The Player’s Digest: Willbrook Plantation Golf Club

PGMB’s David Williams and Head Golf Professional Kevin McGuire take us on a guided aerial tour of the highlight holes at Willbrook Plantation Golf Club in Pawleys Island, S.C. The beauty and rich Lowcountry history at Willbrook is matched by an unparalleled collection of memorable holes.

Kevin McGuire:
He (course designer Dan Maples) is just a great user of the natural land. Not a lot of dirt movement. He worked with what Mother Nature gave him.

David Williams:
History runs deep along the Grand Strand, and Willbrook Plantation is no exception to that.
Willbrook sits on land that is supportive of rice farming, and golfers enjoy a variety of different elements. Century-old live oaks … signature Carolina pines … and, of course, a great golf course.

Arguably the hardest opening tee shot at the beach, the first hole at Willbrook is something that should not be over looked.

Kevin McGuire:
“I wish it was a short par five, but it’s a longer par four.”

David Williams:
This hole requires a tee shot to be threaded through a small gap. Play down the left side of this hole, but not too far. Water runs all the way up the right, and is full of alligators.

The most famous holes at Willbrook are the par-four 5th, and par-three 6th.

The 5th hole is a short par four with water all down the right and short of the green. A longer tee shot will leave you a wedge into this elevated green. The most photographed hole on the golf course, the par-three 6th hole is an island green with one of the best-looking golf bridges around. I love a good golf bridge. Only playing 145 from the back, golfers can really attack this green.

After making the turn, you will step to the par-four 11th. This short par four offers players many different ways to attack it. Driver, 3-wood, driving iron, it does not matter what you hit off this tee. You must find the short grass. The miss on this green is short middle. Short right and left are greenside bunkers, and long is out of bounds.

Coming down the stretch, you see Maples blend all of the elements of the golf course together. Marshland, waste bunker, and a small green await on the par-four 16th.

The second toughest tee shot on the property will be on your final hole of the day. The par-five 18th hole requires you to cut through the dogleg. Don’t go too far, or you will find the penalty area. If you layup, you want to lay up down the right side to give yourself the best angle into the green. Your approach into the green will have to avoid the deep bunker short and long of this oval-shaped green.

History runs deep here. Enjoy Willbrook Plantation on your next Myrtle Beach golf trip!