Thanksgiving Trip  

Each year we make it a schedule 'must' to be at Brunswick Plantation during Thanksgiving.  The family comes to visit and enjoy the Grand Strand life.  Here's a summary of the golf on the schedule:

11/18 - Crow Creek   - Course was a bit wet due to some heavy rain a few days before, it was CPO although you could ride in the rough adjacent to the cart path.  The overseed fairways are still coming in but if they respond like past years, the conditions will be lush.  The bent grass greens were better this time as they were a bit bumpy in October.  The course was not overly busy, probably due to the CPO condition.  Crow Creek is dependable, always a good experience, enjoyable layout, generous width of fairways, and good pace of play.  One comment, I find that the staff has rendered the waste bunkering a waste of time to maintain.  This is a disappointment as it is a great design feature that is now suffering.

11/20 - Tidewater - One of my favorite golf courses along the Grand Strand.  I just love this layout and the consistent conditions of the greens.  The course was CPO as the overseed is still coming in and the fairways had recently been verticut so the fairways were a bit rough.  The bunkers were perfectly maintained.  Pace of play was good, 4 hr 15 min; played in the first group of the day on the front then behind the final group on the back so I think our split was 1 hr 45 min on front and 2 hr 30 on the back.  The speed of the greens was really good, downhillers were treacherous.  

11/22 - Compass Pointe - Had not played here since Feb 2019.  No overseed anywhere so the fairways are a bit beat up.  We rode the fairways, pace of play was excellent at 4 hr.  Lots of residential construction here, probably 40 homes in some state of construction so it's really noisy on certain holes with equipment and vehicles moving about.  The best part about Compass Pointe is the elevation change on holes 1-10-18; really dramatic and fun.  Greens are a mini verde type that are colorized and really quick.  Still no clubhouse as they operate out of a modular building.  The grill room is complete and really well designed.

11/25 - Oak Island - This was my first round at Oak Island.  I love this course.  Old style, built 1962, George Cobb design, very w-i-d-e fairways, not a lot of forced carries, houses are located far back in the trees and do not encroach  the golf course.  This course is reminiscent of Surf Golf Club as it's the same architect.  New clubhouse under construction, about 90% complete, operate out of a modular for another month or so.  The view from the clubhouse and parking area is incredible as you are right on the beach.  The course plays great with beautiful overseed and dormant mini verde type greens.  It's a 40 min ride from Brunswick Plantation but so worth it.

11/26 - Whispering Pines - Also, my first round here.  I was surprised to say the least.  Since it's located at the MB Airport, I thought it would be noisy... it was not.  Conditions are quite good with overseed fairways and greens.  The greens are small so getting a GIR requires a precise approach.  Played from the white tee and it played kind of long as many par 4 holes were 365+.  Greens were smooth and nice to putt.  Great tributes to former commandants on each tee which keep the military feel of the course (originally built by USAF engineers in 1962 as part of the air base).  No forced carries here so my wife loved it. 

11/29 - Brunswick Plantation -  Played as a single on the Magnolia then joined up with another single to play Dogwood as our back nine.  Brunswick has the nicest overseed of any course I have played this fall, really full.  Overseed extends to the aprons and greens too.  The course was in pretty nice shape, bunkers were perfect, the dormant rough was left at a good height.. green speed was good, no overly fast but you still had to pay attention to a downhiller.  Often times I do find Brunswick a bit wet due to the "gumbo" soil that acts like a sponge with the moisture.  I think the staff has done some drainage improvements so it's better than in past years.  Still more work to do though as #8 Magnolia was pretty wet.