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The post America’s Best Golf Road Trips, Part III: The Carolina Lowcountry Loop, from Pinehurst to Harbour Town appeared first on Golf.

Buckle up, folks, and welcome to the third installment of America’s Best Golf Road Trips, a six-part GOLF.com series in which our well-traveled writers will guide you through some of the most thrilling itineraries for golfers with a nose for the open road. Part I covered the Lake Michigan Loop, while Part II took you through the Appalachian Mountains Trail. Each journey will be built around golf but we’ll also sprinkle in a few other sights and stops along the way. Next up: a leisurely trek through the Carolina Lowcountry. Bon voyage!

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A road trip through the Carolina Lowcountry and its quilt work of loblolly pines, saw palmettos and marsh grasses is a feast for the senses — and the drive time is just as laidback as the countryside, with no leg of the journey exceeding two-and-a-half hours of on-the-road time.

This particular loop starts at the Raleigh-Durham airport. Your first destination is Pinehurst, one of the bastions of American golf. You’ll then head south to Myrtle Beach, before continuing along the coast to Kiawah Island and Harbour Town. You’ll enjoy the history and beauty of the Atlantic shoreline and the antebellum South — as well as a handful of Top 100 courses and resorts along the way. So put the pedal to the metal — y’all have an epic trip in store.

Start point: Raleigh-Durham International Airport

End point: Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head, S.C.

Days: 5-7

Courses: 5+

Miles: 448

Day 1: Pinehurst No. 2 (North Carolina)

Milepost: 72

Your trip starts with a bang — a visit to not only one of the most historic courses in the country, but also the onsite resort, ranked No. 2 on GOLF’s recent list of the best buddy-trip resorts in North America. You’ll be happy to have a decadent place to rest your head for the night, because Pinehurst No. 2 presents a stern test. The host of six U.S. Opens (and future “anchor site” of our national championship starting in 2024, when the U.S. Open will retun every six years), Pinehurst is everything you could ask for in a golf experience.

The best part? It’s just an hour-and-fifteen-minute drive from the airport, so you could easily play an afternoon round on No. 2 or any of the resort’s other eight (yes, eight) tracks. Regardless of where you decide to tee it up, make sure to carve out some time for a quick spin around Thistle Dhu, Pinehurst’s 18-hole putting course, and cap the experience with a pint at the Ryder Cup Lounge in the Carolina Hotel, which is drenched in history from the biennial event staged at Pinehurst in 1951.

Day 2 and 3: Myrtle Beach (South Carolina)

Milepost: 201

Two-and-a-half hours south of Pinehurst and you’re in Golf Mecca, also known as Myrtle Beach. With more than 80 courses to choose from, you could spend years visiting and fail to play them all. Our advice? Knock off several of the finest in one stop. Barefoot Resort, another GOLF Top 100 Resort in North America, is a great choice, and home to four courses designed by names you just might recognize: Greg Norman, Davis Love, Pete Dye and Tom Fazio.

Two other multi-course locations that are well worth your time are Legends Golf Resort, home to five championship courses as well as on-site accommodation, and Mystical Resort, which boasts three courses,  all of which feature newly rebuilt bunkers after a recent $750,000 renovation. No matter where you play, make room on your itinerary for a stop at Dirty Don’s Oyster Bar and Grill. It has a tropical, divey vibe that befits its name, but, oh my, the oysters are out of this world.

Day 4: Caledonia Golf & Fish Club (South Carolina)

Milepost: 233

Your next stop is a half-hour drive south of Myrtle Beach into Pawley’s Island, S.C. The Caledonia Golf & Fish Club is a stunner: quiet and gorgeously manicured with just a touch of quirk. The experience begins with a long driveway entry through an arcade of giant oaks, dripping with Spanish moss, a majestic corridor that evokes a thrilling tingle of anticipation. It’s the Lowcountry’s Magnolia-Lane feels. Word to the wise: Before you hit the first tee, take a seat in one of the rockers on the wraparound clubhouse porch and you’ll feel transported to another time.

The late, great Mike Strantz designed Caledonia as his first solo project in 1994, and ever since, the course has gained a cult following of appreciative players. The routing meanders through towering oaks and serene streams, and there is nary a home to be found on any of its 18 holes, further enhancing its uniquely unencumbered atmosphere.

Day 5: Kiawah Island (South Carolina)

Milepost: 330

Hop back in the car for an easy two-hour ride south to Kiawah Island, home to yet another Top 100 resort, Kiawah Island Golf Resort, and five courses, including the famous Ocean Course. You can’t go wrong with any of the Kiawah courses, but since you’ve come all this way, it would be criminal to miss out on Pete Dye’s iconic Ocean Course, featuring 10 eye-popping holes along the Atlantic and up to eight clubs in wind variance, depending on the day.

Water is in play on nearly every hole, making the course both visually stunning and, in typical Pete-Dye fashion, ultra-treacherous. One of the few courses to host both the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup, the Ocean Course will be back in the spotlight in May for its second major-championship go-around, the 2021 PGA.

Note: If you have some pull, do yourself a favor and plan a lunch at the private Kiawah Island Club where you can indulge in the house-specialty Shem Creek Shrimp Rolls. You won’t be disappointed!

Day 6: Harbour Town (South Carolina)

Milepost: 448

The final leg of your journey is a two-and-a-half hour shot south to Hilton Head Island, home of Sea Pines Resort (another Top 100 gem), and three fantastic courses, including Harbour Town Golf Links, host of the PGA Tour’s annual RBC Heritage.

