By Jim Maggio
I’ve been living and working in “The Golf Capital of the World” for most of the past two decades now, and have played or filmed at virtually every Play Golf Myrtle Beach member course along the way. Between the imagery I’ve gathered and the wayward shots I’ve attempted to hit, water has come into play much more often than not.
In that spirit I’ve compiled my own ranking of courses that comprise “The Aquaman Trail” – a personal top 40 list, if you will, of Myrtle Beach golf courses and their one water hole that stands out in my mind for reasons either scenic, or for where my golf ball has made one or more splash landings.
We continue our countdown this week with the debut of a host of par 5s and 4s among Nos. 30 through 21:
World Tour-Open #5 – This par 5 is a replica of English Turn #15, and its island green neighbors that of its more famous/infamous tribute to TPC Sawgrass #17. It’s a badass setup that doesn’t get enough attention.
Wedgefield #14 – Another par 5, with water cutting diagonally a looongg way en route to the green.
Pine Lakes #14 – The water hazard fronting the green isn’t huge by any stretch compared to other courses on this list. It only seems that way when you’re hitting your approach from the base of the hill that precedes it.
West Course at Myrtle Beach National #18 – Like Eagle Nest #18, a par 3 finisher that leaves an impression as you finish your round.
Man O’ War #9 – Reminds me of a waterized version of Long Bay #10, where a waste bunker surrounds most of the hole on both sides. You’ve got to miss badly for water to really come into play here.
Well, I tend to miss badly …
Crow Creek #6 – One of the small handful of remaining Grand Strand courses with bentgrass greens, and this one’s a beauty.
SouthCreek at Myrtle Beach National #10 – The Dye Family typically leaves the front and back nine finishing holes as their choices for water to run from tee to green; Arnold Palmer chose it for his back nine kickoff effort here.
Wild Wing-Avocet #14 – The smart play is to go around the water here and take the “easy” iron/wedge route. But this par 4 is reachable with a well-struck drive. Yeah, you know what route you’re gonna take …
Barefoot-Norman #10 – The Intracoastal Waterway is a dramatic backdrop for several memorable holes up and down the Grand Strand. It’s a safe bet you’ll see more ICW settings on this list in the near future.
Pearl-West #7 – What a hole. And lots of wildlife that admire it right alongside you.
Stay tuned for next week’s unveiling of the first half of our top 20!