Myrtle Beach Golf Blog

Legends Golf and Resort At A Glance

By Sam Dorman for Seaside Golf Vacations

Legends Golf and Resort is located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, off of Highway 501, about 10 miles west of the ocean.  If you are looking for one of the premier “stay and play” packages in the Grand Strand area, I strongly recommend you check out Legends Golf and Resort. 

Legends Golf and Resort features three very impressive, yet very different types of golf courses on site.  The three courses are named the Parkland Course, the Moorland Course and the Heathland Course (pictured above).  All of these courses have been rated 4½ stars by Golf Digest in the past. 

The Heathland Course is designed as a British Isle Links course and in some regards mirrors St. Andrews style.  With few trees guarding the fairways and greens the wind can play a major role in how you want to plan each shot.  Also adding significantly to the difficulty of the layout is the number of deep pot bunkers golfers must avoid to shoot well here. 

The Moorland Course was designed by P.B. Dye and opened its doors in 1990.  Out of the three courses at Legends, Moorland certainly has the most elevation change, and also features the most waste bunkers.  Moorland features some of the most unique holes on the beach including the par-4 16^th hole named Hell’s Half Acre.  It is the definition of a risk, reward hole.  It only plays around 250-270 yards but with a massive bunker guarding the green it is certainly not a walk in the park. 

Finally we come to the Parkland Course.   Modeled after courses like Augusta National, and Riviera Country Club, Parkland gives guests yet another type of course to play.  Parkland is the longest of the three courses, playing over 7,100 yards from the back tees.  It is a very aesthetically pleasing course with all of the fairways lined by tall beautiful trees.  It may look very pretty, but the length coupled with the massive 2-tiered greens make it a tough time. 

Legends Golf and Resort has one of the best driving ranges and practice facilities in the Myrtle Beach area, and it is open very late into the night allowing golfers to practice under the lights.  Lodging is available right on property and they offer many different types of condos and town houses.  In addition to the three courses on site at the Resort, there are two other fine courses that are part of the Legends “family.”  They are Oyster Bay Golf Links located in Sunset beach, North Carolina, and the Heritage Club located in Pawleys Island, South Carolina.  Although they require you to do some driving, these two great courses can easily be included in a Legends golf package.  

Legends package Legends Golf and Resort truly is a great place to stay and play on your next Myrtle Beach golf package.  To see the pricing for a 3 night/3 rounds Legends package, follow this link: Legends Package.  To book a package at the Legends Golf and Resort make sure you check out www.seasidegolf.com or call 1-877-732-6999 (toll free in the U.S. and Canada).

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Myrtle Beach Golf Course Review: Caledonia Golf & Fish Club

Caledonia Golf & Fish Club is one of the best golf courses in the Myrtle Beach area.  As a matter of fact, it's one of the best golf courses in the country according to Golf Magazine, Golf Digest and GolfWeek magazines.  All three include Caledonia in their lists of top 100 courses you can play in the U.S. on an annual basis.

Built on the site of a rice plantation in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, this Mike Strantz design impresses you the minute you drive up the lane through centuries-old, moss-draped live oaks toward the clubhouse.  The course wends it's way through woods, ponds, and marshes to a dramatic conclusion at the 18th hole, which is one of the finest finishing holes on the Grand Strand.

Caledonia is 6,526-yards from the black tees, 6,121-yards from the blue tees, 5,710-yards from the white tees, and 4,957-yards from the red tees.  It's a par-70, with five par-3s and three par-5s.  

The only hole that I don't like at Caledonia is the par-3 ninth hole, which is extremely short; playing only 118-yards from the black tees.  Because the course double-tees (starts groups on #1 and #10 simultaneously), you will have this as your finishing hole if you start your round on #10.  

My favorite par-3 at Caledonia is hole #3, which plays 187-yards from the black tees.  The green slopes from back to front, and it has a huge ridge on the left side that can create a lot of problems if the pin is in the back and you land your tee shot at the front of green.  Because of its length and the sloping green, it's tough to get your tee shot to the back of the green to take this ridge out of play.  The hole also has a bunker on the left and waste bunkers to the right.

My favorite par-5 is the 528-yard eighth hole.  It doglegs slightly to the right.  Be careful on your tee shot, as you will have to carry some bunkers if you want to cut the dogleg to save some yardage.  It's a longer carry than you think, especially if you have some wind in your face.  The green slopes to the front, and you have to carry a pond to get to it.  The green is a bit tricky, so don't let your guard down if you reach it in regulation.

My favorite par-4 is the 18th hole.  It's only 383-yards from the black tees, but you have to hit a good tee-shot to a narrow fairway that's protected by water down the right side.  Then your approach to the green has to carry 100-yards of water.  If you play on a weekend, don't be surprised if you have an audience, as the green is backed by clubhouse, and the veranda overlooks the 18th green.  A good shot or putt can be rewarded by applause from the folks having lunch or an after-round drink on the veranda.