There’s no beating the spectacular setting: 5,000 acres of oceanfront beauty, with the illustrious red-and-white striped lighthouse framing the famous finishing hole. Harbour Town is a treat, and there’s no better place to rest and recuperate from your long week on the road.

As your day winds down, treat yourself to a killer sunset view at Sea Pines’ Fraser’s Tavern. Located in the shadow of the lighthouse, this amiable outpost offers superb waterside dining, and the best shrimp and grits around. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the view.

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The post 9 Myrtle Beach Airbnbs for your next fun-filled golf getaway appeared first on Golf.

The post 9 Myrtle Beach Airbnbs for your next fun-filled golf getaway appeared first on Golf.

Myrtle Beach is home to a ton of golf courses — and a quick trip, especially for east-coasters — to escape the cold weather, see some sunshine, and get in some swings. Whether you’re planning a family vacation, spring break buddies trip or anything in between, we’ve rounded up the best Airbnbs in the Myrtle Beach area for every budget.

Pawley’s Island Paradise

Vacation home on Pawley's Island in South Carolina.

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This oceanfront home is located on Pawley’s Island, which is an exclusive, family-friendly beach between Myrtle and Charleston. The house is newly constructed and can sleep up to 10 guests, making it the perfect destination for large groups of friends or family who want to retreat to a low-key, relaxing beach scene.

Price: $786 per night

The Atlantis

Large vacation home with a swimming pool in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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This extravagant seven-bedroom, seven-and-a-half-bath home, aptly named the Atlantis, is a dream vacation spot. It has a backyard pool, baby pool, hot tub, oceanfront balcony, and a gourmet kitchen.

Price: $626 per night

Quintessential Beachfront Home

Yellow beach house with blue shutters in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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This dollhouse-like beachfront home is the epitome of South Carolina beach living. At 3,600 square feet, this home can sleep more than 16 guests. Plus, when you book, you’re eligible for $250 worth of free equipment rentals for items like kayaks, bikes, umbrellas, and paddleboards.

Price: $519 per night

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Giant Pool House

Large pool area at a Myrtle Beach, South Carolina vacation home.

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Located in Myrtle’s “Golden Mile,” this home is close to golf, dining, and shopping. It has a large pool with plenty of lounge chairs and stunning ocean views. Come here with a large group because this house can sleep 22 guests.

Price: $519 per night

North Beach Plantation House

Interior kitchen of a North Myrtle Beach Plantation property.

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North Myrtle Beach Plantation is home to an array of pools (and a lazy river), restaurants, golf courses, and a spa. A stay at this home grants you access to all of those amenities while offering additional private luxuries of its own such as an elevator, private pool, and modern kitchen.

Price: $275 per night

Classic Beach House

A green and white beach house in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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For less than $100 a night, you and five friends can stay in this updated Myrtle Beach home that’s close to Broadway Beach and many golf courses. The home has three bedrooms and two and a half baths, so it’s great for a foursome on a budget.

Price: $99 per night

Oceanfront Condo

An oceanfront condo in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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This two bedroom, oceanfront condo is a great place to rent for a golf getaway. The condo building has a swimming pool and is just steps from the ocean, if you want to take a quick dip after your round.

Price: $89 per night

The Little Cottage

A blue vacation cottage in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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This turquoise home sits in a neighborhood full of rainbow cottages. Though the house looks small from the outside, it can sleep seven people. The house also grants you access to a community pool if you’d prefer that to the ocean that’s just one block away.

Price: $69 per night

Sports Haven

Living area of a vacation home in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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If you want to shake up your golf trip and sprinkle in a few other sports to the mix, this is the rental for you. The community has plenty of activities to keep you and your buddies entertained throughout your visit. Play some tennis, lounge by the pool, host a beach volleyball tournament, or shoot some hoops in between rounds.

Price: $52 per night

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The post How to book a golf trip to Myrtle Beach’s best courses for under $1K per person appeared first on Golf.

The post How to book a golf trip to Myrtle Beach’s best courses for under $1K per person appeared first on Golf.

Myrtle Beach, S.C. is a golfer’s paradise, with over 80 fantastic courses to choose from. With a vibrant beach, restaurant and nightlife scene, it’s also the perfect locale for a buddies golf weekend.

One of my favorite things about the area is that variety abounds in every category, from super-low-budget to high end, and it’s all good fun.

Here’s how to take a four-player Myrtle Beach buddies trip for less than $1K per person.

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AIRFARE: ~$200/person

You won’t find any direct flights from the west coast into MYR, the local Myrtle Beach airport, but if connections make you grit your teeth, you can try finding a flight to Charleston. Unfortunately, you’ll be looking at a two-hour drive to Myrtle Beach when you land, so I think it’s worth the potential stress of a connection to get nice and close to your ultimate destination.

On Expedia, Spirit Airlines can get you to MYR from LAX for $275 with a layover, while LGA and ORD have direct flights on Spirit for $161-$171.

TOTAL AIRFARE: ~$200/person x 4 =$800

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GROUND TRANSPORTATION: $43.75/person

With four people traveling with clubs, you’ll need the biggest car you can get to travel comfortably. A standard SUV from Budget will set you back $175 for a long weekend (price via Expedia).

Rental car: $175/4 people = $43.75/person

TOTAL COST: $200 + $43.75 = $243.75

The Myrtle Beach Marriott Resort & Spa at Grande Dunes is located just steps from the ocean in North Myrtle Beach.

