Myrtle Beach Golf Blog

Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront Course, Hilton Head, SC

2007-10-02T14:31:00.000-04:00

The Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront Course at Palmetto Dunes is one of my favorite courses in the Hilton Head area.

The course is challenging, yet fair. It offers some great holes as it winds through Palmetto Dunes. While the front nine serves up some interesting layouts, the signature par 5, 10th hole (shown above) really sets the tone for the back nine which runs along canals and through ancient oaks.

Right after we made the turn, we had pelicans plunging into the ponds near the tee-boxes. They always seemed to time it so I was at the top of my back swing when they crashed into the water.

I highly recommend playing this course if you are lucky enough to find yourself in Hilton Head!

Founder's Club at St. James Plantation

2007-08-28T12:56:00.000-04:00

Played the Founder's Club at St. James Plantation again for the first time in about 2 years. This is really a great course - but tough! It's a P.B. Dye design with some narrow landing areas and strategically placed bunkers. In addition, there are a lot of undulating greens. So even if you reach a green in regulation you will probably face a challenging putt (or 2!) unless you are in the right spot.
The course was in very good shape, although the greens were a little slow due to the extremely hot weather conditions, and spare rainfall that we've experienced this summer. Pace of play was pretty good, and they have a very nice clubhouse.
Other courses at St .James Plantation are the Player's Club, Member's Club and Reserve Club. All have a large membership and just a few packagers can book rounds on the courses. The Reserve Club is the newest of the 4 courses. It's a Jack Nicklaus signature design that opened in 2006, and will be going private in early 2008. The Reserve Club was voted "Best New Course in North Carolina" in 2006.
The courses at St James Plantation are a long drive from Myrtle Beach, but not too bad from North Myrtle Beach. They are definitely worth playing, and may work out very well if you are traveling from the north and can play them on your way in or out of the area. If you are making the trip to St. James during your stay, you may want to consider playing 36 holes.

Willbrook Plantation Golf Club

2007-08-07T13:28:00.000-04:00

Was invited to play Willbrook Plantation a few days ago. This was the first time I played the course. I had heard good things about it and they were all true.
This Dan Maples design impressed me from the first hole to the last. Scenery was very nice, featuring large live oaks, ponds, lakes and a few marsh areas. There are also some historic markers pointing out items of interest from the days when the property was home to a couple of southern plantations.
My wife played with us and she really enjoyed the course, which has been ranked by Golf for Women as one of the top courses in the country for women golfers (ranked #31 out of 50 in the 2007 rankings).

Ten Myrtle Beach Golf Courses on America's 100 Greatest List

2007-07-20T10:50:00.000-04:00

Ten Myrtle Beach area golf courses made the Golf Digest TM 2007 - 2008 list of "America's 100 Greatest Public Courses."
Think about that for a minute. 10% of the courses on the list are located on the "Grand Strand."
And, with about 90 public golf courses in the Grand Strand area, over 10% of them are on an authoritative list of the top courses in the country! That's a pretty good statement about the quality of the golf courses in the area.
Courses included on the list are:

#28 Dunes Golf & Beach Club
#41 Tidewater Golf Club & Plantation
#46 The Heritage Club
#53 Barefoot Resort & Golf – Davis Love Course
#62 River’s Edge Golf Club
#73 Tiger’s Eye Golf Links
#76 King’s North at Myrtle Beach National
#86 Caledonia Golf & Fish Club
#87 True Blue Golf Club
#92 Barefoot Resort & Golf – Tom Fazio Course

These are all great courses, but I think there are several other courses in the area that are as good as (maybe better than?) a few courses on this list. Among the missing, are Thistle, Oyster Bay, and The Player's Club at St. James Plantation.
There are probably many other courses around the country that you could put up against some of the courses on the list, and say that you think they're better. But when it comes down to it, it's pretty hard to come up with a list that everyone will like.

