Name:   Scott Clayton

Position: General Manager, River Oaks Golf Plantation

1. What new and exciting has been going on at your course?

We are excited about the renovations of the Otter Course, which are now complete, and those that are in progress at the Fox.

2. What is your best round on your course?  Best round ever?

My best round at River Oaks is 80. My best round ever recorded is 70.

3. Hobbies, other than golf?

I love fishing, and I live in a wonderful area for that!

4. Dream golf 4-some?

My dream golf 4-some would consist of Carl Yazstremski, Larry Bird, Tom Brady (I’m a lifetime Boston sports enthusiast.) and me.

5. How many years have you been in the golf business?

I’ve been in the golf business for 12 years.

6. Where are you originally from?

I grew up in Hartford, Connecticut.

7. What is the strangest thing that happened on your course recently?

There were four holes-in-ones on four different holes in a two-day period. Wow.

8. What makes your course stand out compared to the other 100 MB golf courses?

We offer quality golf at value pricing. Our proximity to the airport and major hotels allows us to be popular for arrival and getaway play tee times

9. How long have you worked at your golf club?

I’ve been here for six months.

10. What is the biggest challenge your course faces this year?

The uncertain economy challenges us and everyone here in the Myrtle Beach area.

11. Describe your signature holes, and how to play them?

The ninth on the Bear Course is a great hole. It’s a challenging par 5, with a tantalizing approach shot over water to a well bunkered green. Shorter hitters may play to the left side of the fairway and avoid the carry-over the water. Signature holes on Otter #8 and Fox #6 also require decision making tee and approach shots.

12. Have you played competitively?

No

13. What course improvements have you undergone in the past year, or what improvements are you considering?

We have removed numerous trees and sand traps, installed new cart paths, drainage, and irrigation systems on the Fox and Otter Courses. The same improvements are scheduled for The Bear Course. Major improvements are scheduled  for our pro-shop and our food and beverage areas, too.

14. What general trends are you seeing in the golf industry in Myrtle Beach?

Golfers are interested in getting more for their money .

Tags: Meet the Pro - a feature interview series by admin
1 Comment »

Name:  Jay Smith

Position: Head Golf Professional Prestwick Golf Club Myrtle Beach

#1. What new and exciting has been going on at your course?

Lots of tournaments-member, charity and junior-changed the look and playability of #1, #10, and #14.

#2. What is your best round on your course?  Best round ever?

Best round at Prestwick-67 Best round ever-66 at Blackmoor

#3. Hobbies, other than golf?

Boating, water skiing, and doing things with the family.

#4. Dream golf 4some?

Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Fred Couples

#5. How many years have you been in the golf business?

20

#6. Where are you originally from?

Spartanburg, South Carolina

#7. What is the strangest thing that happened on your course recently?

Recently a group was playing #4(a short par 4 with second shot over water) and a gentleman was lining up his putt and got too close to the edge and fell over the bulkhead into the water-did not get hurt thank goodness. The funny thing is that his group was laughing so hard, the gentleman crawled out of the water and dropped his putter on the way out. He then had to go back in and get his putter and was forced to go under. He did get his putter and unfortunately did not make the putt, but gave his playing partners a story to always tell.

#8. What makes your course stand out compared to the other 100 MB golf courses?

The Pete and PB design of the course. Makes you really think your way around and use every club in your bag. Every level of golfer can play and have an enjoyable round.

#9. What is the biggest challenge your course faces this year?

Figuring out how to manage our business financially while not sacrificing condition and customer service.

#11. Describe your signature holes, and how to play them?

#5-a challenging par 3 with a creek that runs the length of the holes and turns left at the green. Have to bail out to the right, but there are 2 large bunkers and a huge slope to contend with. Also #17-a difficult Par 5 voted by the Sun News as one of the hardest 18 holes on the Grand Strand. Has a winding stream the length of the hole that comes into play on every shot and must be carried on the approach shot to the green. Tee shot must be on right side of fairway and lay up shot cannot be out of fairway. 3^rd shot is to a small green with mounding. Cannot bail out right or will be in water and bail out left is down a swell and leaves for an almost impossible up and down. Take your par and move on.

