 77.3 / 142
BLACK:  7,195 yards / par 72 / 74.9 / 137
BLUE:  6,737 yards / par 72 / 72.3 / 131
WHITE: 6,272 yards / par 72 / 70.0 / 126
SILVER:  5,900 yards / par 72 / 68.3 / 123
RED:   5,353 yards / par 72 / 71.2 / 123 (W)

During its formative decades, Myrtle Beach proper existed between the Atlantic Ocean in the east and the Intracoastal Waterway in the west.  But in recent years, the prosperity of the area has caused expansion of residential, commercial and recreational spaces west of that skinny, vital route.  As a result, many recently built golf courses have taken advantage of a new sort of waterfront property, draping several of the Grand Strand’s most photographed holes along the Waterway’s banks.

The Resort Club at Grande Dunes boasts seven holes that border the Intracoastal Waterway—the 8th green, 11th and 16th tee boxes, and the 9th, 10th, 14th and 15th holes in their entirety.  The cream of this crop is the par 3 14th, which plays to an imposing 244 yards from the back Gold tee.  From the middle White tee, though, it is a more manageable 158 yards.  Course architect Roger Rulewich set the green at an angle, meaning that the player who can shape a long iron or fairway wood from left to right will have the opportunity to fit the ball onto a green that is less than 20 yards wide and over 40 from front to back.  The Waterway sits to the right of the putting surface and a large, jagged-edged bunker will catch shots left short.    There is some bailout left of the green, but it leaves a tricky up-and-down.  Best to summon your steely nerve, hit the green and walk away with a par.

The 13 holes at Grande Dunes that do not happen to perch on the Waterway are quite strong in their own right.  The 6th, a short par 4 that plays 365 yards from the Gold tees and 305 from the White tees, features a bunker in the center of the fairway.  It offers golfers the opportunity to play to their level of comfort by laying up short of it, blasting a drive over, or even playing left or right of it in order to attack the green confidently.  As the only par four on the golf course (the longest on the Grand Strand) that is shorter than 400 yards from the Gold tees, it is a green-light birdie opportunity for those who play it properly.

The Resort Club course lies at the heart of a highly enjoyable experience at Grande Dunes.  The entire community offers a different look, with architecture that reminds more of Italy than South Carolina.  But the expansive clubhouse and residences do not encroach on the holes and so do not rob the experience of any of its luster.  The Resort Club’s L-93 Bentgrass greens are among the best on the Grand Strand and its expansive, comprehensive practice area is of the quality one would expect from high-end private clubs, complete with a short game area that tolerates shots from up to 100 yards away.  Another pleasant touch is that the Resort Club features non-continuous cart paths, such that the views of most holes are uncluttered by concrete.  All of these elements come together to form a golf experience that thousands of members, local visitors and vacation guests enjoy year after year.

Golf Course Review on Prestwick Country Club

Check to make sure you bring every club in your bag when you play Prestwick Country Club. While you're at it, pack a little extra patience and nerve.

That's because the challenging, 7,100-yard layout that lies between Myrtle Beach and Surfisde Beach requires an equal mix of each to successfully shoot your way around the course.

Awarded a 4.5-star rating by Golf Digest, Prestwick is loaded with risk-reward opportunities that put not only your shot-making skills to the test, but also your decision-making.

You've got to know when to play it safe and know when to go for it at Prestwick, which is a big part of what makes this one of the most challenging golf courses in the Myrtle Beach area.

Renowned architects Pete and P.B. Dye collaborated on this unique golf course design on a scenic piece of property that features dense pine forests and wetlands to form natural hazards.

They added mounded berms along the perimeter to minimize distractions from the adjoining housing community while also creating elevation changes in the flat South Carolina Lowcountry.

The use of rolling fairways, deep part bunkers and undulating greens add to Prestwick's degree of difficulty. Individual golfers can see different possibilities with the same shot based on their own skills.

The diverse approaches to playing Prestwick is extended by the five sets of tees golfers have to choose from. A premium is placed on putting the ball in the fairway so pick wisely.

Prestwick wastes little time putting golfers to the test, with the first five holes ranking among the toughest stretch.

The course gives players the chance to make up some strokes through the middle holes, but then stiffens as you approach the finish. The par-5 17th is its hardest, followed by its famous finishing hole.

Unwind from the true test of golf at the 19th hole in Prestwick's beautiful clubhouse, which features an open-air patio deck overlooking the ninth and 18th holes and the lake that divides them.

After tackling 18 holes at Prestwick, you've earned it.