Marriott.com

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HOTEL: $312.75/person

There are TONS of independent hotels and resorts that have some truly impressive rock-bottom prices advertised on Expedia, but on a trip like this, knowing what to expect is nice, and there’s comfort in familiar chains. For that reason, I recommend the Myrtle Beach Marriott Resort & Spa at Grande Dunes. It’s about 15 minutes removed from the “scene” of downtown Myrtle Beach, but still easily drivable — and it’s right on the beach!

You could save a bit of money by staying elsewhere, but this Marriott will have all the expected amenities. At $161 per night per room (plus tax), $1,251 gets you a three-night stay in two rooms (complete with two beds each). The hotel tally comes out to $312.75 per person — not bad at all for beachfront digs!

TOTAL COST: $243.75 + $312.75 = $556.50

The picturesque par-3 6th at Caledonia.

Michael Slear / The Brandon Agency

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GREEN FEES: $280/person

Choosing from over 80 courses in the Myrtle Beach area is super tough, but two of the undisputed best are Caledonia Golf & Fish Club and True Blue Golf Club, and by booking at the special “Play Both” rate of $280, you can save about $20 per player, which feels like a steal, since both courses are ranked on GOLF’s most recent list of the Top 100 Courses You Can Play.

TOTAL SPEND: $556.50 + $280 = $836.50

DINING: $160/person

In order to stay under the admittedly ambitious budget of less than $1k per person, you’re going to have to limit big-time splurges on meals. For buddy trips, I usually recommend buying some booze upon arrival to keep in the room. A $20 contribution from each person should do the trick there. Then, you can commit yourselves to the following plan:

Arrival night budget dinner: $15 each

Day 1 golf course lunch: $18 each

Day 1 splurge dinner: $50 each

Day 2 golf course lunch: $18 each

Day 2 budget dinner: $15 each

Miscellaneous breakfasts and snacks: $24

Grand dining total: $160

TOTAL SPEND: $836.50 + $160 = $996.50

And there you have it! A fantastic, three-night, two-day golf trip (playing two world-class courses) for under $1,000 a person! Ready to book? Happy travels!

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The post WATCH: Golfer drains 100-foot putt to win $25K appeared first on Golf.

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The post Report: Greg Norman drops name from golf academy over $2M fraud scheme appeared first on Golf.

The post Report: Greg Norman drops name from golf academy over $2M fraud scheme appeared first on Golf.

The Greg Norman Champions Golf Academy is no more, at least in name. The World Golf Hall of Fame member pulled his name from the seven-year-old academy in the aftermath of an alleged embezzlement scheme involving the golf school’s managing partner.

The academy, which is located at Barefoot Resort in Myrtle Beach, S.C., is managed by Jose Manuel Fernandez Del Puerto.

On March 13, Fernandez was arrested by North Myrtle Beach Police and charged with stealing $2 million in construction funds from a nearby hotel project, according to a report by The Sun News.

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Fernandez is accused of transferring the large sum of money from a business account into his own personal checking account. He spent one night in jail before posting $100,000 bond.

In a statement to The Sun News, Greg Norman company director of communications Jane MacNeille said the company was aware of Fernandez’s arrest and “have terminated his license to use the Greg Norman name or continue any further association between his businesses and Greg Norman.”

Fernandez professed his innocence to The Sun Times, saying, “I can tell you I didn’t [steal money]. I have proof of every single money that has been in that account, in and out, where it goes and where it went.”

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While the new charges are related to a different project, the Champions Golf Academy Fernandez manages is under the cloud of its own financial and legal issues.

Those issues include $35,000 that’s owed to Callaway after a default judgment last October. On top of that, the academy has failed to pay as much as $17,000 in taxes from 2017-18.

The golf school, which opened in 2012 with Greg Norman’s name attached to it, currently has 11 international students enrolled this semester, according to Fernandez. Students don’t just play golf at the academy, they also live there and take classes.

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Apparently none of that will change in the short term, as the school will stay open under the name Champions Golf Academy.

“So far nothing has changed. The academy has been the same, obviously with a bit more tension of what the [heck] happened, Fernandez told The Sun Times, “but that doesn’t change anything. We still have our summer camps, we still have class 2019-2020 open.” You can read the full report from The Sun Times here.

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The post Myrtle Beach Golf: The ultimate guide to America’s ultimate golf destination appeared first on Golf.

The post Myrtle Beach Golf: The ultimate guide to America’s ultimate golf destination appeared first on Golf.

Myrtle Beach, S.C., is as much an idea as a place, and for many that idea can be boiled down to three phrases: Myrtle Beach golf, Myrtle Beach golf, Myrtle Beach golf. But take a step back, crouch, and get a read on the place itself, and it’s clear that Myrtle isn’t just a matter of abundance. For those in the know, there is tremendous quality on offer, too. More and more, that extends beyond the fairways and greens to all aspects of a Myrtle Beach golf trip — dining, nightlife, attractions, you name it. Here’s how to ensure that you make the most of your next Myrtle golf getaway.

The beautiful closing hole at Glen Dornoch.