Caledonia Golf & Fish Club has a "sister" course, True Blue Golf Course (another Mike Strantz design), which is right down the street, and it's also frequently listed as one of the top courses in the country.

Caledonia Golf & Fish Club is a definite must-play among courses on the Grand Strand.  If you would like to include it in your next Myrtle Beach golf package, please contact Seaside Golf Vacations or visit www.seasidegolf.com, and we'll be glad to arrange it for you.

Myrtle Beach Golf Course Review: The Wizard Golf Club

 

Holes #17 & #18 at The Wizard Golf Club

By Sam Dorman for Seaside Golf Vacations

After recently playing The Wizard Golf Club, I have finally finished the three part trilogy that is Mystical Golf.  The Wizard Golf Club is in the same family as The Witch and Man O’ War.  Please see earlier in-depth reviews in the Myrtle Beach Golf Blog for those courses.  The Wizard is located right next to its sister course, Man O’ War, in Carolina Forest, on the border of Myrtle Beach and Conway, South Carolina. 

I have to say that I would absolutely play The Wizard again.  In fact, those were my exact words to my playing partner as we left the 18^th green.  The layout of this course is a little bit different than some of the other courses that I have played around here.  It is fairly wide open, and has a lot of man-made hills and elevation changes that really make you second guess the distance and the amount required to carry.  I was fortunate to play in the morning and there was hardly any wind, which really makes it relatively easy to score well, if you can keep the ball in the short grass.  That being said, there are not many trees on the course to block the wind, so if the wind is blowing the course will play very difficult and you might struggle to hit fairways and get the ball to hold on the greens. 

As a player who enjoys fast greens and likes to pick a line, trust it, and not have to worry about it losing speed or going off track because of the shape the greens are in, I was really pleased with the great condition of the putting surface.  The greens are not enormous but they are a good size, and with not too many undulations it gives you a chance to make a long birdie putt or a nice 2 putt par.  There are a lot of strategically placed bunkers around the course that puts added risk/reward on making an aggressive approach shot. 

As on most courses, the last three finishing holes are really the holes that are going to make or break your round.  They can be the difference between breaking 90, 80, and just simply not having road rage on the drive home.  With water coming into major play, the final three holes on the Wizard are certainly no lay-up.  The 17^th hole is a pretty short par 3, playing 180 from the championship tees, 155 from the whites and 138 from the middle tees.  With the abundance of water surrounding the hole in the front and on the left, wind is inevitable on this hole.  The pin placement was on the left side of the green, but going right after it certainly brings the water into play as the sides of the green slope down into the water.  Whatever you do, make sure you are not trying to do too much, and simply focus on hitting the green and you should make it out alive.  The finishing hole is very beautiful, the water is on the left and right throughout the entire fairway and the green is surrounded by water on the right, back and front.  It is not an overly long hole, not to many holes on the course are, but it will definitely challenge any golfer.  Keeping the ball in the fairway off the tee isn’t the hard part, but getting your approach shot close with the swirling winds off the water is very tricky. 

PLaying the three Mystical Golf courses in a package is definitely something that all golfers can enjoy.  They are all in great shape and will really make you think about each shot, but also allow you to enjoy yourself at the same time.  You will not be disappointed in the playability or amenities at any of the courses.  But, I would have to say that of the three; my favorite has to be The Witch, but only because it is so scenic and unlike any course I have ever played before.  To book your Myrtle Beach golf package and try to conquer The Witch, Man O’ War, and the Wizard make sure you check out Seaside Golf Vacations (www.seasidegolf.com).

Have you played the Wizard Golf Club?  If so, please post your comments about the golf course.

Seaside Golf Fantasy Golf League

by Sam Dorman, for Seaside Golf Vacations

Congratulations to NewLeafGolf for winning the Seaside Golf Yahoo! Fantasy Golf League’s Winter Segment.  NewLeafGolf finished with a grand total of 1,879 points just narrowly defeating three other teams who tied for second place (Madison6, ARMY GOLF, and GolfUSA) by only 11 points.  NewLeafGolf was propelled to the win by 9 Top 10 finishes, including 1 victory.  As a result, NewLeafGolf won the prize for the Winter Segment, a dozen Titleist Pro-V1 golf balls.

With The Masters coming up this weekend, we are ready to kick off the Spring Segment of the fantasy golf league.  This is a chance for everyone else that did not fair nearly as well as NewLeafGolf.

The winner of the Spring Segment will also receive a dozen Titleist Pro-V1’s.  There is no fee to enter and anyone can join! Tell your friends and family, and most importantly make sure you update your lineup every week so you can see your name on the top of the leaderboard. 

