If you have booked a golf package or golf trip to Myrtle Beach in the past, you will know that there are plenty of quality courses to chose from in the area.  It can be overwhelming at times to select your courses.  Here is a quick review and description of one course that you are sure to enjoy:

The Willard Byrd Course of the Sea Trail

This course is located in Sunset Beach, North Carolina (279 Clubhoue Road, Sunset Beach, NC 28468), and it is truly a great course to play.  The course is a par of the Sea Trail, which is a  beautiful collection of courses in Sunset Beach, which is only 15 minutes from Myrtle Beach.  The trail provides 3 award-winning signature golf courses, including the Willard Byrd Course.   Here are some basic facts on the course, and what you should expect when you play:

The Willard Byrd Course requires a distinctively different approach thanks to a constricting tree line, challenging greenside bunkering system, and lakes ranging from 14-20 acres. Strategically placed tee shots are essential for successful play on Byrd’s newly renovated undulating greens of Champions Bermuda. A picturesque and scenic 18th hole between two beautiful ponds finishes the course at the Jones-Byrd Clubhouse. The course measures 6750 yards from the blue tees; 6,251 yards from the white tees; 5,561 yards from the gold tees; and 4,697 yards from the red tees.

Year Opened: 1990

Holes: 18, Par: 72

Walking Allowed: No

Sunday Alcohol: After Noon

Coolers: Only small, 6-pack size coolers allowed

Spikes: Soft

Greens: Champions Bermuda

When you consider the Willard Byrd course, remember that they are truly known for their playability.  They are not overly difficult or challenging, but always fun.  You should expect wide fairways, some sand scattered throughout, and your typical dogleg holes.   This course is always in great condition, and you can play all three Sea Trail courses at a very special rate.  They have a great clubhouse and excellent practice facilities available.  Book your next Myrtle Beach golf vacation today, and play the Willard Byrd Course!

Tags: Myrtle Beach Golf, Myrtle Beach Golf Course Info, Myrtle Beach Golf Course Reviews by GolfMaster
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Kings North at Myrtle Beach National is located at 4900 National Drive, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Arnold Palmer redesigned this extraordinary course in 1996.  The course was originally opened in 1973, but was redesigned and reconstructed under Arnold Palmer’s vision in 1996.  The goal has been to transform it into one of the Grand Strand’s best upscale courses.    It has earned much acclaim over the years, and in 2004 it made its way into the prestigious Golf Digest list of “America’s 100 greatest public courses.”  So if you are booking a Myrtle Beach golf vacation or package, it is a course you should definitely have on your list.

The Palmer design has given this course a variety of unique and interesting holes.  Most of the course is fairly wide open, depending on your playing ability, and the hazards are made less dangerous by the placement of generous landing areas for drives.  This structure gives golfers great opportunity to be well positioned off the tee.  As with any course, a player’s level of play and general preferences for course construction make it hard to pinpoint an honest interpretation of why the course is great.  However, here are the facts:

The par 3’s on the course measure between 140 and 190 yards from the tips, and 129 and 178 yards from the gold tees.  The par 3’s on the course are gorgeous in design, but some of them are distinctly challenging and intimidating.  For example, the green on the fourth hole, a par 3 measuring approximately 168 yards from the gold tees, is fronted by water giving it a natural slope in that direction.   The water forces you to focus on your placement and ball striking.

King’s North also has 3 large par 4’s that are spread around the course. They are longer than 460 yards when playing from the tips.  However, it should be noted that the course has a good variety of par 4’s with doglegs and which require plenty of variation in your approaches to the tee.

The Par 5s on the course can truly go either way for most players. If you are strong off the tee, most are reachable in two, but the hazards still make it a gamble.  If you are moderate to shorter off the tee, you will most likely be there in 3.  Hopefully you can two putt it from there!

Overall, the course is in immaculate shape and a great option for you to play a Palmer designed course in Myrtle Beach, SC.  If you are interested in booking a trip in the near future, don’t hesitate to c contact us and we’ll get your tee times booked and your vacation scheduled.

