Thanks on your reports again Art glad your finding the course in good shape. We will be there in 40 days.
Brownwood Bandit
Art, are we still in the "warmup" phase of your trip? Great info, great lineup of courses so far. Very impressive.
Art goes big AND goes home (at some point).
P.S. Any new food joints catch your eye this time?
I am no longer in the warmup phase.
I didn't want to start a new topic, then again later with full report.
I didn't spend any MB $$ last year and am also using some rainchecks.
For the first time in 15 years I got back to Drunkin Jacks in Murrells,
arriving before the mobs that go there. It's great, but you have to go early or
late. I only eat down there if it's a PM round down there.
The only actual new place I ate is GIOs at 79th ave and 17.
It's good Italian, somewhat upscale. A little too nice if bringing a rowdy
golf group. It's in a building that was a Friday's style restaurant before,
but I can't think of the name.
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Thanks Art. Glad you got back to DJ's.
Gios was Applebees. The layout inside is the same, but it's all premium now.
You would never know what was there before. The food is great, mostly $20-30
entrees, lots of wine selection, great service. They have many wines by the glass
and bottles up to $500.
Gelato next door has almost no business, when I was eating at Gios twice.
Gelato is a dumb name, when they also have soup, sandwiches, because it
sounds like a ice cream shop.
Yesterday Caledonia was very good. I saw more bermuda on the fairways/tees
than other courses. The bermuda on the south end always seems to be
ahead of the north end coming out of dormancy.
I played Grande Dunes today 5/3.
The Greens are very bumpy!! Stay away for awhile.
They are aerated without top dressing, very bumpy, thin, with some crab grass.
Worst greens of the trip by far!
Pro shop said routine maint. HAHA, I am not that dumb, with 42 years of MB
experience. MB doesn't aerate in April, unless the greens are in trouble.
Then a cart attendant said the aeration holes are left over from fall
overseeding. Two starters had no idea why the greens were bad, as if they
don't play the course they work at. Right now they are probably playing over
at MBN or other FGI courses, because Grande Dunes is bad right now.
The overseed in the fairways is dying out, but the bermuda is hardly growing.
They did have fertilizer down,
so tonight's big gusher thunder storm might get things growing.
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Cafe Gelato can be pretty busy around lunchtime. I've been there a few times to meet my wife for a lunch date. It's decent and they do have Gelato. Ha!
Bummer about Grande Dunes. At least we had some rain last night. Perhaps it will help.
Great to be able to read an Art MB report again. Presume this must be the longest you've been away from MB in your 42 year experience?
Great to be able to read an Art MB report again. Presume this must be the longest you've been away from MB in your 42 year experience?
If I missed a Spring trip, I would go to MB in the Fall. So yes Fall 2019 to Spring
2021 is probably the longest break from MB.
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After the thunder storm last night and rain most of the night, TPC
was great today, all mown and raked for a 1PM round. It was CPO,
but they should have canceled CPO for the PM.
Looks like FGI has put way more care into TPC than Grande Dunes.
I thought both courses were their best along with KN.
KN was good, but not as good as TPC this trip.
If you like MB logoed stuff, TPC has a good logo, since it actually
says Myrtle Beach.
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Thanks for the updates Art.
Just an FYI... a poster (w082828) says Leopards Chase is in excellent condition.
Not sure if you still have a rain check for that one.
Enjoy the rest of your trip...and safe travels.
JW
"King Of The Mid-tiers"
I forwarded Art's critique to the Head Pro along with a few remarks from our Client review Software (some ok, some similar to Art's)
He immediately told me to come play asap .... so Minta and I are taking another couple out Sunday to play. Will report back on Monday, even thought I hate doing it, because the course operators get mad at me. I'm frank and honest and look at things from my clients viewpoint more than from their view point which is more focused one with administration. That's why I don't post reports anymore. I have to do business with these people on the daily. It's hard to ask people to join marketing programs, and the likes, when you're posting poor condition reports about their course. So to avoid that uncomfortableness, conflict of interest, since it hampers my ability to do business. But in this case, I'll report what I find ...
Brian Noblin
Myrtle Beach Golf Talk
My direct line at work 888-272-7263
If true, many will be going out to play LC, hope this is correct. When we played it last Jan. 2020 it was in the best shape I ever saw, but it was still below par for a top rated course IMO.
I forwarded Art's critique to the Head Pro along with a few remarks from our Client review Software (some ok, some similar to Art's)
He immediately told me to come play asap .... so Minta and I are taking another couple out Sunday to play. Will report back on Monday, even thought I hate doing it, because the course operators get mad at me. I'm frank and honest and look at things from my clients viewpoint more than from their view point which is more focused one with administration. That's why I don't post reports anymore. I have to do business with these people on the daily. It's hard to ask people to join marketing programs, and the likes, when you're posting poor condition reports about their course. So to avoid that uncomfortableness, conflict of interest, since it hampers my ability to do business. But in this case, I'll report what I find ...
The pro must not be too proud of the greens. They are green, when you look at them.
They are way more bumpy than a typical aerated green with full cores and top dress.
They need work. I didn't think they needed replacing.
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You're definitely in a hard position. You certainly don't want to anger any of the course management since you need to maintain a good relationship with them, but you also don't want to send your customers to a course that's in poor shape and have them mad about the conditions. That's a tough line to walk.
I certainly understand Brian's position and I appreciate his honesty. That is part of the reason I would never use another golf packager.
Our group has played Grande Dunes many times and enjoyed consistent good conditions and customer service. I hope they can get their greens to recover without having to replace all of them.