Courtesy of Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday

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WHERE TO PLAY: PREMIUM GOLF

Barefoot Resort & Golf

Myrtle Beach’s Fab Four, with designs from Greg Norman, Davis Love III, Tom Fazio and Pete Dye; players looking for a true golf-resort experience should venture no further. Love is a GOLF Top 100 You Can Play course, while Dye hosts Hootie & the Blowfish’s annual post-Masters pro-am. Fazio is sneakily tough, while Norman may be Barefoot’s most playable 18. barefootgolf.com; 866-638-4818

Caledonia Golf & Fish Club

The first solo design by the late, great iconoclast Mike Strantz and another GOLF Top 100 You Can Play course, Caledonia is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Its biggest highlight may be its last one, with the 18th green sitting practically in the shadow of its graceful antebellum clubhouse. Without doubt a must-play for anyone coming to the area. caledoniagolfandfishclub.com; 800-483-6800

The Dunes Golf & Beach Club

A grand dame of the Grand Strand and yet another Top 100 You Can Play, the Robert Trent Jones Sr.-designed Dunes Club is the area’s most storied 18 — and arguably better now than it’s ever been. Rees Jones has overseen renovations to the course in recent times, including a new bunker project in 2018, a year that also saw the clubhouse remodeled. thedunesclub.net; 843-449-5236

Grande Dunes

Smack-dab in the heart of Myrtle Beach, Grande Dunes, designed by longtime RTJ Sr. protégé Roger Rulewich, this links-style layout is set on a bluff overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway, with forgiving fairways leading to subtle, vexing greens. Six holes play along the Intracoastal, including the downhill par-3 14th, among Myrtle’s most photogenic holes. grandedunesgolf.com; 877-283-2122

The Dye Course (pictured) is one of four resort courses to play at Barefoot.

Courtesy of Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday

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Myrtle Beach National Golf Club (King’s North)

The premier course at this 54-hole facility, King’s North was redesigned by Arnold Palmer in 1996 and features one of Myrtle Beach’s most memorable holes: Its par-5 6th, dubbed “The Gambler,” sports a second, island fairway that if reached makes hitting the green in two a good bet. The island-green par-3 12th is another do-or-die hole not soon forgotten. myrtlebeachnational.com; 877-283-2122

Pawley’s Plantation Golf & Country Club

This Jack Nicklaus Signature Design is one of the most prestigious courses on the Grand Strand, and its back nine may be the prettiest, too. The highlight: the gorgeous, terrifying par-3 13th, which plays to a peninsula green surrounded by a saltwater marsh. Pawley’s plentiful 200-year-old moss-draped oaks are as Southern as sweet tea, too. pawleysplantation.com; 877-283-2122

Pine Lakes Country Club

A must-play for history buffs — it’s the area’s first course and remains a highly enjoyable layout. Home to the Myrtle Beach Golf Hall of Fame, Pine Lakes was designed by Robert White, a native of St. Andrews, Scotland, as well as the first president of the PGA of America. During the winter, free chowder’s on offer at the turn; the rest of the year, it’s mimosas. pinelakes.com; 877-283-2122

Surf Golf & Beach Club

A classic 1960 layout from George Cobb, who co-designed Augusta National’s Par-3 Course with Bobby Jones, the Surf Club is private but permits guest play in partnership with certain local hotels. Appropriately enough, its most memorable hole is a peninsula par 3, No. 6, but the entire course hangs together gracefully, all of a piece. surfgolfclub.com; 843-249-1524

An aerial view of the majestic 13th hole at Tidewater Golf Club.

Courtesy of Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday

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Tidewater Golf Club

GOLF’s Best New Public Course in the U.S. in 1990, Tidewater is as scenic as it is strong. Holes 3 and 12 comprise Myrtle’s most handsome pair of par 3s, both of which play along Cherry Grove; eight holes in total play along this inlet or the Intracoastal Waterway. A recent greens renovation has helped make Tidewater among the area’s best conditioned courses. tidewatergolf.com; 843-466-8754

TPC Myrtle Beach

For those desiring a stern challenge, TPC Myrtle Beach is the place. This spring, the course will host both an NCAA Regional Championship and the fourth-annual Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship. (DJ is South Carolina-born and went to college in the Myrtle Beach area.) Tom Fazio’s design team oversaw a bunker renovation project last summer. tpcmyrtlebeach.com; 877-283-2122

True Blue Golf Club

Still another Top 100 You Can Play layout and, as another Mike Strantz design, a sister course to Caledonia. The theme as True Blue is bigness, from the generous fairways to the large, tilting greens to the yawning waste bunkers. A former indigo and rice plantation, True Blue sports impressively varied terrain with some significant elevation changes. truebluegolf.com; 888-483-6800

WHERE TO PLAY: VALUE GOLF

Arcadian Shores Golf Club

Rees Jones’s first design, Arcadian Shores underwent a major renovation two years ago that included new greens, cart paths, bunkers and a new clubhouse. A very good layout at a very good price. arcadianshoresgolf.com; 843-449-5217

Arrowhead Country Club 

Just five miles from the Myrtle Beach International Airport and with 27 holes, including a couple on the Intracoastal, it’s hard to beat Arrowhead for convenience — or value for money, given how reliably good the conditioning is. arrowheadcc.com; 800-236-3243

Legends Resort (Heathland)

An early Tom Doak solo design done in a links style, with nods to courses such as St. Andrews, Cruden Bay and Lahinch, here is your chance to view a portrait of the architect as a young man, and for a reasonable fee. legendsgolf.com; 800-299-6187

Prestwick Country Club

Maybe not a hidden gem to the degree of Scotland’s Prestwick, nonetheless this Pete and P.B. Dye design hides in plain sight in the heart of Myrtle Beach. It’s a stern test whether tackled from the 7,000-yard-plus tips or otherwise. prestwickcountryclub.com; 843-293-4100

For those in the know, there is tremendous quality on offer in Myrtle Beach.