Tags: Myrtle Beach Golf, Myrtle Beach Golf Course Info, Myrtle Beach Golf Course Reviews, Myrtle Beach Golf Packages by GolfMaster
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The Pearl, also known as “The Gem of the Carolina’s” is tucked quietly on the banks of the Brunswick coastal marshland in the heart of Calabash, North Carolina, and just a short drive from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Dan Maples masterfully designed The Pearl’s two Championship golf courses – The Pearl East and The Pearl West, to challenge golfers at all skill levels while showcasing the spectacular 900-acre marsh surroundings. The Pearl is open year round and we’ve been booking our guests there for over 20 years! 

We recently posted a blog discussing the difference in grasses used for putting greens on golf courses. The Pearl has closed the East Course from now until October 1, 2011 to install new Mini Verde Bermuda Greens and do routine maintenance. 

If you’re interested in following The Pearl’s new renovations, you can do so by following their progress on Facebook.  If you’re interested in playing the East or West Course, make sure to get in touch with us today.  With over 1 million rounds booked, we’ve sent many people to The Pearl.  It is truly a gem, and we have no doubt you’ll love it

Tags: Myrtle Beach Golf, Myrtle Beach Golf Course Info, Myrtle Beach Golf Course Reviews, Myrtle Beach News and events by GolfMaster
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We can across this anonymous poem and found it a rather fitting way to describe the game we know and love. Keep this in mind next time and it could be all the much better while playing golf in Myrtle Beach.

In My Hand I Hold A Ball,

White And Dimpled, And Rather Small.

Oh How Bland It Does Appear,

This Harmless Looking Little Sphere.

By Its Size I Could Not Guess,

Of The Awesome Strength It Does Possess.

But Since I Fell Beneath Its Spell,

I’ve Wandered Through The Fires Of Hell.

My Life Has Not Been Quite The Same,

Since I Chose To Play This Stupid Game.

It Rules My Mind For Hours On End,

A Fortune It Has Made Me Spend.

It Has Made Me Curse And Made Me Cry,

And Hate Myself And Want To Die.

It Promises Me A Thing Called Par,

If I Hit It Straight And Far.

To Master Such A Tiny Ball,

Should Not Be Very Hard At All.

But My Desires The Ball Refuses,

And Does Exactly As It Chooses.

It Hooks And Slices, Dribbles And Dies,

And Disappears Before My Eyes.

Often It Will Have A Whim,

To Hit A Tree Or Take A Swim.

With Miles Of Grass On Which To Land,

It Finds A Tiny Patch Of Sand.

Then Has Me Offering Up My Soul,

If Only It Would Find The Hole.

It’s Made Me Whimper Like A Pup,

And Swear That I Will Give It Up.

And Take To Drink To Ease My Sorrow,

But The Ball Knows … I’ll Be Back Tomorrow.

Stand proud you noble swingers of club and losers of balls

A recent study found the average golfer walks about 900 miles a year.

Another study found golfers drink, on average, 22 gallons of alcohol a year.

That means, on average, golfers get about 41 miles to the gallon.

Kind of makes you proud. Almost feels like a hybrid.

Tags: Golf Humor by parker
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The majority of golf courses, including those in Myrtle Beach, have traditionally had bentgrass greens because of their carpet like turf and root system that allows the grass to come in thick and deep green in color.  Check out Augusta National’s greens for a prime example! Another reason for bentrgrass’ popularity is the low level of maintenance required for upkeep.

Despite the many benefits of bentgrass greens, one problem remains; they don’t do well in hot summers.  It’s no surprise that many of Myrtle Beach’s golf courses have moved to Bermuda grass greens.  Bermuda grass is more fit for areas with mild winters and hot summers.  While they do require more maintenance, they tend to maintain their color and texture all year long, giving you perfect greens throughout the fall and winter here in Myrtle Beach.

In fact, just this year, we’ve seen six of our most popular courses make the move to Bermuda.  Barefoot Resort’s Norman Course opened Sept. 3 after a renovation changed its greens from A1 bentgrass to Champion Bermuda. The resort’s Fazio Course made the same move earlier this summer, opening in July.

Myrtle Beach National Co. installed new Champion Bermuda greens at the River Club, while the Myrtle Beach National West Course and on the Avocet Course at Wild Wing Resort recently made the switch to MiniVerde Bermuda.  All three reopened in August.

