Traveling Joe on Myrtle Beach

A great read from Joe Passov, Senior Editor (Courses/Rankings) at golf.com. He really hits the nail on the head. Even with courses closing, the market is growing stronger, with better service, renovations, and great package play. Myrtle Beach seems poised for another big year. In the end, 2010, in my humble opinion, will be a huge year for Golfer's Heaven!

I call Myrtle Beach the supermarket of golf, simply because there's something for everybody. True, there's not much snob appeal, but that may be the only thing missing among the 90 or so courses that dot the Grand Strand. Don't get me wrong — there's plenty of "upscale" to be found along the 60-mile stretch of coastline that runs from Southport, N.C. to Georgetown, S.C. — but the pampering here is more laid-back and down-home. What you'll also find in abundance is a fistful of unambitious-yet-handsome, playable and fun layouts where you'll get change back from your Franklin even in high season. That's the real beauty of Myrtle Beach golf: It's all about unparalleled variety for every budget.

What's New in Town

Myrtle Beach is in lock-step with the rest of the nation, where one can only daydream about new course construction. And in a reflection of the times, no fewer than 20 area courses have been shuttered within the past five years. That said, what's new is old — at least in the case of two venerable venues that are sporting dramatic changes.

Highly anticipated is the March 14, 2009, reopening of Pine Lakes Country Club in Myrtle Beach. A.K.A. "the Granddaddy," Pine Lakes was the very first course in Myrtle Beach, dating to 1927, when it debuted under the name Ocean Forest. Robert White, a Scotsman who was also the first president of the PGA, first crafted nine holes, and it's that original nine that architect Craig Schreiner elected to preserve as the back nine for the revised layout.

The result is a throwback design that conjures up classic strategic shot values thanks to enhanced contouring and thoughtful hazard placement. Yardage from the tips will top out at 6,700 yards, and par has been shaved from 71 to 70. Returnees will immediately notice the lush, vibrant green Seashore Paspalum grass that now covers the entire course. "It's like taking the varnish off an old piece of furniture," says Schreiner. "If you paint something seven or eight times, all the detail gets lost. All you had to do was drop the low points of the property and raise the highs, and the golf course just jumps out at you." Check out the renovated clubhouse as well. We're certainly partial to the Snug Pub, where legend has it that the idea for a magazine called Sports Illustrated was born.

A more extreme makeover took place in low-key Pawleys Island at the south end of the Strand when the Founders Club opened in February 2008. Formerly a pleasant (if non-descript) 1966 Gene Hamm track, the layout was turned upside down by architect Thomas Walker, who utilized the existing corridors, routing and mature trees but reworked everything else. Vast, sandy waste areas, bunker-etched mounds and tremendous variety in the green shaping are among the highlights of the new spread.

Things are still percolating at Ocean Ridge Plantation, just across the state line in Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. Its new Leopard's Chase course debuted in 2007 and stalks you with a brutal but beautiful back nine and a set of gigantic greens that will test your flatstick from start to finish. The par-3, island-green 4th might be the showcase hole on this Tim Cate design, but the 439-yard, par-4 closer, complete with flanking ponds, a waste bunker and a waterfall, earns its stripes as the best. If the economy cooperates, a fifth Big Cat course, Jaguar's Lair, will come on board in 2010.

The Trophy Collection

A consensus for Best of the Beach is tenuous for sure, but I think we can all agree on a few "must-plays." Since it's my two cents, based on many trips there since the early 1990s, I'll stick to my guns. To me, there are two quintessential Myrtle Beach golf experiences — one ancient and one modern.

On the classic front, you've got to sample the Dunes Golf & Beach Club. The ambiance is definitely private club, but cooperative arrangements with several area hotels allow for unaccompanied guest play. It's worth the effort. An early (1948) Robert Trent Jones Sr. design, the Dunes features all of the master's hallmarks, from its fiercely trapped, elevated greens to its collection of scorecard-wrecking water holes, spearheaded by "Waterloo," the 590-yard, par-5 13th that doglegs 110 degrees to the right around Singleton Lake. Back in the 1960s, Dan Jenkins wrote in Sports Illustrated: "It has long been agreed among knowledgeable golfers along the Atlantic Coast that if a man plays the 13th hole at the Dunes Golf & Beach Club often enough he will eventually lose every ball he owns and perhaps perish by alligator bite." More than 40 years later, Jenkins remains right on target.

