Myrtle Beach Golf News & Updates

January 7, 2013

Three Myrtle Beach Layouts Ranked Among America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses

TPC Myrtle Beach is ranked among the nation's top 100 public courses by Golf DigestGolf Digest has unveiled its biennial list of America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses, and a trio of Grand Strand layouts earned a spot on the prestigious list, which was unveiled in the February 2013 issue of the magazine.

The Dunes Club (No. 52), Caledonia (No. 97) and TPC Myrtle Beach (No. 98) were all ranked among America’s greatest public courses.

A classic Robert Trent Jones, Sr. design, Dunes Club is the most revered Myrtle Beach golf course. The famed layout has hosted six Senior PGA Tour Championships, the finals of the PGA Tour’s Q-School, and the Women’s U.S. Open.

Playing along natural sand dunes just yards from the Atlantic Ocean, Dunes Club is an architectural and visual masterpiece. Holes 11-13, known as Alligator Alley, are arguably the best three-hole stretch on the Grand Strand, highlighted by “Waterloo,” the monster par 5 that plays around Lake Singleton.

Caledonia, which returned to the list, was Mike Strantz’s first solo design. The course is an appealing blend of art and architecture as Strantz carved a memorable design amidst a stunning lowcountry setting.

The 18th hole, a stout par 4 that requires a carry over water and finishes in the shadow of an antebellum style clubhouse, provides an unforgettable finish to a day at Caledonia.

TPC Myrtle Beach has long been one of the area’s most highly regarded layouts, earning 5 stars in Golf Digest’s prestigious “Best Places to Play” guide. The Tom Fazio design’s inclusion on the list pushes the number of Myrtle Beach golf courses that have earned top 100 recognition in the last six years to 13.

TPC is the home course of PGA Tour star Dustin Johnson and it provides a Tour-quality challenge to everyone that tees it up.  Elevated greens and tree-lined fairways conspire to create one of America’s strongest designs.  

Golf Digest’s team of raters evaluated golf courses on seven categories. Below are the criteria the magazine set for each category:

1. Shot Values: How well does the course pose risks and rewards and equally test length, accuracy and finesse?

2. Resistance to Scoring: How difficult, while still being fair, is the golf course for a scratch player from the back tees?



3. Design Variety: How varied are the golf course's holes in differing lengths, configurations, hazard placements, green shapes and green contours?



4. Memorability: How well do the design features (tees, fairways, greens, hazards, vegetation and terrain) provide individuality to each hole, yet a collective continuity to the entire 18?



5. Aesthetics: How well do the scenic values of the golf course (including landscaping, vegetation, water features and backdrops) add to the pleasure of a round?



6. Conditioning: How firm, fast and rolling were the fairways, and how firm yet receptive were the greens on the day you played the course?



7. Ambience: How well does the overall feel and atmosphere of the course reflect or uphold the traditional values of the game?

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January 4, 2013

Myrtle Beach Golf Buzz: Blair Plays Putt-Putt Golf

The Grand Strand is known round the world for the quality and quantity of its golf offerings, and the setting sun doesn’t have to be the end of your day. The area is also home to a collection of putt-putt golf courses that rival its championship layout offerings. In this installment of the Myrtle Beach Golf Buzz, host Blair O’Neal visits the best mini-golf courses the Grand Strand has to offer, including a course lauded as the best in the world.

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December 27, 2012

True Blue Golf Plantation: 5 Things You Need to Know

True Blue Golf Plantation has been one of Myrtle Beach’s most talked about golf courses since its 1998 opening. Everything about the golf course is big – fairways, bunkers, greens, you name it – and the experience rises to the challenge of expectations.

Located in Pawleys Island, True Blue is one of Myrtle Beach’s best and most popular courses, but before you tackle this Mike Strantz monster, here are five things you need to know:

Stay Focused: There are

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December 20, 2012

Golf Magazine Ranks Myrtle Beach No. 2 on List of Favorite Buddy Trips

Travelin’ Joe Passov has played more than 1,400 golf courses in 50 states and 25 countries, so when Golf Magazine’s travel editor talks, smart people listen.

As part of a recent series on Travelin’ Joe’s three favorite golf travel gifts – available on Golf Magazine’s popular Front9 app  – Passov ranked Myrtle Beach second on his list of three favorite buddy trips.

The Grand Strand trailed only the much-acclaimed Bandon Dunes Resort on the

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December 11, 2012

Golf Tip: Hinge and Hold Helps Around the Green

Ted Frick, owner and director of instruction at Classic Swing Golf School, explains how to hit it close when you’ve been short-sided around the green.

More Video Golf Tips, Please!

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December 10, 2012

Meet the Man Who Won Golf For a Year in Myrtle Beach

Scott Cleve was in Las Vegas, recovering from the completion of his eighth marathon and enjoying a good run on the tables, when he received news that was almost to good to be true.

The Chicago resident opened an email informing him that he had won Golf For a Year in Myrtle Beach.

“Does this look legitimate to you?” Cleve asked his wife. “She said, ‘Yes, you should give them a call.’ … I was there to run and gamble, and what I got via email was the

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December 7, 2012

Myrtle Beach Golf Buzz: Blair Plays Where the Pros Play at TPC Myrtle Beach

TPC Myrtle Beach, home course of PGA Tour star Dustin Johnson and former host of Senior Tour Championship, is the area's only 5-star course, according to Golf Digest's Best Places to Play guide. The Tom Fazio layout is a spectacular design, culminating with a virtual island green on the par 3 17th hole and the stunning par 5 18th. Come along as Myrtle Beach Golf Buzz host Blair O'Neal tours the award-winning facility, beginning her adventure in the men's locker room!

