Built on the site of an old rice plantation and overlooking the picturesque
Waccamaw River, Strantz has artfully crafted the site’s streams, ponds and
moss-covered oaks to create a hugely enjoyable test of golf. There’s some
lovely course details such as the duck species (Pintail, Mallard and Wood
Duck) to mark the tees and scorecards, and the duck nesting boxes on
posts that act as 100-yard distance markers. Amid the scenic backdrop of
blooming flowers and colourful shrubs are some memorable holes such as
the picturesque par-3 11th with a snaking creek to the green, the par-4 13th
that doglegs around a giant oak tree and the wonderful closing hole.
The par-4 18th borders the Plantation’s old rice field, and requires a precise
drive that sets up a difficult second shot - a forced carry onto a green
at the foot of the clubhouse, where its tradition for onlookers sitting in
rocking chairs sipping their drinks, to respond appropriately and sometimes
bet on the results of player’s shots. Fortunately, my crisply struck 9-iron
over the corner of the lake to the putting surface evokes some clapping,
and after making par, I pull up a rocking chair on the clubhouse porch, enjoy
a cold beer, and take in what must be my all time favourite 19th-hole.
Heritage Club
For my final round I join Chris King, President of Kingfish Communications
and Jeff Monday, Tournament Director for Myrtle Beach Golf Holidays
outside the stately clubhouse of the Heritage Club in Pawleys Island.
“There’s a lot of meat on the bone out here” says Chris as we head to the
first tee of this challenging Don Maples 1986 design. Over 600 acres of
giant magnolias, 300-year-old oaks, freshwater lakes and marshes have been
transformed into spacious, rolling fairways and large contoured greens,
surrounded by landscaped areas of wildflowers and flowering shrubs.
Water comes into play on several holes including the very tricky par-3
13th where the tee shot is all carry over water, and the par-4 14th where
an intimidating drive over the corner of a lake to a narrow landing area is
followed by a second shot over more water to the green. The Heritage Club
is a fun layout where you’ll need plenty of game to score well. Besides the
great company, my lasting memory of the Heritage is the monster 100ft
birdie putt I make from the bottom of the severely undulating green of the
par-4 12th - its the type of golf shot that will keep me going for years.
There are so many top-drawer courses in the Myrtle Beach region that its
impossible to mention them all. A few more notables are Tidewater Golf
Club (surrounded by the curves of the Intracoastal Waterway and scenic
salt marshes of the Atlantic Ocean), Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club
(a classic Lowcountry Jack Nicklaus Signature course), Waterway Hills (a 27hole Robert Trent Jones Sr. design where the golf experience begins with
a gondola ride across the Intracoastal Waterway to the clubhouse), and
World Tour Golf Links which features holes inspired by famous courses like
Pinehurst, St.Andrews and Winged Foot.
18th green & clubhouse – True Blue Golf Club
(CREDIT: Brian Oar- Fairways Photography)
Two of the most exceptional stay-and-play golf resorts along the Grand
Strand are the Legends Resort and Barefoot Resort & Golf. Guests at the
Legends Resort have a choice of three varied courses: Heathland (a Tom
Doak gem), Moorland (designed by P.B Dye), and the Parkland (modelled
around the style of golf architects Alister MacKenzie / Augusta National
Volume 3 • Issue 28
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