GOLF IN MYRTLE BEACH

By Mitch Kaplan

     Myrtle Beach is fast becoming - if it isn’t already - the populist golf capitol of the eastern seaboard. It has myriad choices for everyone. Just about any style of course, any ambience and any challenge is available.

The season defines the cost. Period!

     This, of course, is true of most destination golf resorts. But, along the Strand, with the attraction of the beaches, the entertainment and the shopping, the season doesn’t always affect the cost as direct a manner as you might think.

     Winter, of course, is by far best time to save money on both lodging and greens fees. Come January and February, seaside lodging is cheapest and very nice accommodations can be combined with excellent golf courses at minimal cost.

     It’s in the mid-50s in January, and up to 60 in February. That’s an average, mind you, which means that there will be plenty of days that are milder. Book an early afternoon tee time and pack a sweater, and you can have a very good time.

     Summer presents the next best money-option. But, only if you’re willing to overnight off-water because the beach hounds drive seaside room prices to their zenith. The downside is the heat. Average temperatures reach 91 in July and 85 in August - and that’s a very humid heat.

     In summer, get out early if you can. On the other hand, if the heat doesn’t bother you and you drink plenty of water, a mid-afternoon round almost guarantees an unpopulated course. That’s a good option to keep in mind if you’re relatively new to the game and are concerned about holding up other people’s play.

     Another summertime trick for uncrowded courses: play on Saturdays; that’s arrival/departure day for many vacationers.

Surcharges

     There are "surcharge" courses and then there are "non-surcharge" courses. A non-surcharge course is one that does not add an extra fee to your package deal or greens fee. Surcharge courses can also be classified as "premium" or "elite."

     If you’re golf elitist, you’ll want to play the surcharge courses. They tend to be the best: well maintained; have the nicest clubhouses, restaurants and other facilities; and have been designed by the biggest names in golf architecture.

36 Holes a Day

     Many courses allow a second round later the same day for a reduced fee. Check the Golf Desk website at www.golfdesk.com/   

Packages

     Packages reduce golf vacation costs any time of year. The problem comes, as with most everything else at Myrtle Beach, in sorting through the choices. When comparing packages, be sure you’re comparing apples with apples. Cart fees offer an excellent example. They can run $20 per day, and may or may be included.

Two top packagers:

     • Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday www.golfholiday.com/ is perhaps the largest vacation packager for the Strand.

     • Myrtle Beach Key Attractions www.myrtlebeachtrips.com/ operated by Burroughs & Chapin.

Some Tips

     A place with 100-plus courses in a sixty-mile span can be paralyzing to first-timers. Golf industry locals offered several tips to assist in getting the most from a trip to Myrtle.

     • Make the trip in a foursome if possible. That makes everything easier and cheaper from obtaining the best lodging deals to booking the best tee times.

     • Make use of the "Golf Planner." It offers a good overview in print. "Check the ads for ‘golf savviness’ when choosing lodging," recommends one local.

     • Log on to one of the golf websites, you’ll get in-depth descriptions, and you just may catch some information on which courses are hosting special events.

     • Check with the golf desk or concierge where you’re staying to locate good courses that are convenient. "There’s no real need to travel great distances to play any particular style of course," one native advised. "You can find most anything within easy driving distance of where you’re staying."

The Prime Courses

     After looking over a variety of golf publications, talking to a number of golfers who’ve played at Myrtle, and listening to locals in the hospitality and golf industries, a number of course names repeatedly surfaced, being described as "good places to play."

     • Quail Creek. Located on the west side of the Intracoastal Waterway, Quail makes an excellent first-day course; it features wide fairways, good maintenance and a relaxed atmosphere.

     • Indigo Creek. A whimsical and diversely challenging course, it winds through huge oak trees and classic wetlands.

     • Myrtlewood. Play either the Pine Hills course with its good wide-open layout, or the Palmetto, which is highly rated.

     • Myrtle Beach National. The three Arnold Palmer courses here present a full variety of challenge and settings.

     • Caledonia Golf & Fish Club. How can you miss with a name like this? This Pawley’s Island club has been top rated by all the major golf magazines.

     • Pine Lakes International Country Club. Also known as “the Granddaddy,” this is where it all started. Check out the Rolls Royce style golf carts and the kilt-clad starters.

     • The Legends. Three courses, including one by Pat Dye, that offer a full test of skills.

     • Glen Dornach. You’ll think you’re in Scotland.

     • Heritage Club. A spacious, rolling course that will forgive you your sins and shortcomings.