#12. Have you played competitively?

Played golf for Coastal Carolina College in college and played in Carolinas section events.

#13. What course improvements have you undergone in the past year, or what improvements are you considering?

We eliminated a waste bunker on #1 and added 2 bunkers to protect the green. We moved the bunker beside #10 green more towards the fairway and placed it in a collection area to the left front of the green. Resodded and moved some mounds to mellow them out on the right side of #14 in the rough. We have taken down about 100 tress to increase airflow and reduce shade to tees and greens to improve the quality of the turf.

#14. What general trends are you seeing in the golf industry in Myrtle Beach?

The golf courses and hotels are trying to work together to fend off an ever declining number of rounds. The golf courses are trying to help one another. Advertising dollars are on the increase to try and increase the number of rounds in the area.

Tags: Meet the Pro - a feature interview series by admin
No Comments »

Name:    Matt Biddington

Position:   Head PGA Professional

Golf course:  Legends Resorts

#1. What new and exciting has been going on at your course?
We are now under new management, with The Arnold Palmer Golf Management Company coming aboard. They have brought a new and exciting attitude to Myrtle Beach and I am very eager to work as a part of their company.

#2. What is your best round on your course?  Best round ever?
Heathland – 65
Moorland – 67
Parkland – 73
Best round ever was the 65 on the Heathland.

#3. Hobbies, other than golf?
Fishing.
Traveling…when I can.
Watching Football, Basketball and UFC.

#4. Dream golf 4some?
Myself.
Tiger Woods.
Michael Jordan.
Ben Roethlisberger

#5. How many years have you been in the golf business?
7

#6. Where are you originally from?
Uniontown, PA – about 40 minutes outside Pittsburgh

#7. What is the strangest thing that happened on your course recently?
Had a small tornado take out about 10 trees, picked up the 100 foot long Driving Range Canopy and slammed it to the ground breaking it. Also took a 50 pound generator and moved it about 200 yards across the road into the woods.

#8. What makes your course stand out compared to the other 100 MB golf courses?
We have 3 unique designs on site all boasting 4 1/2 stars from Golf Digest. There is the Scottish Links Style course, which was voted one of the best 30 you can play in South Carolina by the SCGA, The Heathland. The  Moorland is ranked the 37th Toughest Course in America by Golf Digest. The Parkland is an American-Style course with beautiful tree-lined fairways. We have an acre putting green and a 30 acre practice facility that both stay lit past 10:00 pm.

#9. How long have you worked at your golf club?
5 years.

#10. What is the biggest challenge your course faces this year?
Keeping golfers coming to our location by providing them with the best customer service on the beach.

#11. Describe your signature holes, and how to play them?
We don’t have a “Signature Hole” for each course per say, but the 16th on The Moorland Course is probably the most famous…or should I say “infamous”
It is a Drivable Par 4 with so much trouble around the green it was nicknamed “Hell’s Half Acre”

#12. Have you played competitively?
I played in junior tournaments all over the country since I was 10.
I played in high school as well as in college for 2 years.
Since becoming a professional I try to play in a few events a year.

#13. What course improvements have you undergone in the past year, or what improvements are you considering?
We added a group of Senior Tees to all of our courses.
We are in the midst of adding several new tees to make the courses a little more “Lady-Friendly.”
All sprinkler heads will be marked with yardages by October 1, 2009.

#14. What general trends are you seeing in the golf industry in Myrtle Beach?
Courses are beginning to get more competitive with their rates and are trying different packages to lure golfers to their courses.

Tags: Meet the Pro - a feature interview series by admin
No Comments »

This is the 1st in a series where we plan to help the Myrtle Beach Golfer get to better know the local golf pros.