Situated on a former rice plantation and drenched in Lowcountry charm, Caledonia is a 15-year-old Mike Strantz design that looks like it's decades older. Strantz was an artist with a bulldozer, and here he created a layout worthy of a museum exhibit. Gnarled live oaks festooned with Spanish moss line the fairways, and the course winds along the Waccamaw River for much of its journey. Caledonia's 6,526 yards are crammed into 125 acres, which may explain the par of 70, but waste bunkers, wetlands and undulating greens keep big hitters honest. Sitting in a rocking chair on the clubhouse porch, watching play on the 383-yard, par-4 18th unfold, is one of the true treats on the Grand Strand.

Best of the Rest

Tidewater Golf Club dishes out low-profile fairways that ease past forested bluffs and along marsh-edged flatlands, with photo-ops galore.

Rivers Edge Golf Club is too tough for me — but there's nary a weak hole on this Arnold Palmer-designed risk/reward thrill ride on the North Carolina side. It features skinny targets hemmed in by bunkers, tidal marshes and the Shallotte River.

You could three-putt every one of the wildly undulating greens at The Heritage Club, but you'll wear an ear-to-ear grin from the moment you drive down the avenue of oaks entryway to your post-round cocktail in the Southern Colonial clubhouse.

Barefoot Resort's all-star constellation of architects includes Tom Fazio, Pete Dye and Greg Norman, but it's the layout designed by Davis Love that might be the most fun of all. Love's Donald Ross-flavored turtleback greens and chipping areas, along with re-created plantation house ruins, make for a memorable day, whether or not you're wearing shoes.

My favorite bargain at the Beach is Oyster Bay, in Sunset Beach, N.C. This 1983 Dan Maples design smacks you down early, with rugged back-to-back two-shotters at 2 and 3, then soothes with strategy and scenery, notably at the short par-4 13th that doglegs right toward the bay and features a slightly elevated green shored with a wall of oyster shells.

Read more: http://www.golf.com/golf/courses_travel/article/0,28136,1882297,00.html#ixzz0bw0YzRRW

Myrtle Beach is Golf Town USA

Thanks Chris King, for another great blog post, stating what we all know to be true, Myrtle is the Best Golf Destination on the country!!!

It is the bartender, the guy behind the rental car counter and the multimillion dollar business owner. Chances are, in Myrtle Beach, S.C., they all have one thing in common – golf.

The game crosses economic and social barriers. It reaches out to everyone, and therein lays the charm of the world’s most popular golf destination. The Myrtle Beach area, called the Grand Strand by locals, stretches from Georgetown, S.C. to Brunswick County, N.C. It’s home to more than 100 golf courses, hosts 1 million players and plays nearly 4 million rounds annually, but numbers aren’t what makes Myrtle Beach popular.


Quality golf, tremendous value and a fun-filled experience, on and off the course, are the attractions, even in difficult economic times. Visitors are immersed in the game and a good time from the moment they arrive, a needed reprieve from the stress of daily life.

“(A Myrtle Beach trip is) a week away with a great bunch of guys - it’s a lot of memories, a lot of laughs,” said Chuck Cooper, a Pennsylvanian who has been coming to the area for seven years.

Set amidst the natural beauty of the coastal Carolinas, golf courses are nearly as plentiful as the state’s trademark Palmetto tree, allowing the area to provide a greater spectrum of offerings than any other destination.

From the group looking for a high-end experience, to a couple of friends as interested in having a good time off the course as they are on it, the Grand Strand meets all needs. The Myrtle Beach area is home to 10 of Golf Digest’s “100 Greatest Public Courses,” two of Golf Magazine’s top 25 golf schools in America, and at least as many top 100 nightclubs.

The area’s reputation as a quality golf destination has soared in recent years but it has never lost touch with its roots. Myrtle Beach remains the greatest value in golf, appealing to blue collar and blue bloods all the same.

Great times, great people, great golf. That’s why Myrtle Beach is GolfTown, USA

Latest Trend in Myrtle Beach Golf?

First the story:

Arrowhead Country Club, centrally located on Hwy 501 in Myrtle Beach has announced it is offering a pre booked replay for their golf package groups. The golf course designed by Arnold Palmer has undergone extensive renovations, including brand new mini verde Bermuda greens. This should ensure great playing conditions year round.

For groups that are interested in playing more than 18 holes per day, this is an ideal location to do it. Prebooked replays are available for those that play the golf course in the morning, for as little as $30 per person inclusive of carts and taxes. This has to be one of the best values in Myrtle Beach Golf. A tremendous opportunity to give customers the option to play all 3 nines and the some.

