Myrtle Beach Golf News & Updates

Working for the Golf Channel really has been a dream come true.  I’ve been here for a year now and I have had some amazing days and none more fun than this past Thursday.  I sat down for an interview with Arnold Palmer for an entire hour.  I have had the chance on several occasions to speak with him but never for that amount of time.  The first thing you notice is that when he walks into the room the temperature goes up about ten degrees.  Even at eighty,

Bumstead’s Pub has a name everyone is familiar with and a menu few visiting golfers have sampled. Myrtle Beach is home to more than 1,500 restaurants and if the endorsement of locals counts for anything, Bumstead’s is worth checking out on your next golf trip. Named after the star of the long-running Blondie comic strip, Bumstead’s and its sister restaurant, Dagwood’s Deli (they share a building and a kitchen), hide in plain sight. Perched on the corner of Mr. Joe White

Welcome to Charlie’s Corner, the blog home for Golf Channel analyst Charlie Rymer. A lifelong Myrtle Beach golfer, Rymer, with his charectaristic whit and unique perspective, will be weighing in on all things golf. The days since Thanksgiving have been challenging for those of us that cover the world of golf for a living.  The Tiger Woods situation took all of us by surprise.  I remember walking in to Golf Channel for what was going to be a normal day of show tapings.  As soon as

Grande Dunes is the longest Myrtle Beach golf course, playing 7,618 yards from the tips, and it offers stunning views of the Intracoastal Waterway, but that information is easy to come by. Here are five things you need to know before playing the Grand Strand’s only Roger Rulewich design.

Grande Dunes is ranked among America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses by Golf Digest, has five holes that play along the Intracoastal Waterway, and two more that offer memorable views. The course, which opened in 2001, has emerged as one of the best on the Myrtle Beach golf scene for many reasons.

Identifying the three best holes is challenging because of the abundance of choices, but we put Grande Dunes’ senior director, Mike Buccerone, on the spot.
Which three holes are Grande Dunes’ best in Buccerone’s eyes?

Here are his choices:

No. 6, 365-yard, par 4 – If there is a surprise choice on Buccerone’s list, this is it. It’s a short par 4, playing 330 yards from the blue tees and 305 from the whites, but there is a bunker sitting right in the middle of the fairway. The smart play is a four or five iron, leaving a short approach into a green that is 45 yards deep.

According to the scorecard, No. 6 is Grande Dunes’ easiest hole, but as Buccerone can attest, that is often not the case.

“Every time I come  up (to the tee) all I want to do is take the driver and hit it over the bunker,” he said. “Eight out of 10 times I will, and seven out of 10 times I’ll hit it in the bunker … People like to make it difficult, including myself, that’s why I think it’s a fun hole. An easy par 4 can become a six really fast.”

No. 14, 216-yard, par 3 – The 14th is one of the area’s most memorable par 3s. Playing from an elevated tee, players must carry a lake to hit a green that runs at a 45-degree angle towards the water.

“It’s our signature hole,” Buccerone said. “The hole can bite you, especially if you’ve got a back right pin, because suddenly it slopes off and you are in somebody’s boat.”

You won’t forget the 14th hole.

No. 18, 442-yard, par 4 – A dogleg left, the 18th provides a fitting end to the round. The course’s clubhouse, a lake, Grande Dune’s private bridge and a hotel overlooking the Intracoastal come into view. It’s a dramatic last look at everything the course offers.

“I think coming in on No.  18 is a bit of a challenge,” said Barry Carroll, a Dayton, Ohio resident, echoing Buccerone’s sentiments. “(You) come on in with the clubhouse in the background. It’s just a very nice way to finish the day.”

What are your three favorite holes at Grande Dunes?

Golf Holiday is the ultimate source for information on Myrtle Beach golf.

Myrtle Beach golf courses have collected national honors like stamps in recent years and Willbrook Plantation has again joined the fun. Golf Digest ranked the South Strand layout No. 31 on its list of America’s Top 50 Courses For Women in the just released March issue of the magazine.

A panel of more than 100 female raters ranked daily fee and public courses on categories such as shot values and resistance to scoring, but just as importantly, on how female friendly a course is. Among

Crown Park prides itself on offering value and good conditions to golfers, but there is much more to know about this course. If you are planning a trip or looking to gain a small advantage on your playing partners, here are five things to know about Crown Park:

Tucked away on Route 9, Crown Park is one of Myrtle Beach golf’s most secluded layouts. There are no houses visible from the course and there aren’t many in the general vicinity. Privacy is part of the layout’s charm, creating a relaxed atmosphere that extends throughout the round.

Once play begins, Crown Park stands on merit, and we consulted with the facility’s Head Professional Gregg Funderburk, to determine the course’s three best holes…

Perhaps no golf course fits better along the Grand Strand than Man O’War Golf Club, featuring a layout with so much water that golfers may believe they are playing on the beachfront.

Dan Maples certainly had water on his mind in the mid-1990s as he designed this par-72 track. The aqua is an omnipresent threat – its 100 acres within view from every spot on the Myrtle Beach golf favorite – but it’s not domineering to the point of unfairness.

Challengers must tee off over water

Collectors Café sits in a strip mall two blocks from the Atlantic on North Kings Highway, nestled between a Subway and Rite Aid. The white exterior, script sign and painting around the door hint at an establishment that offers more than the TGI Friday’s two blocks away.  But to the uninitiated Collectors Café doesn’t outwardly appear much different than thousands of other restaurants along the Grand Strand.

Looks can be deceiving.
 

When the doors

A good start is vital to any golf swing, and Brad Redding, the director of instruction at the Grande Dunes Golf Academy, reveals the secret to backswing success in Nature Valley’s Tips From the Pro.

What you do prior to stepping on the course can dramatically impact how you play and potentially your health. Classic Swing Golf School’s Ted Frick walks you through four stretches that will prepare you to play your best golf in this installment of Nature Valley’s Tips From the Pro.

Sure Myrtle Beach is home to the nation’s largest selection of golf courses, but the fun doesn’t stop there for those you who can’t put the putter down. The Grand Strand is also home to 50 putt-putt golf courses, including some of the world’s best.

If you have a better chance of winning money on a miniature golf course, here are the Myrtle Beach area’s five best:

1. Hawaiian Rumble: The North Myrtle Beach course hosts the Masters of mini golf every year and

The first decade of the 21st century is nearly in the books, and it has been an eventful one for the Myrtle Beach golf community. From high profile course openings to unprecedented recognition from industry leaders, there has been an abundance of news emanating from the Grand Strand.

Some of the stories flashed across the landscape like a supernova, spectacular while they lasted but forgotten nearly just as fast. But many stories have had a lasting impact on the community and the countless