3 Favorite Holes: Rivers Edge

On most every person’s list of the most scenic Myrtle Beach area golf courses, Rivers Edge is at or near the top. The Arnold Palmer design has seven holes that play along a marsh filled by the waters of the Shallotte River, a beautiful setting.

The course’s interior holes are also very good, which accounts for why Golf Digest ranked Rivers Edge among “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses” in 2007. With a surplus of options, picking your three favorite holes at Rivers Edge is a matter of taste, but we consulted with long-time head pro Rick Ferrell.

Ferrell’s three favorites at Rivers Edge are:

No. 6, 460-yard, par 4 – The longest par 4 on the course is one of several outstanding interior holes. The marsh captivates players, but Ferrell likes the challenge of the slight dogleg left.

The sixth has a very wide fairway and a large green, but getting the ball close isn’t easy. The right side provides the desired angle of approach, but water threatens. According to the scorecard, the sixth is the toughest hole on the front nine. With that being said, many golfers would say the hardest hole on the entire course is …

No. 9, 570-yard, par 5 – The ninth at Rivers Edge is one of the Grand Strand’s most talked about holes. The marsh lurks on the left side like a hungry shark stalking a pack of seals. Going for the green in two is foolhardy, because a razor thin green is very difficult to hold with a mid to low iron.

No matter how well the first two shots are struck, the 3rd shot into the green is sweat-inducing. The ninth’s peninsula green is 48 yards long and approximately 15 yards across.

“I think nine is great,” Ferrell said. “I don’t know many par 5s where you just hit two really good shots and the third is the hardest one yet. You can hit a great tee shot, a great and approach and you are 80 yards from the green, but you better bare down on that shot.”

You won’t forget the ninth hole.

No. 17, 490-yard, par 5 – The masochist in Ferrell relents with his enjoyment of the 17th, the shortest par 5 by 40 yards.  The marsh is a threat on the right but 17 has ample fairway room and the green can be reached in two.

 “Bite off as much as you are comfortable with (off the tee),” he says. “From the white tees (440 yards), you can get as aggressive as you want but there is plenty of room on the left to play it safe. If you want to play it as a three-shot hole, you still have a good chance to make birdie.”

What are your thoughts on Ferrell’s three favorite holes, particularly the ninth?

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