|
WHERE TO PLAY
Taking it as read that most courses are in a spectacular setting and with multiple tees and sound facilities a common factor, my Good Value selection, with fees between $25 and $50 according to season, is as follows:
*Azalea Sands GC; par-72, 6,902 yards from the back tees, but forgiving for lesser players. A strategic course of traditional design with no gimmicks. Great sport.
*Bay Tree Plantation GC has three disparate courses, Gold, Green and Silver and the latter, recently up-graded, is the most friendly. All good fun from the forward tees.
*Deer Track GC has two courses, both newly remodelled. The Links is an old-style design with large greens and huge sculpted bunkers. The South course offers a good test for players of every ability.
*Indigo Creek GC was nominated "Best Public Course for 1991" by Golf Digest magazine and it's even better now. Oodles of water with many dog-legs and at 6,744 yards, par-72, they say this one is addictive.
*Island Green GC has 27 holes and no combination is longer than 6,176 yards. Island greens add spice to the subtle challenge of this perennial favourite whose condition is renowned.
*River Hills GC was voted best new course in the region when it opened in 1989 and has lost nothing since. Not long (6,196 yards, par-72) but stretched by elevated tees and greens.
*River Oaks GC has 27 holes to leave you drooling. The longest combination is 6,877 yards but try the forward tees for a sporty test that will tempt you back.
OUT OF THE TOP DRAWER
THOSE hot shots wanting something meaty to chew on could play a different course every day for two weeks. At green fees that can range from $50 to $100-plus, try these for size:
*Aracadian Shores GC. A Rees Jones design of great beauty and challenge; a tight 6,938 yards, par-72, with nothing hidden.
*Arrowhead GC. Ray Floyd has laid out three acclaimed loops in an idyllic setting. Only 6,666 yards at full stretch but the terrain and hazards mock the card. A tough par-72.
*Belle Terre GC. Arguably the finest creation of Rees Jones, this classic design is winning rave reviews. No gimmicks, no tricks; simply 7,013 yards of golf in its purest form.
*Caledonia GC. Ranked the 5th best public course in America by Golf Digest, here's one for the memory bank. Only 6,503 yards but par-70. Bring your A game here.
*Legends GC. Three award-winning courses, named Heathland, Moorland and Parkland, adjudged as "the equal of any 54 hole complex ," offer contrasting challenges and options. Superb facilities.
*Litchfield Country Club: a painted landscape of lakes and giant oaks, this jewel of a course by Willard Byrd is exclusive to residents and guests of specific hotels. Litchfield's beachside resort has two other fine courses, the River Club and Willbrook Plantation. A purist's delight.
*Myrtlewood GC. Two venerable courses, newly renovated. Pinehills (6,640 yards) is a testing design of elegant style and visual appeal; the Palmetto (6,957 yards) has traditional shot values and is among the area's finest, with superb greens.
*National GC. Three Arnold Palmer courses offer a variety of options from the gentle West course to the white knuckle 7,000 yard King's North, a memorable experience now up-graded. All is enhanced by impeccable conditioning, fine facilities and a warm welcome.
*Pawley's Plantation GC. A spectacular lay-out by Jack Nicklaus that is ranked in the State's top 10, as challenging as it is beautiful. Memorable.
*Prestwick GC. Designed by Pete and PB Dye to reflect the nuances of its famous namesake, this is a massive challenge from the back tees (7,156 yards), a course destined for big things. Limited public access but worth any effort.
*Tidewater GC. Awesome sums it up. Options, nuances and drama aplenty colour this totally natural course in an unequalled peninsula setting. Tough but rewarding, with no detail overlooked; this is the finished article. Exhilarating..
*The TPC Course of Myrtle Beach. The jewel in the crown, opened to a fanfare and it deserves every accolade. With a blue-blooded pedigree and in a golf-perfect setting, from the most forward of five tees the card reads 5,783 yards, par 72, which is tough enough. Strategy is the name of the game here. Top drawer clubhouse, too.
******
Page [1], [2], [3] - [go to USA]
|