Name: Jamie Roderick

Position: Head Golf Professional International Club of Myrtle Beach

What new and exciting has been going on at your course?
-I wouldn’t say we are doing anything new at this time.  Right now we are trying to survive the “summer heat”.  During the summer months you have to take what you can get….while preparing for the fall season.  However, we are hosting our Thursday Night Shootout.  The shootout consists of a 9 hole scramble, BBQ style dinner, tons of prizes and most of all… FUN!!  Our shootout has been extremely successful over the past couple years.

What is your best round on your course?  Best round ever?
-I shot 69 at International Club in 2007.  My best round ever was 67 at Montaup Country Club in Rhode Island back in 2004.

Hobbies, other than golf?
-I love to play basketball.  I play whenever the time allows.  But most of all….I love to travel with my wife and daughter.  When I’m not working, there’s no where I’d rather be than with them.

Dream golf 4some?
-This one is easy…..Tiger, Jordan, Barkley (need to witness the swing in person) and myself.

How many years have you been in the golf business?
-I moved to the beach in 2001 and had my first assistant position in 2002 at Wicked Stick (been at International Club since 2004)…so 7 years now.  I have a Criminal Justice degree and worked as a Private Investigator in Boston before I moved here.

Where are you originally from?
-I was born in Bristol, Rhode Island.  Attend college at Northeastern University in Boston.

What is the strangest thing that happened on your course this spring?
-We actually had three Hole-In-Ones on the same day…..all different holes…..CRAZY!!  Tough enough to have one in a month…..we had three in one day.

What makes your course stand out compared to the other 100 MB golf courses?
-If I had to pick one aspect that stands out from the rest…it would be our greens.  Jim Knaffle, Superintendant, strives on making our greens roll fast and true.  In season our greens roll about a 12 on the stimp.  We have some of, if not the, fastest greens on the Grand Strand.  I would put our greens right up there with the best around.  Other than that, we are constantly trying to improve the golf course in every aspect.

How much does GPS speed up play?
-Funny you should ask that.  Honestly, I think it slows play down a little.  Golfers wait for there partner to drive over to them so they can get an exact yardage before they’ll swing.  Sounds a little crazy, but it’s true.  We put GPS on the carts 3 years ago.  We put it on as a luxury for the golfer.  Our intent wasn’t to speed up play with the device………GOOD THING!!

What is the biggest challenge your course faces this year?
-This is an obvious answer….PLAY!!  In this economy, we are trying to get as many rounds as we can.  We have been lucky over the first half of the year…thanks to our members and local community.  Our package play is down but that seems to be the norm around the beach.

Describe your signature holes, and how to play them?
-Our signature hole is #11 – a par three surrounded by water and bunkers measuring 80 yards (senior ladies / junior tee), 110 yards (ladies tee), 135 yards (senior tee), 156 yards (mens tee) and 178 yards (back tee).  The way I play it from the back tee….CLOSE MY EYES AND SWING…..hope to get lucky!!

Have you played competitively?
-I have not played competitive golf as of yet.  Am working hard at my game and with the weights.  Hope to play competitve in the future.

What course improvements have you undergone in the past year, or what improvements are you considering?
-We are ALWAYS trying to improve.  We’ve been under new ownership since 2006.  In the past 3 years, the golf course has made tremendous changes all around.  We are extremely fortunate that our owner, Jack Davis, wants the International Club to be one of the top places to play on the Grand Strand.  No improvement has gone unnoticed.  We received a Four Star rating by Golf Digest in 2008.

Currently, we are re-mulching all flower beds, adding drainage where necessary, repainting the pro shop and restaurant area and upgrading our driving range to name a few.  We have also added the Joe Bernat Golf Academy to the International Club.  Joe and his team are extremely knowledgable instructors.  A true asset to our club.

#14. What general trends are you seeing in the golf industry in Myrtle Beach?

-Tough question.  This year has been tougher to “forecast” than any other I can remember.  It’s no secret, we are a tourist town, striving on package play.  Package play is down considerably this year.

Tags: Meet the Pro - a feature interview series by admin
2 Comments »