FEATURE STORY

In Myrtle Beach without your golf clubs? Fret not: rentals await

By William K. Wolfrum,
Staff Writer

You've just arrived in Myrtle Beach for your long awaited trip to one of the great golf destinations on the planet. Brilliant, scenic and diverse golf courses, molded by the great golf course architects await you. You are ready for one of the great experiences of your golfing life.

And then you find out the airline sent your golf clubs to Des Moines.

Ordinarily, now would be a perfect time to ransack the joint. But, before you start hearing your heartbeat in your ears as your blood pressure shoots to dangerous levels, keep in mind that you can always rent a set of golf clubs. There are a couple of different options for you if you're a golfer sans clubs.

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First, you can always just rent clubs at the golf course you'll be playing at. Nearly every course you can find on the Grand Strand will have clubs for rent available. Still, it's wise to call ahead to make sure.

The upside of renting clubs at the course is ease and convenience. The clubs you want will be at the pro shop, waiting to be put on your cart or slung over your shoulder. The downside is price, as courses can charge up to $50 for clubs, with the price being just for 18 holes.

"I've heard of courses charging all the way from $50 or $60 for rental clubs and they usually charge per round," said Dave Fremberg, Assistant Manager at Martin Golf & Tennis Superstore. "We charge per day, which is good because we'll get people coming and playing 36 holes."

The Martin Golf & Tennis Superstore is located on Highway 17 in Myrtle Beach, and is a place many club-less golfers will go to rent clubs.

"We probably get several people a week coming to rent clubs when we're in season. Both from people who come without their clubs and from people who had the airlines lose their clubs, said Fremberg.

At Martin's, you can rent a set for around $25 a day, and they have right- and left-handed clubs available, with Nike, Cleveland and Taylormade clubs on hand. And unlike the course, you can use the clubs as much as possible while you have them rented.

Of course, this is the Grand Strand we're talking about, where golf is king, so you can even rent clubs at the airport. At Myrtle Beach International Airport, you can head over to Prime Time Golf, where there are Calloway, Taylormade and Nike clubs available for ladies and for either right- or left-handed swingers. The price is also in the $25 range for a full day.

"You can't miss us, we're in the big glass booth," said golf coordinator Christina Peale, who added that Prime Time also has golf attire and a variety of other services available for golfers.

In comparison, a quick check of a few golf courses shows that you won't get the same deal, or variety, if you rent clubs at the pro shop. World Tour Golf Links has Taylormade clubs available for $40 per round, while Tidewater Golf Club also charges $40 for Titleist clubs. Myrtle Beach National Golf Club will charge you $36 for a round at one of their courses with their Taylormades.

So golfers, fret not if you don't have your clubs. There are options out there for you even if your airline sends your clubs to Pakistan, or if you just happen to find yourself in the Grand Strand. Because no golfer should miss out on a chance to play in Myrtle Beach.

April 24, 2007

This material has been provided by Golf Publisher Syndications. The opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of management.