@jw11 Yeah. My family place is at Ocean Isle Beach, so the Ocean Ridge courses are very close. We used to play Leopard's Chase and Tiger's Eye all the time, and Lion's Paw and Panther's Run occasionally. I couldn't tell you the last time I was out there, though -- it's been at least 5 years because of how bad the conditions are.
Unfortunately that's true of most courses around there now. We almost always drive to at least Cherry Grove/North Myrtle to play these days because even though there are numerous courses nearby, most are either in mediocre to poor shape or just aren't very interesting golf. Sea Trail and Ocean Ridge haven't been worth playing in years due to conditions, and while the Pearl is a bit better, its conditioning is not especially good. Carolina Shores is another with generally poor conditions. Crow Creek, Farmstead, and Meadowlands are all usually in good shape, but I think they're all pretty boring golf courses from a design standpoint -- only play them when we can't find a tee time elsewhere. Sandpiper Bay is also on the boring side and the conditions there are hit or miss. I really like Oyster Bay as a golf course, but the conditions there haven't been consistently good in years either. Rivers Edge and Thistle are the only two we really play regularly that are nearby.
It's such a huge difference from 15 years ago, when Ocean Ridge, Sea Trail, the Pearl, and Oyster Bay were all regularly in good shape and worth playing. Go even further back and you had Marsh Harbor and Ocean Harbor too.
It's a shame because that area of North Carolina was Golf Heaven , and still should be.
I'm interested to get back to Pearl because I've seen negative reviews.
I haven't played it in 2 years, but that course was very reliable for many ,many years.
To me - as the self proclaiming King Of The Mid Tiers - The Pearls were high on my mid tier list.
I just love turning off of 17 North by the The Little River medical building...driving through Calabash, then seeing all these golf courses and "turn here" to more olf courses. Pearl, right across the street from Thistle and across the marsh from Oyster Bay. .Sandpiper, Ocean Ridge, even seeing the Marsh Harbor sign that's still up.
jw11
"King Of The Mid-tiers"
That Marsh Harbor sign baffles me every single time I drive by it in Calabash. I don't know why they haven't taken it down.
It's not like it's just an old abandoned sign that's slowly decaying (there's one of those somewhere around Myrtle -- I think maybe Waterway Hills?). They keep the landscaping around it trimmed and they must even keep the sign painted, because it's in perfect condition and if you didn't know better you'd assume there was still an operating golf course there because of how the sign looks.
And it's not like it leads back into a neighborhood or anything either. It's just weird that they keep it maintained when there's absolutely nothing there.
Another thing that was always really strange was the former site of the Jaguar's Lair golf course. It's completely overgrown now, but there was a point in time when you could drive by and not know the course hadn't opened at a glance. Everything was fully built and landscaped, all the bunkers were full of sand, and the fairways were mowed regularly. The only thing that wasn't done was the greens -- they had tarps over them and may not have ever grassed them. It was like that for at least a year; they spent all that money building and maintaining the course and then just never opened it. I suppose it was the right decision considering they no longer even spend money maintaining the courses they have, but it was so strange to see a fully built golf course just sitting there unopened.
They also still have it on the Ocean Ridge sign at that entrance, which should have been removed a while ago.
It's too bad the two 18s at Angel's Trace aren't still there instead. They weren't special courses, but they were a fine place to get a nearby round. They were also a great place to see alligators.
Another thing that was always really strange was the former site of the Jaguar's Lair golf course. It's completely overgrown now, but there was a point in time when you could drive by and not know the course hadn't opened at a glance. Everything was fully built and landscaped, all the bunkers were full of sand, and the fairways were mowed regularly. The only thing that wasn't done was the greens -- they had tarps over them. It was like that for at least a year; they spent all that money building and maintaining the course and then just never opened it. I suppose it was the right decision considering they no longer even spend money maintaining the courses they have, but it was so strange to see a fully built golf course just sitting there unopened.
Interesting
"King Of The Mid-tiers"
Days 2,3 and 4
Day 2 Tidewater
Tidewater impressed all in our group. Greens aboutTees good.
Fairways good
Staff excellent
Bunkers great
Everyone in our group were really impressed
Tidewater is top notch.
Day 3 Barefoot Dye
Greens about 9 and in good condition
Tees good
Fairways excellent
Staff Great
cart -ash’s could use some work
Overall a great course
Day 4 The Dunes
Overall very good.
Best greens we have played so far at 10 on the meter.
Fairways and tees really good.
Only negative were the bunkers that looked and played like they had not been serviced in months.
Staff was good.
Tomorrow we play Glen Dornach and finish the week at Barefoot Fazio
Really good line up for the week.
More later.
@w082828 Thanks for additional course reports.
You do have a great lineup.
The Dunes usually maintains the bunkers well.
They now usually roll the sand faces and rake the flat part.
Could that have fooled you into thinking no sand maint?
Thanks!
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The bunkers at the dunes were not due to their conditioning. They were hard, unkemp and not swept at all.
Dinner last night at Sea Merchants, excellent as usual. Recently remodeled.
Day 5 Glen Dornach
Tees good, fairways good.
Greens probably about 8 on the meter.
Starter good.
Bunkers good with rakes.
Weather Hot as Hell! 105 with heat index.
This course is in really good shape.
Lots of grass on the greens.
Our guys liked the layout.
Last day tomorrow at Barefoot Fazio.
Back to Florida on Saturday morning until April.
Departure dinner will be at Chestnut Hil as usual.
Thanks for all your reports did enjoy the reads.
Brownwood Bandit
Chestnut Hill one of our favorites.
Under rated.
Sea Merchant's was the place Dustin Johnson and his parents frequented before he was famous.
It did need a remodel.
Food is good. Good owner.
"King Of The Mid-tiers"
Good to see another positive Glen Dornoch review
"King Of The Mid-tiers"
The Grouper Casino at Sea Merchant's is wonderful.
Last day at Barefoot Fazio
what a disappoint. Greens were recently punched and sanded. At the very least the could have moved us to the Norman or Dye courses. Greens were sanded and the rest of the corse was very average. Most d(disappointing course of the week.
