January Renovation Project Will Have Shaftesbury Glen Primed For a Big Spring

January 11, 2016

Shaftesbury Glen is undergoing renovation work that will improve the courseA former Myrtle Beach Area Golf Course of the Year, Shaftesbury Glen closed on January 1 to undergo a short but substantial renovation project that will impact the course’s look and increase its playability. 

To address drainage issues the course battled, Shaftesbury’s management is adding waste areas on 9 nine holes, totaling 250,000-square-feet. The waste area’s will be filled with the sand, creating dramatic new visuals and providing golfers what amounts to a second cart path. 

The practical impact will be much-improved drainage and the waste areas will make it easier for players to get around even on the rare day it will be cart path only. 

While the addition of the waste bunkers will create an additional hazard, Shaftesbury’s fairways are among the widest in the area so the course won’t play significantly harder. To offset any increased difficulty off the tee, some of the course’s famed finger bunkers are being flattened, making it easier to get out of the sand and onto the outstanding bentgrass greens. 

The width of some of the bunkers are being reduced as well to provide more room in front of greens to allow players to run the ball up. 

“We are taking the initiative to improve the course,” said Ryan McCarty, Shaftesbury’s general manager. “I’m proud of our ownership for stepping up during a tough time for the golf industry. They are moving forward to create a better golf course and a better experience for our customers.”

Speaking to ownership’s commitment, Shaftesbury has matched the sand in the waste bunkers to that in the greenside traps, ensuring a continuity of look that golfers will surely appreciated. 

Shaftesbury is part of the popular Glens Group family of courses, along with Glen Dornoch, Heather Glen and Possum Trot. The layout, which opened in 2001, has a well-deserved reputation for the quality its greens and playability.