Dunes Golf & Beach Club

2007-06-22T15:34:00.000-04:00

Dunes Golf & Beach Club certainly lives up to its reputation as the top golf course in the area, and one of the Best in the U.S. (it appears consistently on the top ranking lists).
The course opened in 1948, and has hosted the Senior Tour Championship and U.S. Women's Open.
I played the course on June 22, 2007, and found the conditions to be perfect!
This Robert Trent Jones layout is challenging, yet fair. The par 5, 13th hole (named "Waterloo") is the signature hole on the course. It plays 590 yards from the tips, and is shaped like a boomerang around a large lake. This hole requires a well-placed tee-shot with a driver or fairway wood, followed by a long shot over the lake (watch out for the alligators!), and a short approach to a tricky green.
As a matter of fact, you need to pay attention to pin placements and the yardage book on a number of the greens, as many of them have two levels or sloping areas.
You pay a premium to play this course, but it's worth the experience.

Leopard's Chase

2006-11-10T15:22:00.000-05:00

We had the privilege of playing Leopard's Chase at Ocean Ridge Plantation on 11/9/06. The course won't officially open until February 2007, but a few people were invited to play during a special "debut" event.
The course is really fantastic, and will certainly rival the top courses in the area for high honors.
I expect the course will earn a 5-star rating from Golf Digest and others after it has a few years to mature, and receive some recognition.
Tim Cate really did a great job moving earth and taking advantage of water and marsh areas on the property.
Only 7 golf package companies will have a chance to market the property to the general public, and we are one of the honored few.
We really look forward to putting our customers on this beauty!

Tiger's Eye Golf Club

2006-09-19T16:14:00.000-04:00

We played Tiger's Eye on 9/17/06. The course was in good shape considering that they had aerated the greens a week prior to playing. In addition, there was a rain storm that dumped about 3" on the course just a few days prior to playing.
It was "cart path only" because of the rain, and some of the sand traps were still very wet. The greens were sandy and slow, but they ran true.
It is such a great course - truly deserving of it's high ranking by Golf Digest and other "authorities. "
Tim Cate's design and the five different sets of tees makes this an enjoyable course for golfers of all abilities.
Ladies and Junior golfers will find the course fair, yet challenging from the front tees. There's a pretty big difference between the "white" tees and the "blues." While the blue tees lengthen the course to over 6,600 yards, it's still very playable for a mid-to-high handicap golfer.
The greens have a lot of sloping or undulation and paying close attention to pin placements can really improve your score, especially when the greens are fast.
Tiger's Eye is definitely a must-play course!

Crow Creek Golf Club

2006-09-08T12:35:00.000-04:00

Played 9 holes on Crow Creek Golf Club in Calabash, NC, a few days ago. Why did I play only nine holes? Because that's all they have open at the moment due to vandalism that destroyed most of the greens on the front nine. The course is supposed to re-open all 18 holes later this month, and everything should be fine. The course is a nice layout. Wide fairways make it a fair course for high handicappers, but tricky, fast greens make it challenging for better golfers, too.

Charleston South Carolina Golf Packages

2006-09-08T12:18:00.000-04:00

When you think of golf destinations Charleston, SC, may not come to mind. However, there are several fine, reasonably priced golf courses surrounding this historic city. Combine those courses with lodging and great restaurants and night life, and you got yourself a golf package.
Courses in the area include Charleston National, Wild Dunes, Coosaw Creek, The Links at Stono Ferry, Shadowmoss, Dunes West, RiverTowne and Patriots Point.
Lodging choices include hotels in the historic downtown area, and the surrounding area; and Wild Dunes Resort.
See our Charleston Package page for more information.

Sea Trail Resort - Dan Maples Course

2006-07-03T09:48:00.000-04:00

Played the Sea Trail Dan Maples Course on 7/1/06. The course was in great shape. This is a good, solid design with a few tough holes. Bunkers are well-placed. A yardage book is a must for this course as there are a few holes that are hard to figure out from the tee-box if you haven't played the course before.

Tidewater Golf Club & Plantation

2006-06-28T16:08:00.000-04:00

Played Tidewater Golf Club & Plantation in North Myrtle Beach, SC for about the 12th time in the last several years. No matter how many times I play that course I always enjoy it.
All of the par 3's are challenging - particularly #3 and #12.
Both holes require accurate shots to undulating greens. #12 is especially demanding because of a long carry over the marsh with a 2-club wind (normally in your face).
The greens and fairways were in good condition.
The only thing that detracted from the round was the slow pace of play.

