Myrtle Beach Golf Course Ratings:  The Three Best Holes at Willbrook Plantation

Dan Maples has publicly declared Willbrook Plantation one of his finest works, and a round at the South Strand gem will leave little doubt as to why. Willbrook challenges golfers with a strong design and charms them with an unforgettable lowcountry setting.

Identifying the cream of the crop at the 4.5-star course, a long-time favorite of Myrtle Beach golf insiders, isn’t easy, but we ask head pro Kevin McGuire to provide a look at the layout’s three best holes and he obliged.

• Lee Trevino, who once played Willbrook, called the 428-yard first hole one of the toughest opening holes he’s ever played. A dogleg right, players need to stay to the left-center of the fairway but that brings water into play.

The hole plays longer than it appears, which contributes to the challenge. A 230-yard drive from the white tees will leave a 170-yard approach, so make sure you are ready to stripe the ball from the outset.

• The par 4, fifth hole is one of the course’s prettiest and it’s surrounded by water. Players have to carry water off the green and on the approach, though neither carry is taxing from a distance standpoint. With remnants of an old plantation home on the left and an abundance of alligators typically in the water or around the green, this 383-yard hole is one you won’t forget.

• Willbrook’s home hole is a Myrtle Beach golf beauty. The 535-yard, par 5 18th hole is a dogleg right that offers a substantial risk-reward challenge. Players can try and cut the dogleg in hopes of getting home in two, but doing so means flirting with out of bounds on the right.

Played conservatively, assuming a good tee shot, par is very attainable, but if you get greedy, trouble awaits.