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December 3, 2012

Course Spotlight: Great Scenery and Challenge Define Moorland

Moorland course at the Legends Resort Golf Club in Myrtle BeachStanding on the 16th tee of the Moorland Course at Legends Resort, less than 313 yards and good swing of the driver stands between golfers and an elusive eagle putt. On the scorecard it would appear to be the easiest hole on the course.

The challenge lies in what surrounds a green that is 36 yards deep and 24 yards wide. Pot bunkers, waste bunkers, grass bunkers and an assortment of unattractive options await drives that don’t end up on the dance floor. And it’s great.

The 16th hole, affectionately referred to as Hell’s Half Acre, nicely encapsulates the lure of Moorland (official site). The hole is challenging, visually appealing and, most importantly, fun to play.

“If you make it (on the green), you are in great shape for birdie,” Biddington said. “If you miss the green, bogey is a good score. It’s the ultimate risk-reward hole.”

Moorland is the ultimate risk-reward course in many ways. Golf Digest ranked the layout the 37th toughest in all of America, but golfers seem to thrive on the course’s challenge as opposed to running from it. Legends Resort is one of Myrtle Beach’s most popular multi-course facilities, and Moorland is the resort’s most requested tee time.

Dye used waster bunkers, pot bunkers, water and… 

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November 27, 2012

PineHills Course at Myrtlewood is an Under-the-Radar Gem

The PineHills Course at Myrtlewood is a quiet star on the Myrtle Beach golf sceneNo layout in the heart of Myrtle Beach could reasonably claim to be overlooked, but the PineHills Course at Myrtlewood Golf Club might be the most under-appreciated.

Grande Dunes, Pine Lakes and the Palmetto Course at Myrtlewood attract a Tiger Woods-like share of the attention for folks traveling through the heart of the Myrtle Beach golf scene.

Unlike nearby layouts, which play along the Intracoastal Waterway (Palmetto, Grande Dunes) or enjoy the distinction of being the area’s first layout (Pine Lakes), PineHills is one of the Grand Strand’s quiet stars.

PineHills delivers value and an enjoyable round of golf. Highly regarded architect Arthur Hills overhauled the course in 1993, crafting a design that has placed an emphasis on playability for mid to high-handicappers while challenging the creativity of stronger players.

Hills enhanced the rolling terrain at PineHills, creating tee-to-green visuals and challenges that define the course, particularly around the greens.

“If you are missing the greens, you have options,” said Matt Daly, the head pro at Myrtlewood. “You can try the bump-and-run but a lot of time it’s going to be your high-lofted pitch shot that is the shot to play. If you miss the green, walk up and see where you are, know what shot you want to hit. Don’t just walk up and hit it.”

The secret to hitting greens at PineHills is… 

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November 20, 2012

Video Golf Tip: How to Find the Sweet Spot

In this installment of Nature Valley's Tips From the Pro, Brad Redding, the director of instruction at Grande Dunes Golf Academy, tells you how to find the sweet spot with your driver.

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November 19, 2012

Myrtle Beach Golf Buzz: Blair Plays Man O’War

In a market that features more than 100 courses, Man O’War Golf Club has managed to distinguish itself from the competition with a truly original design. A 107-acre lake is the course’s centerpiece and water is everywhere, but it manages not to overwhelm players. Come along as Myrtle Beach Golf Buzz host Blair O’Neal challenges Man O’War’s consecutive island greens and some of the area’s best bentgrass greens.

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November 17, 2012

Waterway Hills Golf Club Rises Above

Waterway Hills Golf Club's 27-hole Robert Trent Jones design features modern course entrance that surprises golfers, offers great viewThere are more than 100 Myrtle Beach golf courses but none comes close to matching the rousing start provided by Waterway Hills Golf Club, a facility players don’t forget.

A 27-hole Robert Trent Jones design, Waterway Hills Golf Club has what might be the most unique entrance in the nation. At Waterway Hills, golf bags don’t arrive at the clubhouse in a car, they come via aerial tram. The parking lot is located along the east side of the Intracoastal Waterway, while the clubhouse and course are on the west side.

 

Players take the tram, rising more than 100 feet above the Intracoastal, across the waterway. The ride offers a stunning (and beautiful) start to a round of golf. The tram ride lasts less than two minutes and drops players off at a clubhouse overlooking the waterway. (In case you were wondering, the tram is enclosed, protecting players from the elements and the ride across is enjoyable)

When the tram reaches the clubhouse, attention immediately turns to golf. The three nines at Waterway Hills – Oaks, Lakes and Ravine – all showcase the architectural splendor that Trent Jones is renowned for.

Robert Trent Jones fans will recognize…

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November 13, 2012

Five Things You Need to Know About the PineHills Course at Myrtlewood

The PineHills Course was the first of Myrtlewood’s two layouts to open in 1966 and it has long been among the area’s most requested tee times. Its sister layout, the Palmetto Course, one of seven Myrtle Beach golf courses to play along the Intracoastal Waterway, opened in 1973 and together they made Myrtlewood a pioneering multi-course property.   What else do you need to know before teeing it up on the PineHills Course? We have five tips will assist you on the first

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November 12, 2012

Best of the Best at Myrtlewood’s PineHills Course

The PineHills Course at Myrtlewood is noted architect Arthur Hills only work on the Myrtle Beach golf scene. Hills remade the layout in 1993, skillfully using mounding and strategically placed water hazards to change the feel of the course.

We consulted with Myrtlewood’s director of golf, Matt Daly, for a list of the three best holes on the PineHills Course and how to attack each of them. Here are Daly’s recommendations on how to play the best of the best at PineHills:

– The

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November 7, 2012

Meadowlands Renovations Met With Rave Reviews

Meadowlands Golf Club is among the seven Myrtle Beach golf courses that installed new greens last summer, but the player-friendly layout took its refurbishment work a step further. 

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