|
Golf here started slowly. In 1961 there were only three clubs in town and by 1967 there were only eight. But when an enterprising businessman devised a holiday promotion for them, in conjunction with a small group of hotels, the fuse was lit. The golf boom was about to explode.
Soon they hired the biggest acts in golf design: George Fazio, Willard Byrd, Trent Jones Sr., P.B.Dye, Arthur Hills and the modern triumvirate of Palmer, Nicklaus and Player. All left their indelible marks on terrain made for golf; rolling, heavily timbered land, with a high water table and basking in year-round sunshine.
By 1988, when that once loose-knit association had grown to include 51 clubs and 69 hotels, the number of rounds played topped the two million mark for the first time as golfers helped contribute some $98.5 million to the local economy.
In 1995 the number of rounds played was 3.9 million and it topped 4.3 million in 1998, a 100 per cent increase in eight years.
You can merely guess its value to the local economy today and it explains why Myrtle Beach is the world's leading golf holiday destination.
The genius who began it all is still the figurehead. Now he has a vast advertising budget, honours galore and a reputation for walking on water before turning it into wine.
That's the background, so where do you begin? A good question. A man could expire from exhaustion before he'd played all the courses and even regular visitors tend to stick with their favourite dozen or so. After six visits I doubt I've seen half of them, largely because each time I return there's another 20 or so to investigate!
If there is a criticism to be made it is that there's no guidance, no course ranking system. Even allowing for the multiple tees that abound, there are some courses that are beyond the less proficient golfer, the type of player who would relish some of the more laid-back lay-outs. That's experience talking.
So my selection is in two parts, the first based on good value, the second on degree of challenge, which generally means the premier, more expensive courses.
The question of green fees is a convoluted one. They'll generally be included in your package (you pre-pay the tour operator at reduced rates for the courses of your choice) and most hotels have access to specific courses at special rates.
Each year the course owners' association members agree a common base rate and add their own surcharge. So no two green fees are similar and all vary according to seasonal demand and quality of the course.
Most clubs have a replay policy that allows a second round, subject to availability, for only the cart fee. No bookings possible; check with the starter before you order lunch. You'll seldom be disappointed, particularly if the club has two or more courses.
Try not to burn the candle at both ends and you'll be happy you accepted the invitation to "come up and see us sometime."
Page [1], [2], [3] - [next page]
|
