Thistle Announces Major Greens, Bridges and Hospitality Renovations

Thistle Golf Club has announced that, beginning June 3, the highly popular Sunset Beach design will embark on an aggressive three-year campaign to replace the greens on each of its Cameron, MacKay and Stewart nine-hole courses. The work will occur in the summer months each year through 2026, beginning with the Cameron course this year.

The course closures for each nine will happen in the following sequence (with reopen dates considered tentative pending weather conditions):

Cameron (June 3 – September 9, 2024)
MacKay (June 2 – September 8, 2025)
Stewart (June 1 – September 7, 2026)

TifEagle bermudagrass remains the surface of choice in this endeavor. “This project will ensure Thistle remains the bellwether in our industry’s putting surface standards,” said General Manager Kevan Moore. “We will restore our green complexes to their original size and height, with our award-winning superintendent, John Pridgen, teaming with CR Lutzke Golf, the leader in their field, to complete this ambitious project.”

Moore also announced Thistle’s ambitious bridge replacement initiative in unison with its greens replacement. Cameron bridges at holes 4, 5 and 7 will be completed in summer 2024, with bridge replacements on MacKay wrapping up in summer 2025. There are no bridge replacements required for the Stewart course.

Moore also revealed Thistle being in the planning stages for its “At the Turn” range bar. This new, innovative venue will feature an open-air bar equipped with televisions and outdoor speakers that can provide music and entertainment as guests either wait for a replay or just hang out for the afternoon with friends. “At the Turn” will also serve as Thistle’s “Tournament Central” for staging announcements and news during its many tournaments.

Along with greens, bridges and “At the Turn,” work remains ongoing with Thistle’s highly acclaimed PermaEdge stacked sod bunkering system project and will continue until all bunkers are completed. Moore notes that just six greenside bunkers remain, at which point their attention will shift to Thistle’s fairway bunkers.

“This (PermaEdge) project is extremely labor-intensive, not to mention quite expensive, but the results and accolades have blended perfectly with one of the many attributes that make Thistle such a special place,” Moore noted. “The aesthetics, usability, and durability have made this project well worth the cost and effort. Our guests love it!”

Be sure to stay in touch with Play Golf Myrtle Beach for updates on these, and all course renovation projects happening throughout “The Golf Capital of the World!”