This seems to be a growing trend in Myrtle Beach, before the high season even begins. Golf courses and groups of Courses advertising pre-booked replays, some as little as FREE . The Glens Groups has free afternoon pre-booked replays on the the Glens course you booked in the morning. Play 3 morning rounds, get 3 free afternoon rounds.

The courses are going to great trouble to make sure the tee sheets are filled for 2010. This is a blessing for the players, with rates already 5-10% lower than last year.

The only down side I can find for 2010 is the small increase in condo prices on Golf Course Condos, the usual lowest price for a package. Seems to be about 4-7% across the board.

Blackmoor Review (by Chris King)

Blackmoor Golf Club, Myrtle Beach



There is the eighth hole, which offers two distinctive paths to the green, the cemetery that runs alongside No. 13, and abundant wildlife that roams the property a thriving rice plantation used to call home. That’s just for starters.

In a Myrtle Beach golf market that features more than 100 courses, quality design work and a good piece of land have helped Blackmoor Golf Club standout.

The South Strand layout doesn’t enjoy the soaring national profile of some of its local brethren, but golfers that play Gary Player’s only Myrtle Beach golf course look forward to their next round at Blackmoor.


Since its opening in 1990, Blackmoor has delivered excellent value and a challenging, yet exceedingly fair, test of golf. Player’s design philosophy is one that caters to the average golfer, and it is a core value that is apparent at Blackmoor.

The golf legend gives players of all skill levels a chance to succeed and provides a stern test for elite golfers from the back tees (6,614 yards).

Blackmoor’s playability isn’t defined by its length. The course has numerous doglegs but all but one play from left to right, the most common ball flight in the game. The majority of Blackmoor’s greens are open in the front, bringing one of Player’s favorite shots, the bump and run, into play.

Continuing along Player’s design philosophy of giving golfers a chance to score, Blackmoor’s greens, while quick, don’t have severe undulation.

“There are some subtle breaks, but there aren’t any elephants buried in the greens,” head pro Matt Daly said. “If you are rolling the ball, you will have the chance to make a few birdies or pars.”

Earning the opportunity for birdie attempts at Blackmoor requires intelligent play, particularly off the tee. The first six holes at Blackmoor are relatively narrow so finding the fairway is vital. If you are in the short grass, the approach shots are manageable.

“Your go to club off the tee from an accuracy standpoint, whether it’s a driver, 3-wood or hybrid (is vital),” Daly said. “If you keep the ball in play off the tee you can score low.”

Players also need to effectively manage Blackmoor’s doglegs, which typically means not getting greedy.

“I always tell people you want to play to the elbows of the doglegs and not try to cut corners,” Daly said.

The course begins to open up on the seventh hole and No. 8 is one of the most unique Myrtle Beach golf holes. By the scorecard, No. 8 is a 371-yard dogleg right, but Player cut an approximately 30-yard swath through the woods, knocking 100 yards off the length of the hole for those with gusto. Players that can’t keep their tee shot within the clearing face trouble, but the penalty for not reaching the green is negligible, as long you hit it straight.

If you aren’t the adventurous type, the eighth is a good dogleg.

The back nine allows players to gamble a little more and the character of the land shows through. Blackmoor is built on what used to be a thriving rice plantation and the property has native cypress and oak trees that predates its time as crop-producer.

The trees aren’t the only landmarks that recall a bygone era. Along the left side of the par 5, 13th hole is a cemetery, where John Green, one of Longwood Plantation’s original owners, is buried. The cemetery is a registered historic landmark, and it provides a unique dimension to an already memorable round. (Yes, you get a free drop if you hit into the cemetery)

Blackmoor offers an enjoyable round of golf and the kind take-home-memories demanded of a good destination golf course.

Par 3s
Blackmoor’s par 3s are an interesting collection of holes, challenging golfers with length, water and natural waste areas. On the front nine, No. 2 is the course’s longest par 3, playing 182 yards, but the length is somewhat mitigated by the ability to run the ball up on the green.

A large pond fronts the fourth green and a bunker runs along the left side, presenting challenges aplenty on the 162-yard hole. The green is one of the deepest on the course, so there is no excuse for coming up short.

At 166 yards, the 15th isn’t particularly long but three bunkers on the right and a relatively small green make it Blackmoor’s toughest par 3. The 17th is slightly longer at 174 yards but there are no hazards, making it one of the course’s easiest holes.


14 green.jpgPar 4s
Blackmoor’s heart is in its par 4s, a collection of holes that offer great variety and character. The layout’s first dogleg right is the 376-yard fifth hole. No matter how tempting, don’t try to cut the corner on the fifth. Play to the elbow of the dogleg and try to get home in regulation.

