“Breaking Par with Charlie Rymer” Episode 10: Tradition Club

Four more stops for Charlie in the “Southern Swing” of his Grand Strand golf quest, and this one takes him to an award-winner: Tradition Golf Club, a Ron Garl design that won South Carolina Golf Course of the Year honors in 2001. Let’s see how “The Big Timer” fares on its par-4 7th hole that features an island green!  

Cancer knocked me down, but not out. Now, I’m cancer free. The recovery? It’s been tough. I’ll need patience, a lot of humor …

(You can only keep talent down for so long!)

… And support from friends and family. Over the last two years, I haven’t played much golf, but there’s no better place to get back in the game than on 66 courses in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We’re keeping score, but just teeing it up means I’ve already won!

(You’re not going to believe where this ball ended up!)

Join me on my journey to break par!

We all enjoy the challenge of an island green on a par three. Are we going to like it on a par four? We’ll find out as we take on number seven at Tradition. You see it’s a straightaway shot off the tee. No real mysteries here. We just want to make sure we’ve left ourselves in the position we like for a high-lofted approach that carries the water.

Myrtle Beach is made up of about 10 individual communities. Today we’re in Pawleys Island. That’s down on the south end. Pawleys has sort of a sleepy feel to it. I like it. A lot of summer relaxing going on down here. Now this is the seventh hole at Tradition. It’s a traditional, old-style, southern Lowcountry golf course and this hole, I don’t know a lot folks, but this hole has a peninsula green and you better hit it in the fairway. If not, you’re going to make like an 8 or a 9 or you could even make a 12.

Uh-oh, I missed the fairway. I sure hope I don’t make a 12. That’d be embarrassing with all these cameras rolling.

Man, I thought I was going to fix that slice. I hadn’t played much in this last year and a half. I’ve been thinking that I’m going to fix a slice. I guess I’m going to have to start practicing. Golf’s not real easy when you’ve got to take some time away, especially for being sick, but I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to figure it out.

Let’s see what we got. Let’s see what we got. Oh yeah. Now this one’s got my attention. I get a chance for a three-pointer here, right between those two pines. I’ve got to take a little off this. I got to keep it low, but I got to make sure I get over the water. I’ve got about 150 yards. Water short. Water right. Water left. A little water never bothered me. Oh yeah, she’s dry. You’re not going to believe where this ball ended up. That was pretty close right there. That ball is out on the edge of that peninsula, I think it’s between the bunker and the water. But I get three points because I hit it right in between those trees. Three points!

Yeah, baby. I like living on the edge. How’s a ball finished there? That takes a lot of talent. Watch out for the gators. All right, here we go. Who said you’ve got to hit the fairway here? I don’t have to hit no stinking fairway! You just got to be talented, have a very positive attitude and be sexy. I got all of that covered. That’s a pretty interesting par right there. Here we go, boys!

Same story here. Even through 10. The birdie train’s coming, I can just feel it!

Miss an Episode? Just Click the Links Below to Catch Up!

Episode 9: TPC Myrtle Beach

Episode 8: River Club

Episode 7: Litchfield Country Club

Episode 6: Caledonia

Episode 5: True Blue

Episode 4: Pawleys Plantation

Episode 3: Founders Club at Pawleys Island

Episode 2: Heritage Club

Episode 1: Wedgefield Country Club

Series Trailer