Barefoot Resort & Golf - Greg Norman Course

I recently played the Greg Norman Course at Barefoot Resort & Golf for the first time in about 6 years. I have to say that I was very much more impressed with the course this time. The conditions were excellent - greens were very fast and challenging with many subtle breaks.
I really enjoyed the views along the intracoastal waterway. the only downside was the number of condos that line the fairways.
Check out the video below or on youtube.
I would have to say that the other three courses at Barefoot Resort (Dye, Love, & Fazio) are superior to the Norman Course - primarily because of the number of condos. But, the layout was great and we thoroughly enjoyed our round of golf.
If you would like to include any of the Barefoot Resort courses in your next Myrtle Beach golf package, contact Golf Packages of the Carolinas at 1-877-732-6999.

The Wizard Golf Club

We recently played The Wizard Golf Club, and we were impressed with the condition and the layout of the course. The fairways were over-seeded about three weeks before we played and they were in excellent shape. The greens rolled fast and true.
This Dan Maples layout is fair, yet challenging. Maples made good use of property, incorporating a meandering stream, lakes, and mounding with natural grasses.
The three finishing holes were our favorites. The 16th hole is a par 4 that measures 396 yards from the white tees with water down the right side of the fairway. Number 17 is a short par 3 to an island green, and the 18th hole is a 394-yard par 4 with another island green.
Pace of play was excellent for a Saturday morning in October.

Myrtle Beach Golf Packages

Cape Fear National - New Grand Strand Golf Course Opening Soon

Cape Fear National Golf Club, the newest area course is expected to open in November or December 2009.
We recently had the opportunity to get a sneak preview of the course by playing 18-holes and we were thoroughly impressed! The course was designed by Tim Cate, whose courses include the highly-rated Tiger's Eye, Leopard's Chase, and Thistle Golf Clubs. Cape Fear National may be his best design. The course features bent-grass greens, bermuda fairways, marsh wetlands, and elevation changes. The course plans to add another 9-holes to the layout in the near future.
Cape Fear National is at the extreme north end of the Grand Strand, about 5 miles south of Wilmington, NC. The location makes it a good choice for golfers from the north to play on the way in or on the way out of the Myrtle Beach area.
There are only a few Myrtle Beach golf package companies that can get you on this course. Call Golf Packages of the Carolinas at 1-877-732-6999, or visit http://www.seasidegolf.com/ to get more information about Cape Fear National.

7 Myrtle Beach Area Courses on America's 100 Greatest Public Courses

Seven area courses appear on Golf Digest's 2009 - 2010 list of America's 100 Greatest Public Courses. Last year, there were 10 courses on the list.

The 2009 - 2010 list includes the following courses (ranking shown in parenthesis):

The Heritage Club (#33)
The Dunes Golf & Beach Club (#38)
Tidewater Golf Club & Plantation (#41)
Caledonia Golf & Fish Club (#66)
Grande Dunes - Resort Course (#77)
Barefoot Resort & Golf - Fazio Course (#96)
Barefoot Resort & Golf - Dye Course (#99)

The Grande Dunes - Resort Course is a newcomer to the list.
The four courses that fell off the list are: Tiger's Eye, River's Edge, King's North, and True Blue. I don't believe these courses decreased in quality, for the most part. I think they were "pushed" off by other courses that gained in popularity and quality. For instance, Grande Dunes - Resort Course (new to the list) has continued to gain in quality and name recognition as the course has matured since its opening in 2001. In my opinion, it is definitely a better course now then it was 2 or 3 years ago. Meanwhile, I don't believe that Tiger's Eye, King's North and True Blue have slipped at all. They are still great courses. River's Edge has struggled with the conditions of its greens the last few years, so I can see where it could fall off the list (please note that the course is renovating its greens this summer, so we hope to see it come back to prominence).

The bottom line here is that the Myrtle Beach area still has more courses appearing on the list than any other area (more than Kiawah, Bandon Dunes, Pinehurst, Las Vegas, Robert Trent Jones Trail, etc.). You should really consider playing one of these courses the next time you are in Myrtle Beach.
Our golf directors can steer you to the best values and help you build a Myrtle Beach golf package that meets your budget. Call 1-877-732-6999, or visit www.seasidegolf.com for more information.