Showcasing the variety that helps make the course so popular, the sixth is long (412 yards) and straight, but features a plateaued fairway. If you can hit the elevated left side, a couple additional yards of roll and a shorter approach await.

The eighth hole, with its classic risk-reward choice, is the course’s signature hole.

On the back nine, No. 10 is the only dogleg left and one of the layout’s toughest. The 411-yard hole has a kidney bean shaped green and if you can hit it and make par, you’ve done well.

The 11th is just 332 yards, the shortest two-shotter at Blackmoor, and it offers the opportunity to get a stroke back. The 14th and 16th holes are among the course’s prettiest. On a layout that rewards patience and accuracy, the dogleg right 14th is built for the gambler. Players that can hit the ball 240 yards or more can confidently attempt to cut the corner in search of a birdie.

The 16th features the course’s largest fairway, but water runs along the left side, tempting players to try and cut the corner on a dogleg right. Don’t make that mistake. Aim for the fat part of the fairway and play smart.

Par 5s
The front nine par 5s at Blackmoor are good golf holes. The 514-yard third offers the chance to go for the green in two but a waste area dissecting the fairway 300 yards from the tee means the second shot will be a long one.

The 544-yard seventh hole is long and straight with a bunker that runs along the last 80 yards of a fairway that gets increasingly narrow.

Among Blackmoor’s most memorable holes are its back nine par 5s. The 13th, with the cemetery along the left side, is a hole few forget.

At 509 yards, the par 5 18th is an outstanding way to finish a round. A good drive leaves players with the choice of going for the green in two, but water comes into play on the right side and the fairway tightens in the final 100 yards. It’s an outstanding match-play hole.

The Verdict: Good conditions, good value and a good layout lead to a great time. The course has ample diversity, and it requires players to hit nearly every club in the bag. Blackmoor is exceedingly playable for any level of player, which adds to its appeal. A round at Blackmoor will leave your group smiling.

We Played a Haunted Golf Course

Willbrook Plantation Golf Course – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is a golfer’s paradise and offers incredible courses for just about any skill level. But only one course can claim to have been built over an ancient graveyard. Tread lightly around the eighth hole, as local folklore says that restless spirits still wander the golf course.

Enter Fast, Free Myrtle Beach Trip for 4

My only stipulation is, if you win, you must take me along. I will take you if I win, and a fall trip to Myrtle beach, all expenses paid sounds like the cure for a long fall and winter!

http://www.golfholiday.com/fallpromo2009/?cmpid=BannerAd_1137&source=Golf%20ChannelChannel



ENTER TO WIN A FALL FANTASY 4-DAY 3-NIGHT GOLF VACATION

We're giving away one incredible vacation a month and if you win, you'll be able to invite three friends for golf, accommodations and more. Sign up below for your chance to win:

Hi Tech Golf Courses

Back at Indian Wells for the second time in two days. The 2007 Myrtle Beach Course of the Year has a new feature, an HD Virtual Walk Through of their whole course. This is starting to show up in the market, and it's a great tool to show case your golf course.

Here is the link:
http://hdvirtualcitytours.com/pl/5484/142/indianwellsgolfclubmyrtlebeach/

The company that produces these HD Virtual Tours is HD Virtual City Tours:
http://hdvirtualcitytours.com/

Here is the Grand Dunes Golf Resort in Myrtle Beach:
http://hdvirtualcitytours.com/t/224/grandedunesgolfresortclub

Myrtle Beach National: King's North: Go back and relive the Gambler!
http://hdvirtualcitytours.com/t/143/kingsnorthatmyrtlebeachnational

John Daly's Wicked Stick:
http://hdvirtualcitytours.com/t/317/wickedstickgolfcourse

The TPC Myrtle Beach:
http://hdvirtualcitytours.com/t/330/tpcgolfcourse


Changing Your Golf Swing One Degree At A Time - Introducing The New Dynacraft Prophet ICT Driver.

http://www.hirekogolf.com/hireko/orderportal/catalog_presentation/by_group/0/1589/0/0/0/0/0

Legends Golf Pro Interview

Name: Matt Biddington

Position: Head PGA Professional

Golf course: Legends Resorts

#1. What new and exciting has been going on at your course?
We are now under new management, with The Arnold Palmer Golf Management Company coming aboard. They have brought a new and exciting attitude to Myrtle Beach and I am very eager to work as a part of their company.