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WHERE TO PLAY: RELAXED GOLF

So, you’re looking to take it easy on yourself, maybe post a career-best round, enjoy a good walk not spoiled by double-bogeys? Here are the five best area tracks with low slope ratings and high fun factors.

Crown Park Golf Club
crownparkgolf.com; 843-756-3200

Meadowlands Golf Club
meadowlandsgolf.com; 910-287-7529

Myrtle Beach National (West)
myrtlebeachnational.com; 877-283-2122

The Witch Golf Club
witchgolf.com; 843-347-2706

The Wizard Golf Course
wizardgolfcourse.com; 843-236-9393

The Witch Golf Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Courtesy of the Witch

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WHERE TO STAY

Savvy travelers will generally choose the courses on their itinerary first and work their way backward from there, selecting a hotel, resort or condo that’s convenient to golf. There are, naturally, other potential considerations — a villa might be perfect for a buddy trip, while players with their family in tow might want to be right on the beach in a place with a pool and on-site activities. No matter the logic, these accommodations are all well above par.

Anderson Ocean Club and Spa

Condo accommodations overlooking the water in the heart of Myrtle Beach, with easy access to golf and nightlife. andersonoceanclub.com; 844-887-9452

The Inlet Sports Lodge

Boutique property located in Murrells Inlet and a short walk to the outstanding food, entertainment and scenery at Marshwalk — ideal for a South Strand trip. inletsportslodge.com; 877-585-9360

Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort

Oceanfront resort located just minutes from Pawleys Plantation and Caledonia; large property with on-site restaurants, great spot for big groups. litchfieldbeach.com; 888-734-8228

Marina Inn at Grande Dunes

Four-Diamond property with condo accommodations located along the Intracoastal Waterway and across from the Grande Dunes Resort Course; has a Ruth’s Chris among its restaurants, and its open-air bar along the waterway, Anchor Cafe, is a lively happy hour spot. marinainnatgrandedunes.com; 843-913-1333

Marriott OceanWatch Villas at Grande Dunes

One of the area’s nicest properties, with villa accommodations overlooking the Atlantic, it’s located in Myrtle Beach, just steps from Dunes Golf & Beach Club. marriott.com; 843-692-5500

Mar Vista Grande

Four-Diamond oceanfront property with 3- and 4-bedroom condos that make it perfect for groups; set in the heart of Myrtle Beach, it’s just minutes from Tidewater Golf Club. elitemanagementandrealty.com; 843-877-0413

Myrtle Beach Marriott Resort & Spa at Grande Dunes

Great waterfront location, indoor and outdoor pools, pool bar, full-service spa—what’s not to love? marriott.com; 843-449-8880

North Beach Plantation

Across from Barefoot Resort, its entrance conjures Atlantis in the Bahamas. Six pools, including a swim-up pool bar, and a spa, help make it a premium North Myrtle Beach property, as does its outstanding restaurant, 21 Main. northbeachrentals.com; 855-904-4858

The Myrtle Beach Marriott Resort & Spa at Grande Dunes is located just steps from the ocean in North Myrtle Beach.

Marriott.com

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WHERE TO EAT

Aspen Grill

The name may suggest Colorado, but this is traditional Carolina cuisine to the core. While the menu changes seasonally, if the scallops over wild mushroom risotto with fried spinach is available, it’s a must. aspen-grille.com; 843-449-9191

Chive Blossom Restaurant & Bar

Part of a thriving restaurant scene on Pawleys Island that also includes Bistro 217 and Perrone’s, Chive Blossom leans Southern but also brings in Asian, French and Mediterranean flourishes. Its soups are renowned, as are its signature cocktails. chiveblossom.com; 843-237-1438

New York Prime

Turning meat and potatoes into the extraordinary is what the best steakhouses do, and New York Prime (which also has locations in Atlanta and Boca Raton) does just that. Its steaks are aged 28 days, and you’ll remember them much longer than that. newyorkprime.com; 843-448-8081

WHERE TO PLAY (OFF THE COURSE)

Brookgreen Gardens

Let’s say you tweak your back, or you’re of the opinion that a little culture won’t kill you. If so, visit Brookgreen Gardens, which holds the country’s largest collection of American figurative sculpture, showcased in a lovely garden setting, as well as a botanical gardens, a zoo, and historical exhibitions and excursions. brookgreen.org; 843-235-6000

 Hawaiian Rumble MiniGolf

For players with kids in tow, or those still a kid at heart, miniature golf is a Myrtle Beach must. You can putt-putt away in a tropical setting at Hawaiian Rumble, an 18-hole course that wends its way through a garden straight out of Maui, with a 40-foot volcano at the center and Hawaiian music wafting through the air. hawaiianrumbleminigolf.com; 843-272-7812

Hawaiian Rumble mini golf is billed at the No. 1 mini golf course in the world.

Hawaiian Rumble mini golf

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WHERE TO PARTY

Barefoot Landing on the Waterway

For golfers on the Grand Strand’s north end, the waterfront Barefoot Landing offers the House of Blues, Dick’s Last Resort and Bully’s Pub & Grill for those still energized after the sun has set on 36 holes of golf. bflanding.com; 843-272-8349

Broadway at the Beach

This outdoor complex is a major shopping, entertainment and dining hub. Its recently renovated nightlife district offers everything from dancing to dueling pianos to a Dave & Buster’s. broadwayatthebeach.com; 800-386-4662

Topgolf Myrtle Beach

Got something to work out in your swing? Just want to eat and drink in the presence of others hitting balls? The new Topgolf in Myrtle Beach will have you covered once it opens, slated for this March. topgolf.com; 843-945-3318

A view of the hitting bays at Topgolf.