Several Myrtle Beach Area Courses Make Improvements This Summer

Several Myrtle Beach area courses are making improvements this summer.

Sea Trail Resort - Willard Byrd Course: The Byrd course is renovating nine greens this summer. The greens on the front nine were renovated during the summer of 2008, and the back nine is getting the same treatment in 2009.

River's Edge: This Arnold Palmer design is undergoing major work on the greens to correct a long-standing problem. The course is closed for the summer to convert all greens to SeaDwarf Seashore Paspalum. This species of grass is very tolerant of salt. Seems like a great decision for River's Edge which is located along a saltwater marsh. I played on a course with "tee-to-green" Paspalum in Florida this past May, and the conditions of the fairways and greens were superb. Conditions were so good, that I actually thought the grass was artificial when I first stepped on the practice green. The green conditions at River's Edge always detracted from this scenic course, making it a hit or miss proposition. Hopefully, this will solve River's Edge's problem and the course will return to its previous high ranking.

Tidewater: One of America's 100 Greatest Public Courses (Golf Digest), Tidewater is closing for six weeks this summer to renovate tee-boxes and improve other areas of the course. A few months ago, the course removed numerous trees throughout the course which improved the look, feel and playability on some holes which had become overgrown.

Arrowhead and Sandpiper Bay: Both of these 27-hole complexes are converting all greens to Mini-Verde, a bermuda grass that is popular on the Grand Strand because of the way it tolerates heat. Both courses previously completed nine holes and are working on a second nine this summer. Sandpiper Bay will complete it's last nine during the summer of 2010, and Arrowhead will complete the project this year. Both courses have the luxury of doing this work while keeping 18-holes open for play.

Contact Golf Packages of the Carolinas when you are planning your next Myrtle Beach golf package to get the latest scoop on course conditions and great deals.

8 Myrtle Beach Area Golf Courses Make Golfweek's List

Eight Myrtle Beach area golf courses appear on Golfweek's "Best Courses You Can Play 2009" list.
The list is broken down by state. Each state has at least 5 courses listed; most states have 10 courses; some states have as many as 15 or 20 courses.
North Carolina has 10 courses on the list. Two of the courses are on the Grand Strand: Leopard's Chase at Ocean Ridge Plantation in Sunset Beach (#4), and River's Edge in Shallotte (#10).
South Carolina also has 10 courses listed. Myrtle Beach area courses include: Caledonia Golf & Fish Club in Pawleys Island (#3), Dunes Golf & Beach Club in Myrtle Beach (#4), Tidewater Golf Club in North Myrtle Beach (#6), True Blue Plantation in Pawleys Island (#7), TPC Myrtle Beach in Murrells Inlet (#8), and Barefoot Resort and Golf's Love Course in Myrtle Beach (#10).

Contact Golf Packages of the Carolinas when you are planning your next Myrtle Beach golf package.

Pine Lakes CC (The Granddaddy) Reopens

Myrtle Beach's oldest golf course, Pine Lakes Country Club, reopened last week after a major renovation of the course and clubhouse. The restoration by owner Burroughs & Chapin Company, Inc. took 20 months and $15 million.
Nicknamed "The Granddaddy," Pine Lakes was originally built in 1927, and opened under the name of the Ocean Forest Hotel and Country Club.
Designed by St. Andrews, Scotland native Robert White, the first president of the Professional Golf Association (PGA) of America, and a co-founder of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, the course was built on natural dunes a half-mile from the ocean, and features numerous fresh-water lakes and rolling fairways.
The restoration has maintained the traditional course layout, while introducing a feeling of modern design. Most notable is the use of Sea Dwarf Paspalum, a new bermuda grass specifically developed for southeast coast courses. The grass is resistant to drought conditions and water with high salt content, and may be the future of things to come in the Myrtle Beach area.
We found the Par 70 course to be very enjoyable, with plenty of challenging holes. The course layout flows smoothly, with strategically-paced bunkers protecting large greens. The greens rolled smoothly and consistently, and the fairways were tight. The fairways were a bit rough in places, but as the course matures it will improve considerably.