100 in Myrtle Beach but one of the finest ... King's North at Myrtle Beach National. By Jeff Thoreson ... Carolina to ce
Featured Course King’s North at Myrtle Beach National
By Jeff Thoreson
The par-5 sixth features an island
Do we want 100 golf courses along
King’s North at Myrtle
fairway that offers a high risk-high
the 60-mile stretch of Route 17 as
Beach National is
reward shortcut to the green, and
it crawls from southeastern North
the island green par-3 12th are two
Carolina to central South Carolina?
of the most memorable holes on
Yes. Yes, we do, because if we
The Strand and must-plays for your
didn’t have those 100 golf courses
spring Myrtle Beach trip.
(most of them open to the public)
not only one of the best courses among the 100 in Myrtle Beach but
on exactly that 60-mile length of
one of the finest
Ain’t America great? I mean, really,
highway, where would the one
public courses in the
where else in the world can you find
million golfers (give or take a few
100 golf courses along a 60-mile
foursomes) who pilgrimage there
stretch of a single highway? If this
every year go to spend their millions
isn’t good old-fashioned American
of dollars to play golf, drink beer and
capitalism at its finest, what is?
soak in a little nightlife when their
country.
home courses are still winterized? You can’t find 100 varieties of hamburger joints along any
There are other options. Hey, this is
highway. If the American free
America, land of options. But there
enterprise system isn’t the best in
is no other Grand Strand. Nothing
the world, then I can’t hit a 9-iron
even close. Route 17 is a highway of
125 yards. But do we need 100 golf
neon signs and golf, seafood buffets
courses along any 60-mile stretch
and golf, hotels and golf, nightlife
of high in this country? No,
and golf, pancake (or waffle if you
probably not.
prefer) houses and golf.
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The Grand Strand is an American institution. We travel to The Strand from all over to gawk in jaw-
We can come back year after year after year
dropping amazement at the wonder
and not take it all in...the magnitude of it all is
of it all, knowing that as hard as
overwhelming.
we try we can glimpse only an insignificant portion of the whole. We can come back year after year after year and not take it all in. We can attack it from the north or the
impressive. But for most of us a
courses we love, and speculating
south, or the west, but from any
section here or a section there is a
about those we haven’t yet played.
direction the magnitude of it all is
welcome annual introduction to the
We check off the ones played on this
overwhelming.
upcoming golf season.
year’s trip and do the subtraction to see how many we have left.
I’m sure there are those who have
Is there a more looked-forward-to
played all 100 courses, just like
weekend than the spring golf trip to
Here’s a quick trip down The Strand
there are those who have hiked
Myrtle Beach? We begin planning
stopping at some of our favorites.
the length of the Appalachian Trail,
next year’s trip on the drive home
a feat maybe only slightly more
from this year’s, recounting the
Ocean Ridge Plantation Tim Cate’s four “Cat” courses here all have a little gnarl in them – Lion’s Paw, Tiger’s Eye, Leopard’s Chase and Panther’s Run. Farmstead It’s interesting in that you play in both North and South Carolina but even more interesting that the course finishes on a 767-yard par 6. The Dunes Club This private club is a classic Robert Trent Jones Sr. design, and if you can find a way on, don’t turn it down.
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The Resort Club at Grande Dunes
Is there a more looked-forward-to weekend than
Roger Rulewich knifed this
the spring golf trip to Myrtle Beach?
Intracoastal Waterway and some
wonderful layout in between the coastal lowlands, both of which influence play. Caledonia and True Blue Plantation Two creations from the drafting table of the late Mike Strantz couldn’t be more different. Caledonia has a very classic feel, while True Blue is a modern routing that ebbs and flows around huge bunkers to equally huge greens. Pawley’s Plantation Jack Nicklaus created some scenic holes that nudge up against coastal marshlands.
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