Courtesy Topgolf

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The post Three favorite golf destinations for a fall buddies trip appeared first on Golf.

The post Three favorite golf destinations for a fall buddies trip appeared first on Golf.

Whether it’s college reunion time or just on the road with your regular Saturday foursome, the best buddy trips favor camaraderie over courses. Save the bucket-list layouts for another occasion. Instead, focus this season on fun—and value. If you’re on a budget, here are our three favorite destinations for an autumn outing with your best mates.

The Beach Retreat: Myrtle Beach, S.C.

It doesn’t take a travel guru to suss out what makes Myrtle Beach, S.C., the ideal buddy-trip stop. Start with the price tag. It’s affordable no matter the budget. And whether your group consists of single-digit sticks or once-a-month duffers, you’ll find seamless fits at multiple courses. The ease in booking tee times and hotels can’t be beat, thanks to a slew of packages, large and small. And when your 36-hole day has ended, a feast of eateries and nightspots await.

MUST-PLAY (OLD SCHOOL)
The Dunes Golf & Beach Club is a 1948 Robert Trent Jones Sr. creation that features the master’s signature runway tees, elevated greens, sprawling water hazards and heroic shot values, notably at the unforgettable 640-yard, par-5 13th, which doglegs 110 degrees to the right, around Lake Singleton. Double-bogeys and alligators lie in wait for any sliced shot. A stay at one of six member hotels will get you aboard this otherwise private club.

MUST-PLAY (NEW BREED)
Innovative designer Mike Strantz reached the apex of his brilliance in 1994 with Caledonia Golf & Fish Club. Lakes, wetlands, hardwoods and live oaks add beauty and menace to this shotmaker’s delight, a stern test even with its modest 6,526 back-tee yardage. An antebellum clubhouse and 18th hole that border an old rice plantation and the Waccamaw River complete a stirring scene.

BEST 36-HOLE DAY
Caledonia paired with its Top 100 You Can Play, Mike Strantz–designed sibling, True Blue, which is just five minutes away.

WHERE TO REST YOUR HEAD
Tops for a buddy trip is the centrally located Legends Golf Resort, which sports comfortable, affordable 2- and 3-bedroom villas, a superb practice facility, and the atmospheric, on-site Ailsa Pub, along with three terrific 18-hole tracks, Parkland, Heathland and Moorland—plus two more courses nearby.

A GREAT BARGAIN
Legends Golf Resort’s 4 FOUR 3 special includes four rounds of golf per person, lodging in a two-bedroom villa with full kitchen and living area, breakfast, lunch and two beverages each day. October rates begin at $227 per person, per night, based on four golfers and a four-night minimum stay.

Bandon Dunes or Bust: Bandon, Ore.

If your group is populated with reasonably proficient players who are sufficiently fit to handle the rigors of walking 36 a day in potentially wild weather, and who don’t mind somewhat taxing travel arrangements, there’s no better male-bonding experience than Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. Tackling four championship courses with caddie alongside, amid cliffs, sandhills, forests and beach, along with a brilliant par-3 layout, followed by Grandma’s Meatloaf at McKee’s Pub and capped with a game of pool, scotch and a cigar down in the Bunker Bar, is as good as it gets. For many serious sticks, Bandon is golf’s ultimate buddy trip.

A drawback for some Bandon bound groups is the lack of a golf package. Still, you can find value in several ways—especially in the fall. October green fees drop $25 from September, to $250 per round for resort guests, and $30, to $295, for outside play. On November 1, prices plummet to $175 for resort guests, and on November 19 they bottom out at $100 per round. Replay rounds are similarly discounted, as are lodging rates in all categories of accommodations. Clearly, “bargain” is not quite the word for it, but for what Bandon Dunes delivers, it’s absolutely superior value.

Jonesing for Alabama: The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail

For world-class golf at muni-course prices, there’s no better value than Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. True, there’s a similarity to it all, and the 26 tracks at 11 different sites can overwhelm higher-handicappers with length, sand and water, but the private-club ambience and challenge for regular Joes is seductive. The RTJ Trail also earns high marks for accessibility. Each destination is within a half hour of an interstate and within a two hour drive of another Trail complex. Here’s the skinny on the top Trail in golf.

FIVE MUST-PLAY COURSES
1. Grand National (Lake), Opelika
2. Capitol Hill (Judge), Prattville
3. Cambrian Ridge (Sherling/Canyon), Greenville
4. Ross Bridge, Birmingham
5. The Shoals (Fighting Joe), Muscle Shoals

BEST GOLF/LODGING COMBOS
1. Ross Bridge/Renaissance Ross Bridge, Birmingham
2. Lakewood/Grand Hotel Marriott, Point Clear
3. Magnolia Grove/The Battle House Renaissance Hotel & Spa, Mobile

TOURNAMENT-TESTED TRACKS
1. Magnolia Grove (The Crossings), Mobile (LPGA Tour)
2. Capitol Hill (Senator), Prattville (LPGA Tour)
3. Ross Bridge, Birmingham (PGA Tour Champions)
4. Grand National (Lake), Opelika (PGA Tour)

BONUS PAR 3S
Seven RTJ Golf Trail complexes feature a par-3 course, which might be the perfect buddy-trip tiebreaker. Four venues— Grand National, Hampton Cove, Magnolia Grove and Oxmoor Valley—roll out 18-hole spreads, while Cambrian Ridge, Highland Oaks and Silver Lakes offer nine holes. Rates are $18 for 18 holes, plus cart. Best of the bunch? Magnolia Grove.