Behold, the Granddaddy

TEE 4: 6,675 yards / par 70 / 72.3 rating / 134 slope
TEE 3: 6,305 yards / par 70 / 70.5 / 128
TEE 2: 5,756 yards / par 70 / 68.1 / 120
TEE 1: 4,758 yards / par 70 / 68.6 / 111 (W)

Pine Lakes Country Club is in some ways an atypical Myrtle Beach area golf course.  The gentlemen who greet you and tend to your golf bag at the bag drop are clad in tartan and knickers.  Golfers do not have to contend with out-of-bounds stakes and houses except on the very periphery of the course.  But despite its departures from the perceived norms of Myrtle Beach golf, Pine Lakes is where it all began.

It all began, by the way, in 1927.  Robert White, the first president of the PGA of America and a co-founder of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, laid out nine holes in coastal pine forest less than a mile from the Atlantic, beginning a chain of events that turned Myrtle Beach from a small seaside settlement into the world-renowned golf destination it is today.  And in 1954, a group of gentlemen from Time Inc. sat around a table in the Pine Lakes clubhouse and hatched the idea that would become Sports Illustrated.  As fitting recognition, Pine Lakes is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The golf course received a major upgrade in 2009 from architect Craig Schreiner.  Many architects, when charged with the task of updating a venerable course, tend to leave behind a mediocre new product rather than a true refreshment of the original.  Not so with Schreiner, who left 16 of the original 18 playing corridors intact while building two new holes—necessitated by changes to the entrance drive—that blend in very well with the rest.

Pine Lakes enjoys an uncluttered, traditional aesthetic, with broad shaping and large greens with enough undulation to support multiple rounds and provide different challenges one day to the next.  The standout hole on the front is the third, a big, brawny par four that measures 463 yards from the back tees.  It features a semi-blind tee shot—another rarity in Myrtle Beach—over the crest of a hill where a well-struck drive can gain an extra 15 to 20 yards of roll as it tumbles.  A pond sits hard by the right edge of the green, which features pronounced kick-slopes to the left so that a low, running approach shot can trundle onto the green.  The opportunity to watch a ball roll out can be a rare joy in Myrtle Beach, but the third at Pine Lakes offers that option to every player.

The back nine features a number of excellent holes, the standouts being the par threes—numbers 11 and 16.  The former is a 155-yard charmer with a green perched just beyond a pond.  Though the hole requires a short iron shot, the wind swirls constantly, making the decision over which short iron to use agonizing.  Number 16 is longer but still of middling length at 180 yards from the tips.  Its main defense is the most interesting green on the course, which rolls down slightly from the front edge before rising to a shelf in the back left, the back right dropping off into a small grass bunker at the edge of a pond.  It is an imposing-looking shot from the tee, making a par or rare birdie especially satisfying.

Pine Lakes seems to excel when it comes to the little things as well.  They began, and have recently resumed, the tradition of serving piping hot seafood chowder as a complimentary mid-round snack.  With nice chunks of clam and potato and a clearish (i.e. not the creamy New England style) broth that has nice bite, it is a perfect way to forget one’s woes from the opening nine and recharge for the back.  The grill room where this edible tradition is to be found also serves excellent hot dogs and great sit-down fare for a pre- or post-round lunch.

In sum, Pine Lakes takes advantage of its unique features and stands proudly as the place where golf began in Myrtle Beach.  It richly deserves the nickname “Granddaddy” and commands respect and loyalty from those who know it well.

11 Rounds in 11 Hours for Our Wounded Warriors

This Veterans Day, 42-year-old Golf Academy of America student Mark Chapman will attempt to play 11 rounds of golf in 11 hours. The golf marathon will be held at Waterway Hills Golf Club in Myrtle Beach, and will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project and the Salute Military Golf Association.

Chapman will begin playing his 11 rounds at sunrise at 6:43 a.m. on 11-11-11, and hopes to finish playing the 198 holes by sunset, or by 5:16 p.m. Chapman is a 21-year Air Force veteran and participated in several military campaigns including Operation Iraqi Freedom, and is a recipient of the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.

In order to play 11 rounds on November 11, Chapman will need to play 18 holes at a pace of approximately 58 minutes per round. He will use only a driver, 3-wood, hybrid, 7-iron, two wedges and a putter in his quest.

Waterway Hills is a 27-hole facility, so Chapman will play the facility’s Oaks Nine course 22 times to equal 11 rounds of golf. Chapman’s 11 rounds will equate to 67,760 yards of golf, or 38.5 miles, and he will have the use of a “street legal” E-Z-Go golf cart for transportation throughout the 11 rounds. The cart can reach speeds of up to 28 miles per hour.

You can support Mark Chapman's quest by making a contribution to the Wounded Warrior Project or the Salute Military Golf Association.

 

 

Golf Director Review: Barefoot Love and Eagles Nest

By Anne Wheeler, MyrtleBeachGolf.com Golf Director

I had the opportunity to play The Love course.  Very nice course all around.  Challenging but not too challenging for someone with a medium high handicap.  The greens and fairways were in marvelous shape.  The views are very nice on and off the course with well maintained facilities.  The staff was very helpful and nice.  The ladies restroom on the course was well kept, clean.  A great experience and worth the money!!

