Ranking
Variety of Design: The par 3's have modest variety. The longest is 245 yards, which is certainly among the longest a golfer will ever see. However, the shortest is 185 yards, with two in the middle playing 205 and 200 yards. Add in the normal summer wind from the south and the variety decreases even more with both of the 200 yard hole playing the same direction and the 185 yard hole playing exactly opposite. Par 4's have solid variety, ranging from 465 to 365 yards, though the lengths are concentrated more at the upper end around 425 yards. The par 5's have solid variety as well, from the reachable in two 4th hole to the solid 3 shot 13th. Directionally, the course has 3 holes playing left, 2 holes playing right, and 13 holes playing straight, however, only once do two holes play in the same direction back to back, so the wind will come into play differently on every hole. 7 3/4 out of 10
Flow of the Course: Very good. The course starts off gently, before the par 5 4th hole provides a high point early. The front nine continues steadily from there before the back nine starts off with the finest 4 hole stretch of RTJ holes that I have seen. The course then ends with fantastic holes on 16 and 18, with a good par 3 17th sandwiched in between. 7 1/2 out of 10
Course Conditioning: Good. This course was played during the late fall season, after the course had been seeded with rye grass. However, the fairways were still solidly grassed and the course played nicely firm. The bent grass greens were quite nice and ran very true. 7 1/4 out of 10
Ease of Walking: Very good. Most holes have very short transitions to the next tee and the course is not very hilly. 6 1/2 out of 10
Atmosphere: Solid, but nothing special. The course gets a bit of a boost due to being a private club that allows outside play and because it is one of the oldest courses in Myrtle Beach. 4 1/4 out of 10
Total: 71 out of 100
Holes to Note
Hole #1: Par 4, 425 yards
This solid opening hole has a fairway bunker guarding the right side of the fairway. However, the bunker only guards the hole when the hole is cut on the left side of the green. When the hole is cut right, the preferred play is down the left. This is a fair opening hole and with two quality shots, the player should have a reasonable chance to make birdie to start the round.
From the tee, the fairway bunker is visible as are the greenside bunkers.
From the right side of the fairway, the flanking bunkers are visible short of the green. This side provides the best angle of approach to holes cut on the left side of the green.
This is a fantastic hole with strategic options on all shots. From the tee, the player must decide if he wants to challenge the bunkers and try to go for the green in two shots. If the player desires to lay short of them, a shot of not more than 240 yards is needed. Shots between 240 and 265 yards can be played into the narrow fairway to the right of the bunkers. A player who wants to play over the bunkers will need to hit a shot that carries at least 275 yards. Players who play short of the bunker will certainly be laying up but those who played to the side, might try to go at the green, needing a shot of 240-250 yards to make the center of the green. Players who carried the bunkers are looking at 190-210 yards to the center of the green. This hole provides a great chance to make a birdie early on to the player who plays within his limitations.
From the tee, the options are clear to the player who is able to see them.
This is the view from over the bunkers in the fairway, roughly 200 yards from the green. The water short of the green will make even the best player think about going for the green in two.
Hole #9: Par 3, 200 yardsThis par 3 surrounded by bunkers provides the player the only view of the ocean on the golf course. Almost a shame, really, that this course wasn't able to be played down in the dunes. The hole itself is a quality end to the front nine, mandating the player hit a quality shot with a helping wind.
There will certainly be no roll-up shots played here.
Looking right from the green, the Atlantic Ocean is visible beyond the club.
This mid-short par 4 starts off the back nine. The hole plays straight off the tee towards a water hazard that cuts the fairway short. The fairway also narrows significantly at around 260 yards from the tee, bottlenecking down then widening out prior to the hazard. The hole then plays significantly uphill to the green. The way the hole is laid out, flat from the tee, fairway the runs out, large, undulated and well defended green, reminds me of the second hole at Pine Valley in New Jersey. This hole is a great starter for the back nine.
The pond up close in this image is only 75 yards from the tee. The bunkers in the distance are protecting the green. The best play is towards the pair of bunkers in the center of the image.
From roughly 135 yards from the green, the pond fronting the green is visible, as is the pinch in the fairway. The player must add roughly one club given the uphill nature of the hole.
A very solid dogleg right that plays with water down the entire right side. The fairway bunker can be reached from the tee and is there to keep the player from bailing out far left. To the green, the player must be mindful that the green is virtually on a peninsula and that any shot not struck well will likely find the water.
From the tee, the best line is slightly right of the bunker, but the player has to guard against fading the ball too much off that line, otherwise he will find himself in the water.
From 200 yards out, the green provides a very small target and the water is especially in play.
This view, from around 140 yards, shows how exposed the green is.
Long par 3, all carry over the water. This hole is very solid and incredibly difficult. A score of 3 here will draw no complaints from any golfer.
Hole #13: Par 5, 590 yards
This is a very difficult par 5 with water coming into play on the tee shot and second shot. From the tee, the player needs to be mindful that any shot to the right will find the water and that the fairway narrows down significantly for players who are capable of hitting tee shots over 300 yards. On the second shot, the hole is basically a Cape hole, giving the player the chance to play as far out to the right as he desires in effort to cut down the length of approach shot to the green.
The fairway is visible from the tee. Any shot right of the cluster of trees on the right will certainly find the water.
From the fairway, the player can go as far right as he desires. From here, a shot played directly over the hazard stake will need to carry 180 yards to find the fairway on the other side. Ultra aggressive players who choose to go over directly towards the left greenside bunker will need to carry the ball around 230 yards to find the fairway.
Hole #16: Par 4, 365 yardsThe shortest par 4 on the course is also one of the better ones. A fairway bunker 235 yards off the tee pinches down the fairway to only 15 yards wide. Beyond the bunker, the fairway dips down into a fairly deep depression before rising back up to the green. The green is heavily bunkered, being surrounded by 7 bunkers and the greensite strongly resembles the 7th at Augusta National, a course that Mr. Jones renovated just three years prior to the opening of The Dunes. This hole provides a great opportunity for birdie late in the round for the player who knows his limitations.
From the tee, the bunker is visible in the distance on the right side of the fairway. The safe play is to lay back short of it, possibly 225 yards off the tee.
From just beyond the bunker, you can see how the hole dips down prior to rising back up to the fantastic green complex. There will certainly be no rolling the ball up onto this green.
Hole #18: Par 4, 430 yardsThis is a great closing hole. It is one of the few real dogleg holes on the course and one that will be played into the summer prevailing wind. The player should try to get his tee shot into the left side of the fairway so that he can have a shorter approach shot. From the fairway, the player will need to play a shot to a green surrounded by bunkers with a fronting water hazard. The player must retain his concentration until the final shot here.
The spot where the trees begin to get shorter in the distance, just left of the center of the image, is the perfect aiming spot from the tee with the right to left summer wind.
The scenic green can be clearly seen here, around 125 yards from the green. This is no easy approach shot with a middle or long iron in your hands.
Overall, this is a very good course. It has quality in the routing and design features that are sadly lacking from many of Mr. Jones's later courses. It would likely not take much work for this course to find the American Top 100 yet again. 6 out of 10, and a strong 6 at that.