The Lion’s Paw Golf Links, the oldest of the courses at Ocean Ridge Plantation, switched to MiniVerde greens after the success renovation at Panther’s Run in 2010.

Finally, the Quail Creek Golf Club at Coastal Carolina University is currently closed as the course is reportedly changing over from TifDwarf Bermuda to MiniVerde.

So what does this mean for you?  If you’ve booked your Myrtle Beach Golf package for this fall or winter, you’re going to have beautiful, smooth rolling greens to play on.  If you’re considering booking your Myrtle Beach Golf package, you could be playing on those same greens, so make a move and book yours today.

For information on Myrtle Beach Golf, contact us right away.  We know everything you’ll need to know to book a great Myrtle Beach Golf vacation.  We can set you up with places to stay, handle your travel itinerary, and book your golf.  Don’t hesitate.  We’ll talk with you soon!

Tags: Myrtle Beach Golf, Myrtle Beach Golf Course Info, Myrtle Beach Golf Course Reviews, Myrtle Beach News and events by GolfMaster
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With Irene behind many of us, and little damage to report in South Carolina, the golf season is revving up in Myrtle Beach for a fantastic end to the summer and fall season.  Myrtle Beach and much of the surrounding area was fortunate enough to avoid a direct impact from the storm, and received little overall damage to the more than 100 courses that comprise the Myrtle Beach Golf Courses community.  The weather we did receive, gave many of us a nice respite and glimpse of the cooler weather we will experience this fall and early winter.

The conditions during this time of the year, and well into the fall season, are ideal for the golfer who enjoys the sunshine, but not the scorching heat that is to be experienced in many of the summer months.  As we get deeper into the fall season, the climate provides golfers relatively lower temperatures and humidity in comparison to those experienced in the middle of the year.   Golfers can expect to enjoy the local courses without having to bare the scorching heat.

Also, this time of year gives those of you who missed the opportunity to enjoy an outing in the spring time and early summer a second chance to enjoy a milder climate.  In short, you will find the opportunity to enjoy relaxing rounds in the morning or late afternoon with temperatures steering clear of the triple digits.  The increased rainfall in the late part of the summer season also softens many areas of the course, and improves the overall condition of the greens on many of the courses.

If you are wondering where to play, Golf Digest just recently published a Myrtle Beach trip report that will provide you a quick snapshot of some of the courses to choose from.  The report provides you a good idea of how the courses played in August as well as credible comparisons of some of the best courses available.  This resource will help you navigate through the many options available to you.    Follow the link: http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-courses/blogs/wheres-matty-g/2011/08/trip-reports-myrtle-beach.html, if you are interested in hearing more about some of the premier courses and how they stood up in the trip review.

Whether you are planning a quick nine or a 36 hole tournament with friends, do not miss the opportunity to enjoy a round on the Grand Strand during this great time of year!  Remember, our GolfMasters are always available by phone 800 394 3764, email or Facebook to answer all your questions or book your rounds!

Tags: Golf Facts and figures, Golfmaster Opinion's, Myrtle Beach Golf, Myrtle Beach Golf Course Info, Myrtle Beach News and events by GolfMaster
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The best season for Myrtle Beach Golf is rapidly approaching, and we have great news for anyone who has already booked or might soon book their Myrtle Beach Golf package.  Five Myrtle Beach golf courses are about to re-open following summer renovation projects.  River Club, Myrtle Beach National’s West Course, Barefoot’s Norman Course, and Lion’s Paw Golf Links are reopening this August, and Quail Creek Golf Club at Coastal Carolina is scheduled to reopen on Oct. 1.

The Fazio Course reopened in mid-July with new Champion Bermuda greens.

River Club, a 26-year-old Tom Jackson design, just reopened to the public with Champion Bermuda greens. While the course was shut down, some tee boxes were redone and a few bunkers were reshaped to make them less penal.

Myrtle Beach National’s West Course, a 37-year-old Frank Duane and Arnold Palmer design, is reopening Wednesday August 24 with Mini-Verde greens and replenished bunker sand.