SIDE-TRIP BEVERAGE
Nine miles from Grand National in Opelika is the campus of Auburn University, and the hub of Auburn is Toomer’s Corner. Quaff a fresh-squeezed lemonade at Toomer’s Drugs, a tradition more than 100 years old. Exhale.

GET YOUR JAM ON
Swampers Bar and Grille at Marriott Shoals Hotel & Spa in Muscle Shoals celebrates the area’s musical heritage—themStones, Aretha Franklin and many others have recorded here—with memorabilia and live music.

A GREAT GOLF PACKAGE
The Fall Swing Special includes one round at Magnolia Grove and one round at Lakewood, plus cart fees and range balls, for $148.

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The post Assistant pro saves golfer’s life with emergency CPR at Myrtle Beach World Am appeared first on Golf.

The post Assistant pro saves golfer’s life with emergency CPR at Myrtle Beach World Am appeared first on Golf.

A scary scene at the World Amateur Handicap Championship turned into a heroic moment for a Myrtle Beach golf pro two weeks ago.

Harry Whitt, 65, was playing in the event when he collapsed under cardiac arrest on the 15th hole of Indian Wells Golf Club. Whitt’s playing partners sprang into motion, calling 911. According to this feature story from MyrtleBeachonline.com, they also called the pro shop, where they reached assistant pro Bobby McCullough. McCullough, well trained in the golf swing, has also trained as an EMT. He sprang into action, rushing to the 15th tee box to apply “aggressive CPR” to resuscitate Whitt, who didn’t have a pulse when McCullough arrived on the scene.

The report comes from reporter Alan Blondin, who spoke with Whitt, McCullough and another assistant pro at the course. “I did not feel a pulse on Mr. Whitt, so I began and took over compressions at that point,” McCullough told Blondin. “As time elapsed, I did regain a pulse and was able to feel it and sustain it.”

An emergency crew soon arrived and transported Whitt to a local hospital, where he miraculously survived. According to story, the chance of survival in a situation like that is roughly 2%. Just days later, Whitt stopped by the golf course to meet the man who saved his life.

“That was pretty powerful,” McCullough said. “It was, because that’s just not something you’re used to in the ER. …If they are somebody saved, they’re either kicked up to [the intensive care unit] or shipped to MUSC. You may never see them again.”

Check out the full story from MyrtleBeachOnline.com here.

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The post Let the big dog eat! Myrtle Beach course extended to 8,100 yards appeared first on Golf.

The post Let the big dog eat! Myrtle Beach course extended to 8,100 yards appeared first on Golf.

As players launch the ball farther than ever, courses around the world are being stretched and extended. But is the sport ready for an 8,000-yard track?

One spot in Myrtle Beach is betting on it.

The South Carolina golf mecca now features a track that can play a whopping 8,100 yards (or more!), thanks to a new set of elevated back tees (dubbed “perch tees”) at Eagle Nest Golf Club in the Myrtle’s Little River district. It’s the first 8,000-yard course along the Grand Strand.

From the report: “The Grand Strand needs this, and Eagle Nest is a good place for it,” said Rick Elliott, who owns the course along with his mother, Anne. “It has created an opportunity for the professional golfer to play there, and I think we need that. At some point there’s no reason we can’t have a tournament in this area.

“Now all I need is Dustin Johnson to step on the first tee of the perch tee boxes and see what he can do with it.”

While it remains to be seen if DJ accepts the challenge, the numbers on the course are dizzying.

– The course’s par-3s will measure 283, 199, 248 and 266, which is the course’s closing hole over water to an elevated green, for a total of 996 and average of 249 yards. (Yikes!)

– The course will begin with a 645-yard par-5 and the other par-5 yardages are 573, 683 and 603 for a total of 2,504 yards and average of 626 yards. (Double yikes!)

– Seven par-4s will measure more than 460 yards, capping out at the 506-yard second hole, which is one of two par-4s exceeding 500 yards. (Make it stop!)

Those numbers don’t appeal to this 16-handicap, but South Carolinians seeking the ultimate long-game test now have their spot. Oh, and your move, DJ.

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The post How vulnerable are ‘cart girls’ to sexual harassment? Here’s one woman’s take after three years on the job appeared first on Golf.

The post How vulnerable are ‘cart girls’ to sexual harassment? Here’s one woman’s take after three years on the job appeared first on Golf.

Caveat lector: The short account below, describing the professional life of Ashley McConnell of Myrtle Beach, S.C., is not intended to represent the broad collective experience of the many young women who work at American golf courses as (in the vernacular) cart girls. This is McConnell’s story and hers alone. — M.B.
 
Ashley McConnell, 25, seasoned Myrtle Beach cart girl and comfortable with the term, knows that sexual harassment has never been more in the news. The charges are coming in all manner of employment categories: out of the federal government and the U.S. military, Fox News and NPR, the London theater community and the Hollywood film community. In the last, the many tawdry stories surrounding Harvey Weinstein are relentlessly consistent: young actresses being bullied and sexually harassed (and far worse) by a much older man in position to advance, or stunt, their careers. Which brings us back to the subject of this column and the two main-topic questions I posed to McConnell: Did you experience sexual harassment? How vulnerable do you think cart girls are to sexual harassment?