To join the Yahoo Fantasy Golf League you can simply follow the link below!

http://golf.fantasysports.yahoo.com/golf

Group ID#: 931
Password: golf

Good Luck to everyone and remember the Spring Segment kicks off tomorrow morning! 

Myrtle Beach Golf Course Review: Leopard's Chase Golf Links

Leopard's Chase Golf Links at Ocean Ridge Plantation is the newest of the well-known "Big Cat" golf courses in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. 

Joining the other Big Cat Courses - Lion's Paw Golf Links, Panther's Run Golf Club, and Tiger's Eye Golf Links in 2007, this Tim Cate design immediately received accolades by being named  as one of the Top 10 Best New Courses in America by both Golf Digest and GOLF Magazine.

In the years since its opening, Leopard's Chase has matured and is still one of the best golf courses in Myrtle Beach.  But, be aware that this golf course is no walk in the park.

Par on the front nine is 35, and on the back it's 37.  There are five par 5's and five par 3's.

Leopard's Chase presents the golfer with a variety of challenges during the round including, lengthy par 5's, forced carries over water and wetlands, waste bunkers, fairway bunkers, and small greens on some of the par 4's.  

My favorite par 5 is Hole #11.  It plays 513 yards from the blue tees, and requires a tee-shot over wetlands to a generous landing area.  At that point you're faced with a decision.  You can hit a short or middle iron into a second landing area that is bracketed by wetlands on 3 sides, or you can try to carry a fairway wood over two wetland areas to the area in front of the green (or if you're a long hitter, to the large green itself).  This hole can be feast or famine.

My favorite par 4 is Hole #7.  This hole plays 421 yards from the blue tees, and it's the #1 handicap hole on the course.  This hole always plays longer than the yardage, because it slopes slighly uphill from the tee to green.  In addition, the green is relatively small and it's guarded by bunkers to the left, and mounds and woods to the right.

I also like the par 4 Hole #18.  Mainly because it means that I'm done with this brute of a course, but also because of the waterfall that fronts the green on the left side (see picture at the top of the article).

I think the best par 3 on the course is Hole #16.  It plays 179 yards from the blue tees.  The tee-shot is uphill to a small green that's protected by deep bunkers on the right and another bunker on the left.

Leopard's Chase definately requires you to keep focused on the task at hand to ward off a high score.

When combined with the other Big Cats in a four round golf package, Leopard's Chase and the other courses are one of the best deals available in Myrtle Beach.  Make sure you include Leopard's Chase in your next Myrtle Beach golf vacation package.  Just be aware that you may not want to make this Big Cat the first course you play on your trip.

Check out the Big Cats Four Round package at www.seasidegolf.com.

Have you played Leopard's Chase Golf Links?  If so, please use the comment box to tell us what you thought of the course.

Myrtle Beach Golf Course Review: The Witch Golf Club

By Sam Dorman for Seaside Golf Vacations

The Witch Golf Club, designed by Dan Maples is located on the border of Conway and Myrtle Beach right off of Highway 544.  The Witch makes up the trifecta of this wonderful golf family that includes Man O’ War and The Wizard. 

The Witch is a really different from the other courses mainly because of its beautiful lay out.  Dan Maples was able to utilize all of the natural surroundings to create truly a golf course masterpiece.  It is set up using over 500 acres of wetlands and woods, and includes over 1 mile of bridges to get from hole to hole.  Dan Maples really used everything at his disposal when drawing up each individual hole, many holes feature swamps and water around the tee box, dividing the fairways and around the greens, and he also utilizes the abundance of trees to emphasize precise shot making and decisions. 

There is no question that The Witch is visually pleasing the entire time you out there, but the thing that I enjoy most about playing The Witch is the peace and serenity you also receive with your greens fees.  Unlike many courses where there are a ton of homes, buildings and developments that you can see from the course; on The Witch you are completely out in the elements and would have a tough time even being able to spot a home or any other part of society aside from the par 5, 11^th located next to highway 544.

The Witch is a par 71 golf course and from the back tees plays about 6700 yards.  From the white tees it plays 6011 yards.  The yardage is a little skewed because of the fact that there are 5 par 3’s on the course, but the par 5’s are all very tough and even for the longest hitters usually require 3 shots to get to the green.  After a lot of thinking I have decided that my favorite hole on the entire course has to be the par 4 16^th hole.  It only plays about 385 yards from the back tees, but both your tee shot and your approach shot needs to be placed properly in order to score well.  The hole is a slight dogleg left and the ideal tee shot is a hybrid or long iron with a little draw aimed at the bunkers straight out.  After you have hopefully found the fairway, the real fun starts.  The green is tucked down below and really reminds you that a severe elevation change does exist in Myrtle Beach!  The green is large and slopes down towards the marsh in front of the green and dealing with the elevation change really puts a lot of pressure on your club selection. 