Last week I played Eagles Nest.  It was not what I expected.  The greens and fairways had been overseeded and were overwatered.  A lot of mud and it seems they allowed for carts on the fairway which wasn’t going to help the overseeding.  The staff wasn’t overly friendly but acceptable.  The ladies restroom on the course was awful, bad odor, not clean.  It would have been a better experience if they hadn’t overwatered.

Golf Director Review: TPC of Myrtle Beach

By Bryan Bogart, MyrtleBeachGolf.com Golf Director

On Wednesday 11/23, I played TPC of Myrtle Beach with a guest in the morning. It had rained fairly heavy earlier that morning so the course was cart path only. Even with the course being a little wet and cart path only, we both believed that it was in great shape entering the winter months.

The greens were rolling perfect and true, and the fairways were not as soggy as one might have thought after all the rain. The only negative thing I could really find about the course was that some of the greens were filled with leaves and pine needles, which in the dead of fall I was okay with moving them out of my line. So with that being my only negative, I think it's safe to say that we got A++ all around from greens to staff.

Golf Director Review: International Club

By Chuck Greathouse, MyrtleBeachGolf.com Golf Director

One of the best lay-outs I have seen here in Myrtle Beach.  The course was in pristine condition with very true, receptive greens.  It is definitely a shot precision course with narrow fairways and doglegged holes that may be a hindrance to a big hitter. 

There was only 1 fairway on the back nine that had a few dead spots in it.  Other than that, I would recommend this course to anyone.  It is priced right, very friendly staff, full bar and restaurant, excellent practice facilities, and well manicured.

Golf Director Review: Heather Glen

By Joe Brondhaver, MyrtleBeachGolf.com Golf Director

I had a chance to play Heathers Glen on Sunday, November 13.  For starters, the day was absolutely perfect.  I got there around 8:00am, but I wasn't due to tee off until 8:28am.  Once I checked in, "Curly" sent me out anyways.  The staff was helpful and excited.  They were eager to answer any questions and sent me out with a detailed course diagram that gave me pointers on each hole.  I found that extremely helpful with being a new golfer.

The starter asked about the front 9 when I made the turn.  He did wish me luck and gave me some pointers too.  I played the White Course for the front 9 and the Blue Course on the back 9.  I am a novice golfer and I got a little worried when I shot an 8 on the first hole, but I hung in there.  The more I played on, the more I relaxed.  Both 9s were in great shape and they seemed to be a bit due to the recent rain.  As the morning went along, they dried up and I found myself being challenged, but comfortable.  The challenges were good for me and I was playing alone.

There weren't too many people playing and that allowed me the patience to take my time and analyze my shots.  I never really felt beat up, and I came home with one ball.  I would gauge how well I did by how many balls I had left.  The 8th hole on the White course, "The Spectacle," was one of the more difficult holes I played.  I managed my shot and did what I could to execute it.  I also found myself on the 8th hole on the Blue course, "Perfection," a challenge too.  The best hole was the "Short Hole," Blue Course #5.  I hit a tee shot and put it 16 feet from hole and 1-putt the ball.  It was the only hole under Par and 168 yards with a 3wood off the tee.

I would recommend this course to anyone, including novices.  I think it gives an even mix of easy to challenging holes.  I shot a 117, and in my eyes, not a bad round for my first 18.  Even better, I came home with a ball and didn't lose them all.   I can't wait to go back.

Crow Creek Cracks Golf Insider Top 25

Crow Creek Golf Club (pictured), the Rick Robbins-designed North Strand layout in Calabash, N.C., makes its Myrtle Beach Golf Insider Top 25 debut in the Web site's June 2011 rankings, the site announced Tuesday.

Crow Creek enters the rankings at No. 23, two spots ahead of Sandpiper Bay, which makes its return to the list after a three-month absence. Dunes Golf & Beach Club retains its top spot for the second consecutive month, as Caledonia Golf & Fish Club (2) & Thistle Golf Club (3) trade spots from last month and TPC of Myrtle Beach (4) and True Blue Plantation (5) round out the top 5.

Click here to see the full listing.

Video Tips from Stroke Savers: Proper Posture to Help Your Swing

This week, USGTF Certified Instructor Meredith Kirk shows us how proper posture allows for a more free-flowing swing. Video was shot on-location at Willbrook Plantation in Pawleys Island, S.C.

 

Stroke Savers: The Punchout

Mel Sole, director of instruction at the Ritson-Sole Golf School at Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club in Pawleys Island, S.C., shows us how to properly execute the punchout shot from the trees. Video was shot on-location at Pawleys Plantation.