The 11-year-old Greg Norman design at Barefoot and Lion’s Paw, a 20-year-old Willard Byrd and Tim Cate design at Ocean Ridge Plantation, will open in time to host Golf.com World Amateur Handicap Championship rounds.

Quail Creek, 43-year-old Gene Hamm design, is undergoing the summer’s largest renovation project in the area.  All greens and bunkers are being redone among many other modifications.

For more detailed information regarding these courses and their changes, you can read this article.

If you’re interested in booking your Myrtle Beach Golf Package, but want to do some research on Myrtle Beach courses first, make sure to visit our Golf Course Guide.  You can find course descriptions, pricing, and information on how you can book your golf trip.  If you don’t find the information you need, get in touch with us and we’ll answer any questions you might have.  We’ve booked over 1 million rounds on these courses since 1979!  We can help you with whatever you’re looking for.  We’re looking forward to hearing from you soon!

Tags: Myrtle Beach Golf, Myrtle Beach Golf Course Info, Myrtle Beach Golf Course Reviews, Myrtle Beach Golf Packages, Myrtle Beach News and events by GolfMaster
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Callaway, one of the world’s largest golf brands announced a new performance fitting center will open in Myrtle Beach this July.  Performance centers are becoming more popular, but this seems to be the 1st of it’s kind to open in Myrtle Beach.  Custom club fitting has long been used at the professional level.  Due to advances in technology it is now easier to have the same fitting systems available to your amateur golfer.

This fitting center will service the avid golfers that seasonally flock to Myrtle Beach to experience some of the best golf courses in the world.  Often times having equipment fitted to the individual golfer enables substantial performance gains.  There are hundreds of different golf club combinations and the performance center will use state of the art technology to match golfers with the proper club head, shaft, and weight.  This technology is now affordable to the everyday golfer and should help them to elevate their games.

The fitting center will be located in Golf Dimensions one of Myrtle Beach’s best known golf stores.  The performance center will be located at the Barefoot resort, which boasts 4 of Myrtle Beach’s best golf courses.

We are eager to check it out….perhaps that is a good excuse to get some new clubs?  Like we need an excuse anyway.  Check back in July and we can give a full report on the fitting and our thoughts.  You may want to plan to check it out next time you are visiting Myrtle Beach on a golf vacation.

Tags: Myrtle Beach Golf Course Info by parker
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Calling all golfers in Canada. Book your next Myrtle Beach Golf Vacation and fly Porter Air.

“This is the ideal time for Canadians to take advantage of the warmer winter golf season and the peak of spring weather. The return of Porter Air truly benefits the area by bringing in much needed seasonal business with a direct flight from Toronto in plenty of time for the 50th Annual Can-Am Days Festival March 12-20,” Director of Airports Michael La Pier said in a press release.

For the full article click here

Tags: Golf Facts and figures, Myrtle Beach Flight Info, Myrtle Beach Golf Course Info, Myrtle Beach Golf Course Reviews, Myrtle Beach Golf Packages, Myrtle Beach Lodging Info, Myrtle Beach News and events, Random Golf Info by Pat-O
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Greetings Golfers,

Week 3 of our nine week giveaway begins today.

The correct answer to our week 2 giveaway was The Pearl. The winner of a free round for 4 goes to MARK GIESE. Congratulations to Mark. To claim your free round all you need to do is contact a Golfmaster at 800-394-3764 AND mention your win on your Facebook page.

Week Three’s first clues for a free round for 4 are:

• Extensive renovations were done to this 27 hole facility. Over 2 million was spent to restore / upgrade the golf course.
• Removed over 200 trees to make it more playable

To be eligible for this weeks random drawing simply comment on our Facebook page with your guess as to which course it is. Let us know your best score, favorite hole or whatever fun fact you have.

More clues will be released on our Facebook page on Wednesday and Friday with the winner announced on Monday, along with a new giveaway……

To book the perfect Myrtle Beach Golf Vacation Click Here

Tags: Golf Facts and figures, Myrtle Beach Golf Course Info, Myrtle Beach Golf Course Reviews, Myrtle Beach Golf Packages, Myrtle Beach News and events, Random Golf Info by Pat-O
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