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed my round at The Witch. My group was the first out in the morning and was able to play the round in right around 3 hours which was fantastic.  The greens and fairways are in great condition and always are.  All things considered, from the course lay out, the great shape, amenities offered and the chance to get away from the busy Grand Strand The Witch is a must play on your next Myrtle Beach golf package.

To book tee times at the Witch or package it in with its sister courses call 1-877-732-6999 and make sure you check out www.seasidegolf.com.

Direct Air Suspends Flights To Myrtle Beach & Other Locations

Discount airline Direct Air abruptly suspended all flights on Monday, March 12.

Direct Air, based in Myrtle Beach, S.C., says it will not fly until May 15. Ticket holders were told to contact their credit card companies for refunds.

According to media reports, Direct Air marketing officer, Ed Warneck, blamed the action on "skyrocketing" fuel costs.  Apparently, the airline missed a fuel payment and the fuel supplier cut it off. So it had to ground its fleet.

The airline serves 17 cities in the Midwest, East and South, including Myrtle Beach, SC; Niagra Falls, NY; Toledo, OH; and Allentown, PA. 

Myrtle Beach Golf Course Review: Azalea Sands Golf Club

If you're in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, area, and you're looking for a golf course that won't beat you up, is easy on the wallet, and easy to get to; then Azalea Sands Golf Club is the course for you.

Azalea Sands Golf Club is located on U.S. 17 in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  The course is a Gene Hamm design that opened in 1972 - making it one of the older golf courses in the Myrtle Beach area.

The course is relatively flat, as are most of the courses in this region.  Although there are water hazards on the course, and a few holes have water crossing the fairway, it doesn't have any long forced carries over water.  There aren't many dog-leg holes, and the greens are fairly large. That makes it an easy course to play, which is ideal for the high handicap golfer.  It's also a good choice if you haven't played for a while and you need to knock some of the rust off your game.

As one of the least expensive golf courses in the Myrtle Beach area, Azalea Sands is a good value.

So, let's see....Inexpensive? Check!  Easy to find? Check!  Easy to play?  Check! 

What's stopping you from making Azalea Sands a low cost course on your next Myrtle Beach golf package?  Give us a call toll free at 1-877-732-6999 or shoot an e-mail to info@seasidegolf.com

 

 

 

Myrtle Beach Golf Course Review: Lion's Paw Golf Links

 

By Sam Dorman for Seaside Golf Vacations

Last week, I was lucky enough to try and tame one of the "Big Cats" in Lion’s Paw.  Lion's Paw Golf Links is a beautiful course, with a wonderful design, located in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina.  Lion’s Paw is one of the famous Big Cat courses at Ocean Ridge Plantation.

The courses in the “Big Cat” family include Panther’s Run, Tiger’s Eye, and Leopard’s Chase. Lion’s Paw is a great course and just like most courses in the area can be played by any type of handicapper.  The tips play just north of 7000 yards and the whites play right around 6450 yards.  Lion’s Paw installed mini-verde greens last summer and they could not have been rolling any truer when I played.  I would advise any golfer playing here to make it a point to go to the putting green they have next to the clubhouse to get a few putts in before the round because they are fast!

Lion’s paw is different than many of the courses I have played in the Myrtle Beach area for a few reasons.  The first is that there are a lot of elevation changes, which is something that we don’t see enough of down here, and the next is that it is pretty open and most golfers can agree that’s a good thing. And lastly the large, deep bunkers meticulously placed to demand accuracy from tee shot to approach shot.  Trust me; you do not want to find yourself in too many bunkers because you’ll have a tough time making it out alive. The back 9 at Lion’s Paw features a view of water on every single hole, and it certainly comes into play on at least 5 of the last 9 holes. 

My favorite part of the course has to be the 4 par 3’s that they have on this par- 72 track.  Each one is different and requires a truly well stuck golf shot.  The first par 3 is a long 204 yards from the back tees and plays completely over water and you really need to get the ball up in the air to have it stick on the green.  The next is the 6^th hole and also involves hitting your tee shot over water, and depending on which way the wind is blowing can really have you second guessing your club selection.  My personal favorite par 3 on the course is the magnificent 17^th hole (see the image at the top of the article).  On this par 3 you do not have to carry any water but there is water in back and on both sides of the green, and the sides of the green are covered in sea shells which can make finding a bad shot nearly impossible.

Any of the “Big Cats” are perfect for your next golf getaway and with 90 holes of championship golf it is truly a can’t miss vacation.  Make sure you check out www.seasidegolf.com for the best prices on packages to tame all of these Big Cats on your next Myrtle Beach golf package!