Harbour Town

2006-06-14T13:58:00.000-04:00

Played Harbour Town at Sea Pines Resort in Hilton Head, SC for the first time on 6/5. Wow! What a great course! Really challenging shot-making from tees to greens.

The 17th and 18th holes are really special with great views of the surrounding marsh, and of the famous lighthouse.
In addition, to a great course the service was top end.
Although they had just aerated and top dressed the greens, it really didn't detract from the experience of playing such a super course.

The Big Cats Package

2006-04-26T13:29:00.000-04:00

Seasidegolf.com's most popular Myrtle Beach golf package is the Big Cats Package. Year-round, this package is probably the best value on the Grand Strand. Ocean Ridge Plantation's 3 courses- Lion's Paw, Panther's Run, and Tiger's Eye are three excellent courses as evdienced by their popularity, and ratings. Tiger's Eye has been ranked on Golf Digest's list of the "America's 100 Greatest Public Courses" the last few years (#41 on 2005 - 2006 list).
Ocean Ridge Plantation will be opening its newest course, Leopard's Chase, in the Fall of 2006 and it's going to be a great addition.
If you want to play these courses during the Spring season you need to book it early because the tee-times go real fast!

Summer Golf Package Deals - LOW PRICES!!!

2006-04-21T15:10:00.000-04:00

Believe it or not, you can get some of the best Myrtle Beach golf package deals of the year during the summer months.
Summer green fees are the lowest of the year because the courses are pretty empty. That's because Myrtle Beach is a beach destination during the summer (that's why the call it Myrtle BEACH). Most of the people who are here during the summer aren't here to play golf - they can play golf at home.
We get the same great deals for condos that are away from the beach, because everyone else wants to be near the ocean. We combine that with low green fees, and we pass great deals on to our clients.
Check out Seasidegolf.com web site for great summer deals.

The Best Time Play Golf In Myrtle Beach

2006-04-20T15:39:00.000-04:00

You can't beat Myrtle Beach in mid to late April! Most of the courses are in great shape, and the Azaleas are in bloom (just like Augusta!). While green fees are at their highest for the year, the lodging rates are still relatively low. If you can make it during the last week of April, you may get the best of both worlds - the green fees start to go down for the summer months and you may still have those azaleas blooming. But you better book your lodging and golf early (like in November!), because the secret is out.

Oyster Bay Golf Club

2006-04-20T13:10:00.000-04:00

Played Oyster Bay Golf Club on 4/16/06.
The past few years the greens have not always been in good shape. But that was not the case when we played it.
When this course is in good condition, it is one of the best in the area! The marsh scenery is spectacular. We saw alligators on several holes on the back nine. A large one was sitting just off the green on the "island" hole (par 3, #17). We also saw a pair of osprey hunting for food on the front nine.
This course is a really good value if you can play it on the days you get a mid-week rate (Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday), or if you play it in the low rate seasons (summer and winter).

Sea Trail Resort Golf Packages

2006-04-18T16:49:00.000-04:00

Check out our Sea Trail Golf Plantation packages. We offer super savings on lodging and golf at the Sea Trail Golf Plantation in Sunset Beach, NC. The resort features 3 top-rated courses by well-known course designers Dan Maples, Willard Byrd, and Rees Jones.
If you want to play more golf, there are many other courses within a few miles of the Resort.
The Sea Trail villas are also great! They are roomy and well-kept.
The golf package prices include lodging, cart fees, green fees, a daily breakfast buffet (delicious!), and taxes. You also get access to the Sea Trail Activities Center which includes indoor and outdoor pools, sauna, and fitness room. There's a shuttle bus to help you get around the complex, and you're only a few minutes from the beach - one of the nicest in the area.
Click to view the details of our Sea Trail Golf Packages. If you don't see what you are looking for, please contact us and we'll get you a customized quote as soon as we can.
If you already have your lodging set up, we'll be happy to arrange your golf at great savings.