Hi Guys & Girls,
So my group is entering our 20th year of MB golf and we are looking at a celebration golf package. Trip is 9/12/2020 thru 9 removed link Renting a house in mid-North Myrtle. 6 guys on the trip.
our course list we are thinking is:
Surf club-Dunes-Tidewater-True blue-Bald Head Island.
My question...is Bald head and Surf club worth the $150 experience?
We may need to tone down a course or two to get the price of the package down a little bit but Dunes Club is our must play, in 20 trips we've never played it.
There are a few courses we have never played....Aberdeen, Arcadian shores, Shaftsbury, Leapords chase, and a couple other "low tier" courses.
Thoughts or recommendations are helpful....thank you all!
much appereciated!
First, welcome to the Forum and congratulations for your 20th "MB golf anniversary"!
That said, to answer your main question, I would say that both courses are absolutely "no brainers".
If BHI was inland, it would be a Top 10 course for the whole Grand Strand for sure!
As for Surf Club, if you look at some recent reports, you'll read that it is probably the course with the best greens.
So, personnally (and I played those two a couple of years ago), I would definitely recommend!
Wishing you a wonderful trip at time being!
Denis Gilbert
Quebec City, Canada
@denisgilbert Thank you for the input....really appreciate it
My pleasure!
But don't forget to wait for other opinions, just in case! 😉
Denis Gilbert
Quebec City, Canada
If you haven't played Surf or Bald Head - they are worth it. Dunes is the best course in MB. So much depends on how much you want to spend. Personally I would drop True Blue (if you played it) and add Rivers Edge and River Hills. (if you haven't played them) . Aberdeen is a nice warm up course and Arcadian Shores very solid but not spectacular. At one time it was ranked in the top 100 courses in the US but has been passed by, still I enjoy playing there. Leopards Chase is a tier one layout but rarely in tier one condition. Played there 4 months ago and it was OK for conditioning but not outstanding. Shaftsbury is good but would be my last choice unless you want to tick it off your list.
Golf is just an excuse to drink whiskey and smoke cigars
Everyone's got their own opinions.
I like Shaftsbury as your opening day course.
Very few homes on the course and it will get you into a very relaxed start to your trip. You will get to hear a lot of birds chirping and golf ball striking and not much more. Very peaceful place.
Course is always in top condition and it's probably the least expensive of the 4 courses you have not played.
I've played it 3 times and have never been disappointed.
A driving range right there by the clubhouse.
20 or 25 minute drive back to your condo in NMB.
My second choice of the 4 you mentioned would be Arcadian Shores.
Skip Leopards Chase (conditioning) for now.
As you probably know, True Blue and Bald Head are long drives from NMB so if you want to save bigger you can delete those two and play 2 from your bucket list, which saves a lot of time AND you still have (arguably) the Top 3 courses on the Grand Strand (Dunes, Surf, Tidewater) to play your last 3 rounds to make a great 20th Anniversary celebration.
Good luck with your decision.
If you have more questions, contact Brian (1-844-706-7503) who runs this website. He's been in MB his whole life and has insight and connections to get you a great deal. AND he is fun to talk to.
Welcome to the forum and let us know how things went.
jw11
"King Of The Mid-tiers"
In spring 2019, my group did it's 20th trip and we went all premium for our
highest cost and nobody complained. Decide on the course price level
based on what you figure your guys will accept.
At Surf you are paying for top conditions, uncrowded, good pace of play and
a private course. Playing on the first day would be a good spot for it.
If driving to Pawleys Island, I suggest Caledonia over True Blue.
You can avoid the long drive by playing Grande Dunes, Kings North or
BF Fazio/Love/Dye. You have more choices than you can use, so a lot
depends on if you want to repeat a course or add a course you haven't
played.
Bald Head is a long drive and a boat ride, requiring a lot of planing.
For a 20th anniversary, Aberdeen isn't good enough and Leopards Chase
with a temp clubhouse isn't maintained well enough to qualify.
Arcadian + Shaft Glen are worthy if you cut one of the others to lower cost.
Either of these is best played on your first day.
Surf + The Dunes aren't available every day, so you might not get them in
the order you want.
*** Please Show Your Appreciation For MB Advice/Info In MBGT With Your Course or Trip Report! ***
All good advise, especially UGP and Art.
If you have never ventured to Bald Head Island it is certainly worth the trip. An excellent golf course that if closer to MB would be a Top Tier 1. From NMB it is about 45 minute drive to where you meet the ferry that takes you out to the island. You need to take the ferry that is at least an hour before tee time. The ride takes about 20-30 minutes. The price normally includes "all-day" golf, so you can play more than one round if you start early enough.
If you are looking to add a value course to the package I would suggest either Farmstead or Meadowlands. Both normally have excellent conditions and are only about a 10 minute drive from NMB.
You can't go wrong with Dunes, Surf or Bald Head Island just be prepared for a long day there BHI. All your courses you have mentioned are decent and would consider dropping Leopards Chase and adding Crow Creek, always seems to be in top shape year round. The rest are good ones for your 20th anniversary trip. Remember to post your trip report.
Dunes and Surf are both worth the cost. Our group is still talking about the Surf Club experience from November. Have to thank UGP for pounding the pavement to play it though. Have not been to BHI - but hopefully soon.
As for other courses, I do think it comes down to courses that you have not played. I know some in our group like to check boxes off the course list every year.
I would book Leopards Chase as it is a better layout than the other lower tier courses you are considering - then checking the forum and Brian for updates on the conditions a month ahead of your trip and change LC out if the report isn't good. Or vice versa and add LC late.
Golf is just an excuse to drink whiskey and smoke cigars
Surf and Dunes will be in mint condition in September as this is the time of year both courses have their club championships.
In contrast Leopards Chase will likely be in below average condition as their bent greens try to recover after a summer of heat and humidity.
Farmstead is a good value course typically in great condition if you haven't played it before. Arcadian Shores is a very good layout (1979 top 100 course in the USA) that should be in good shape. Shaftesbury and Aberdeen are good choices but not if there's recent rain as both courses drain poorly.
Congrats on your 20th trip, high end courses usually mean high end quality.
Let the Big Dawg Bark!!!
Bob, just played Leopards Chase and was more then pleasantly surprised, course was in the best condition over the past few years and greens rolled good with the odd brownish area here and there. Also saw a For Lease sign on Joey O's Building in Little River, so it is now closed down.
Yeah, Joey O's didn't last long in Little River. Rumor is that the owner of Pizzelli's started writing bad reviews on Yelp just to get rid of the competition. Too bad I liked Joey's pies, he sold his other shops in Sunset Beach and Ocean Isle Beach but he may re-open somewhere else in Myrtle or North Myrtle.
Leopards Chase is best to play in winter & spring. Very likely that by August & September the bent greens are stressed out by the heat of summer.
When is your last day in Myrtle?
