Looking for a top notch course to anchor your trip to the Grand Strand? Look no further than TPC Myrtle Beach. If you are snow birding or doing a buddy trip, this course is a must add to your itinerary.
TPC Myrtle Beach is the only course in the area to receive a 5 star rating by Golf Digest. Accolades aside, what makes this course so unique is it's serenity and setting. Tall mature pines guard the course from the surrounding swamps with virtually no development or homes. It truly is a unique Myrtle Beach golf experience.
Head Professional, Casey Cook, shared that the course is a one of a kind for the area. Each hole is a different look and test. While the back tees only plays from a tad under 7000 yards, you will need to play position golf for the four opening holes. After that opening stanza you will find some scoring holes like the drive-able par 4, 12th. The tee shot hides a swale that will swallow your ball if you take an aggressive line at the pin. Steer your shot to the right hand side and you might be faced with an eagle putt.
Casey warns to not be lulled to sleep on the middle holes, but rather to grab a few pars and birdies and get ready for four closing holes that will test your golf game.
Casey's favorite driving hole is the 15th that requires a carry over long grasses reaching above the marshy wetlands. An aggressive line will leave a short iron into an undulating green.
The 17th hole is the signature par 3 that will require you to hit a middle iron to a multi-tiered green over a massive pond. The mature southern pines frame the picture perfect hole. The hole had me grabbing for my camera before reaching for my seven iron.
Casey's favorite hole is the long par 5, 18th. When I asked him why, he stated, "do not start thinking about your cold beer yet. You need to play some target golf if you are going to card a par."
Faced with meandering streams, you need to pick your line carefully. Aim for the grand staircase on the majestic white club house. Hugging the right side will avoid the small creek not visible from the tee. Boom a drive and you are staring at a shot that can get you home in two but a huge pond guards the right and sand protects the right. The smart play is to layup and hit a middle iron to the front generous landing area. This will leave you with a soft wedge shot that will set up for a rewarding par.
A quick piece of history: the Fazio designed course opened in 1999 to host the Senior Tour Championship. While the course lost the event due to hurricane flooding and lack of sponsorship, it remains one of the best courses in Myrtle Beach.
