The Myrtle Beach Sun News recently released it’s list of the Grand Strand’s 18 holes, selected by a panel of experts, which included local golfers, pros and regular visitors to the area. Click here to view their selections.
Having played at least 50 or 60 Grand Strand courses, here’s my thoughts on what I thought the panel got right - and wrong. After all, I’d expect the same critiques of my lists from you.
First off, I’m surprised to see three holes from Tidewater, making up 1/6 of the list (I don’t think any golf course should have more than one to be honest). Tidewater has some great holes out there but not three of the best 18 on the Strand. The two par 3s named are both very good, but there are some better par 3s out there, like Glen Dornoch’s 17th, True Blue’s 3rd (True Blue was inexplicably shut out here. Strange because it has some of the area’s most unique holes around), or King’s North’s 12th.
If I was going to name a hole at Tidewater into the Top 18, it’d be No. 4, which they wisely selected.
-The Barefoot Resort’s four golf courses were also completely left out. That’s surprising given it’s presence among the top 10 golf courses in Myrtle Beach in just about every list. That said, I’m glad to see they didn’t feel the need to select the Love Course’s 6th hole just because there are some replicated slave ruins behind the green. I’d prefer if they went with Willbrook Plantation’s numerous holes with plantation history, like No. 15.
-I was happy to see Grande Dunes’ gorgeous par-3 14th hole along the Intracoastal Waterway made it. This might be my favorite hole in Myrtle Beach.
-The Heritage Club should have had at least one hole on there. It’s back stretch, starting on the long, par-3 13th over water, is a knock out. The par-4 14th dogleg around water and the par-5 18th over water to a massive green are both Top 18-worthy.
-Wachesaw Plantation earned a nod here on the list. I wouldn’t have included this course (even though I hear it’s wonderful), given it’s a private club not open to touring golfers without some local connections.
A few years back, WorldGolf.com published it’s own Best 18 Holes of the Grand Strand. Click here for the front nine. Click here for the back nine.
I didn’t have anything to do with the list at the time, but even still I think it’s a little closer to the mark, offering a good mix of holes. Once I’ve played all Myrtle Beach golf courses (which I’ll get closer to when I’m out there next week), I’ll make my own (perfect) list.
You can follow Brandon Tucker’s golf blog and more on Twitter: http://twitter.com/brandontucker or follow WorldGolf.com at Twitter.com/worldgolf
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Did you look at the panelists and their purported credentials? "Twenty-year vactioner; golf package company founder; Burroughs & Chapin tournament director" Not a single architect among them. All of them compromised toward and against certain sites. Not a single legitimate (and I'm illegitimate) golf writer among them. Good call on nailing these impersonating bastards...the list is worthless.