As a starting point to the discussion, McConnell said that she has used (and uses) her physical attributes and feminine wiles “to get better tips.” It’s a familiar-enough scenario, in golf and beyond. “Flirting is part of the job,” she said. In the past six years, McConnell has had three jobs with the word girl in their common titles. When she first moved the 70 miles from rural Andrews, S.C., to Myrtle Beach, McConnell worked as a nightclub “shot girl.” (She’s comfortable with that term, too.)  She liked the work for its fast money and moonlit hours. (“I’m a night owl,” she says.) But then she became a mother and the late nights no longer suited her schedule.
 
That’s when she became a cart girl. Cart-girl work slows down this time of year and McConnell is not working now. (She’s enrolled at Horry Georgetown Technical College in Myrtle Beach, seeking an associate’s degree in nursing.) But for the past three years, in the busy Myrtle Beach golf seasons, she has sold snacks and drinks to hungry and thirsty golfers. More recently, she has started doing occasional work with a Myrtle Beach outfit called The Caddy Girls. The company has about 50 caddies on call, none of whom will be mistaken for Fluff or Bones. The cost is $150, plus tips, with $50 going to the house. Growing up, McConnell never expected to land in the golf biz. But life called. 

“I didn’t know much about golf before becoming a cart girl,” McConnell said in a phone interview. She grew up on a 60-acre farm in Andrews. Her older brother, Joshua, was a good golfer who would hit balls on the fields. Ashley’s own golf was limited to the miniature variety, often squaring off against Joshua, who, to her frustration, would never let her win.

She picked up her acute understanding of par while working her first cart-girl job, at a Gary Player course near Myrtle Beach. Her excellent and aspirational definition: “If you get to the hole and the sign says it’s a par 3, then that’s the number of shots you’re supposed to use to get your ball in the hole.”
 
McConnell didn’t head to Myrtle Beach, as so many do, for the golf. She came for the shot-girl job, working at a now defunct Myrtle Beach nightclub called Revolutions. She left that job “when I started to show,” at the start of her second trimester. Her daughter Madison came six months later. McConnell is a single mother.
 
With Madison on the way, McConnell traded in her Revolutions uniform (“corset, short black shorts, black boots or black sneakers”) for a cart-girl uniform (“polo shirt and skirt or pants”). She had done some modeling “for print” as a teenager and had a one-night gig at a fashion show at the Denim Exchange store in Myrtle Beach. She said she was hired by the Player course on the day of her interview and that “being attractive,” along with her experience in alcohol sales at Revolutions, made the application process quick and easy. “Being a cart girl is basically being a bartender on wheels,” she said.
 
She was not at all embarrassed to say that sex appeal is important in being a shot girl, a cart girl and, for that matter, a Caddy Girl. McConnell has also worked as a cart girl at three other Myrtle Beach-area courses. She was taught to drive her cart in the direction of play but not to distract the golfers with her bar-on-wheels. Liquor was sold in those mini plastic bottles you see on airplanes. A typical purchase would be “a can of beer and a bag of chips. That’d be $7 and they’d give me a $10 and say, ‘Keep the change.'”
 
But the range of tips varied widely. “I had golfers give me a hundred-dollar bill for a $25 cooler of ice and say, ‘Keep coming around and talk to us.’ It was a lot of fun. They’re flirting with you, you’re flirting with them. Someone might say, ‘Come on out with us tonight and get some drinks.’ I’d go along with it, even if I didn’t have any plan to go out with them, because I was looking for more tips.”
 
Were there times when the exchanges were not comfortable? In a word, yes.
 
“There was one guy who said to me, ‘I want you to meet me back at my hotel,'” McConnell said. “I said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘I’ll buy you.’ I said, ‘No, I have to pick up my daughter.'”
 
But almost without exception, McConnell said, the golfers were gentlemen. That was true for the locals, for the visitors from out-of-town, even for the small, tight packs of young golfers who would descend upon Myrtle Beach celebrating the end of bachelorhood. Most of her customers, she said, were “middle-aged men, or older. They’re just looking to get out of the house.”
 
Working as a cart girl, did she ever get harassed? Many would say, based solely on the meet-me-at-the-hotel exchange described above, that McConnell has been harassed, just as others in her line of work have been. (If you conduct even a rudimentary Google search, you can find detailed, first-person accounts of cart-girl harassment.) But does McConnell feel she was ever sexually harassed as a cart girl?
 
McConnell thinks of the term in physical terms, not verbal ones. She doesn’t use harassment as a term of law but as a word of everyday life. “I was never harassed,” she said. “Nobody ever touched me in an inappropriate way.” Her experience as a shot girl was different. She could quickly recall two encounters where customers physically harassed her. On one occasion, her boyfriend the bouncer (Madison’s father) witnessed the offending act, picked up the man and carried him out of the club. Another time, a customer slapped her backside. “I shoved a shot down his throat and said, ‘Now you owe me $3 for a drink.’ He gave me a five and wanted the change and I said, ‘I don’t have any change for you.'”
 
She returned to the subject of young actresses and young cart girls.
 
Despite certain broad similarities, McConnell said, the differences are significant. She said, “If you’re a cart girl, you’re a cart girl. If you’re a shot girl, you’re a shot girl. There’s nowhere really to go.” In Hollywood, she said, the ceiling is vastly higher, as are the stakes.
 
As for the on-course flirting between a cart girl and her customers, McConnell sees no problem in it. “That’s human nature,” she said. “It’s in our society. It’s in our ad campaigns. Sex sells. It’s natural.”
 
In her time in the golf industry, McConnell’s observation is that most golfers have one thing in mind, and it’s not food or drink or even the person serving it. It’s their next shot.
    
Michael Bamberger may be reached at mbamberger0224@aol.com.

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