#2. What is your best round on your course? Best round ever?
Heathland - 65
Moorland - 67
Parkland - 73
Best round ever was the 65 on the Heathland.

#3. Hobbies, other than golf?
Fishing.
Traveling…when I can.
Watching Football, Basketball and UFC.

#4. Dream golf 4some?
Myself.
Tiger Woods.
Michael Jordan.
Ben Roethlisberger

#5. How many years have you been in the golf business?
7

#6. Where are you originally from?
Uniontown, PA - about 40 minutes outside Pittsburgh

#7. What is the strangest thing that happened on your course recently?
Had a small tornado take out about 10 trees, picked up the 100 foot long Driving Range Canopy and slammed it to the ground breaking it. Also took a 50 pound generator and moved it about 200 yards across the road into the woods.

#8. What makes your course stand out compared to the other 100 MB golf courses?
We have 3 unique designs on site all boasting 4 1/2 stars from Golf Digest. There is the Scottish Links Style course, which was voted one of the best 30 you can play in South Carolina by the SCGA, The Heathland. The Moorland is ranked the 37th Toughest Course in America by Golf Digest. The Parkland is an American-Style course with beautiful tree-lined fairways. We have an acre putting green and a 30 acre practice facility that both stay lit past 10:00 pm.

#9. How long have you worked at your golf club?
5 years.

#10. What is the biggest challenge your course faces this year?
Keeping golfers coming to our location by providing them with the best customer service on the beach.

#11. Describe your signature holes, and how to play them?
We don’t have a “Signature Hole” for each course per say, but the 16th on The Moorland Course is probably the most famous…or should I say “infamous”
It is a Drivable Par 4 with so much trouble around the green it was nicknamed “Hell’s Half Acre”

#12. Have you played competitively?
I played in junior tournaments all over the country since I was 10.
I played in high school as well as in college for 2 years.
Since becoming a professional I try to play in a few events a year.

#13. What course improvements have you undergone in the past year, or what improvements are you considering?
We added a group of Senior Tees to all of our courses.
We are in the midst of adding several new tees to make the courses a little more “Lady-Friendly.”
All sprinkler heads will be marked with yardages by October 1, 2009.

#14. What general trends are you seeing in the golf industry in Myrtle Beach?
Courses are beginning to get more competitive with their rates and are trying
different packages to lure golfers to their courses.

This is the possible setting for the Myrtle Beach 2010 Trip!!

River's Edge Reopens to Rave Reviews

The first four holes at Rivers Edge are very good, but as golfers make the climb to the fifth tee box, the beauty of one the Myrtle Beach area’s most stunning golf courses is fully revealed.

The 143-yard par 3 is secondary in thought to the Shallotte River and the surrounding marshland that come into full view. From the fifth tee box, the ninth hole is visible along with the expansive marsh. It’s one of many views the course offers that rival any along the Grand Strand.

The course’s natural beauty and Arnold Palmer’s design work have long made the layout a favorite of Myrtle Beach golfers and the game’s elite. In 2007, Golf Digest ranked Rivers Edge among “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses,” and it has consistently been ranked among North Carolina’s best layouts (Rivers Edge is located in Shallotte).
(qouted Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday)

Myrtle Beach 2010 Could be Legendary?

Myrtle Beach Trips are usually born in a drunken stupor at Ross Hampton's Annual Christmas Party. The fellas get together, relive last years, talk about courses we would like to play, come up with a decent price range and throw ideas. The Van was born of the X-Mass Party, and many more ideas will be too.

Looking a little further ahead this year, I had been thinking what might be holding us back the most. Travel time to the courses, especially after going out at night. There are a few resorts that have multiple courses on site, or are close to our general area which we have always stayed.

An idea we haven't tried yet, is the Legends Group (always packaged together, so the savings is there.

http://www.legendsgolf.com/

The course listing is pretty impressive, The Heritage Club, Oyster Bay, the TPC, and 3 courses on site of their condos, Parkland, Moorland and Heathland. There is a possibility to walk out the door, and play golf 3 times on new courses, that are rated very high, and we mix in Thursday on the way play with one of the other 3 courses.

The condos look very nice, and are on the same tier as The Grand Villas, but we can walk outside and play, plus there is pub on site also:

http://www.legendsgolf.com/accom.cfm

Here are the courses:

Legends Heathland:
http://www.legendsgolf.com/heathland.cfm

Legends Moorland:
http://www.legendsgolf.com/moorland.cfm

Legends Parkland:
http://www.legendsgolf.com/parkland.cfm

The TPC of Myrtle Beach:
http://www.legendsgolf.com/tpc.cfm


The Award Winning Heritage Club:
http://www.legendsgolf.com/heritageclub.cfm

Oyster Bay, A Favorite of 2 years ago:
http://www.legendsgolf.com/oysterbay.cfm

Also, an added bonus, is the breakfast and range balls:

Legends 3 Round rates are based on 3 nights stay and 3 rounds of golf per person. Rates include buffet breakfast, range balls, and cart fees. Taxes and gratuities are not included. TPC has an additional surcharge.


Of course, all this depends on price, but it maybe a good idea, and instead of a double on Saturday, maybe just doing a replay would save us money.

VB Golf Crew Member's Bonus

I will be doing an exclusive VB Golf Crew Member contest in early January for the Myrtle Beach Trip 2010. Members who are signed up, and paid up will be randomly drawn for a Free Myrtle Beach 2010 Trip. That's Golf, Carts, and Condo, all free, courtesy of Me and Beach Vacations.

You have until January 1st 2010 to join the club to be eligible for the drawing. So get signed up, get you fee into me and good luck!!!

Membership has it's rewards!

Myrtle Beach Course of the Year 2009

A special thanks to Chris King for this story about Shaftesbury Glenn, and congrats to them on becoming the Myrtle Beach Course of the year for 2009!



Shaftesbury Glen’s list of honors just got a little longer. The Clyde Johnston design has been named the Myrtle Beach Area Golf Course Owners Association (MBAGCOA) Course of the Year. The par 72 layout, which was inspired by the designs of A.W. Tillinghast, is the 13th course to receive the award.

A highly regarded layout since it opening, Shaftesbury (official site) was also nominated by Golf Digest l for “Best New Public Course in America” in 2001, and Golf World ranked it the 34th best resort course in the United States in October of 2008.

“We are truly honored to have Shaftesbury Glen named Golf Course of the Year,” Jason Himmelsbach, the Glens Group’s director of marketing said. “The MBAGCOA judged our course using strict criteria and to be recognized as the best, when there are so many great courses along the Grand Strand, really showcases the hard work and dedication of everyone here at the Glens Group and Shaftesbury Glen.”

The MBAGCOA evaluates courses on conditions, quality of ownership and management, contributions to the community and efforts to improve the growth of the game.

Last year’s winner, Grande Dunes, went on to win National Golf Course of the Year honors.

“It feels good to win an award like this but to me the real credit goes to golf course superintendent David Kingsland,” said Johnston, who designed the other three Glens Group layouts, Glen Dornoch, Heather Glen and Possum Trot. “I designed the course, and that’s all well and good, but the land was still in a raw state (upon completion). It’s a tribute to David and the work he’s done to continue nurturing the property. It’s also a tribute to Paul and Jack Himmelsbach (the course owners).”

A 4-star layout, according to Golf Digest’s prestigious “Best Places to Play Guide,” Shaftesbury Glen is a traditional design. The course features open fairways and raised greens heavily guarded by bunkers. The ample fairways provide latitude off the tee and the course rewards a strong short game.

Shaftesbury, which features a clubhouse that overlooks the Waccamaw River, is a long-time participant in Myrtle Beach’s Kids Play Free program, allowing junior golfers to play for free when accompanied by a paying adult.

By virtue of winning the MBAGCOA honor, Shaftesbury is eligible win South Carolina Golf Course of the Year honors.

The National Golf Course Owners Association implemented the award in 1996 and the MBAGCOA has since nominated courses from the Myrtle Beach area. Past recipients of the award include Wachesaw Plantation East (2007), Burning Ridge (2006), TPC of Myrtle Beach (2005), Indian Wells Golf Club (2004), World Tour Golf Links (2003), Wild Wing Plantation (2002), Blackmoor (2001), Tradition Golf Club (2000), Bay Tree Golf Plantation (1999), Arrowhead Country Club (1998) and Myrtle Beach National’s King’s North (1996). Five of the Myrtle Beach regional winners also captured the state award; Burning Ridge, TPC, Wild Wing, Tradition, Arrowhead and King’s North. World Tour was named as the national “Golf Course of the Year.”

Good Morning Myrtle Beach

Thanks to a great poster over at www.golfrewind.com Elliot, I am going to leave you this morning with some of the best Myrtle Beach pictures taken from a golf trip I have ever seen. Featuring Kings North, Caldonia, True Blue, the TPC and some of the Glenns courses.



















Thanks again Elliot!