Myrtle Golf Trip 5-2 to 5-8
We have a group of 15 from NJ. Thay have been coming for over 20 years. This is my third year on the trip after missing last year. The trip is normally in September but moved to May due to previous years being impacted by hurricanes. We all stayed in a large house on the beach in Garden City that is very comfortable. A few of the guys cook breakfast and dinner daily. Everybody throws $250 into the pot for food and booze.
Travel
We rolled the dice hoping spirit would stay in business for at least one more day. We had a 6:30 spirit flight from Newark to Myrtle on Sat May2. We woke up at 3am to the worst news scenario that the bailout fell through and they were officially out of business. 3 of us travelling together were able to book a united flight at 3pm. Crisis averted. I had booked golf a few days prior for Saturday but with the change in flights I had to get rain checks at Man O War. They could not have been nicer. Note: Golf is very busy as I had trouble finding a morning tee time anywhere near the airport and paid a premium. Could be due to the PGA in town this week.
Willbrook Plantation
Sunday 5/3/26
It’s a tough test to start the trip with a slope rating of 140 from blue tee playing 6100 yds. It’s a true low country feel with Spanish moss covered trees and magnolias. The course is cut through an upscale development, but housing only comes into play on a few holes. The previous day was the first full day of much needed rain in the area. The course took the rain very well and there were no issues with playability and no restrictions.
We saw 4 or five gators. One large one that looked very well fed.
Tee time 8:25
Bagdrop 8/10
Grass range is small and token available in pro shop for $8
Greens 9 removed link Putting green seemed much faster than on the course. Many pin placements were back and difficult.
Fairways 7/10 transitioning from overseed to Bermuda. Thin in spots.
Tee boxes 6/10 front nine had better coverage than the back.
POP 4.5 hours.
Dinner - Italian night
Monday 5/4 Tradition
Tee time 8:15
Bag drop 5 removed link We got yelled at for moving the cart 10 feet up while we were on deck.
Nice Grass range and token available in pro shop for $7
Greens 9 removed link They were a little faster than Willbrook
Fairways 6/10 transitioning from overseed to Bermuda. I talked to a worker who said the lack of rain and humidity has delayed the Bermuda so if the overseed didn’t take or was thin it’s like hitting off dirt.
Tee boxes 8 removed link Good coverage
POP 4 hours.
Dinner - steak night
Tuesday 5/5 Litchfield
Course winds through the development with OB and quite a bit of water/drainage on edges of fairways. All water in play off the tee is marked with yellow flags.
Tee time 8:30
Bag drop 8/10
Large Grass range across the street and token available in pro shop for $8
Greens 9 removed link Generally small greens and much less contour resulting in better scores for the group.
Fairways 6/10 transitioning from overseed to Bermuda. All the courses seem to have the same challenge.
Tee boxes 8 removed link Good coverage for overseed.
POP 4.5 hours.
Dinner - seafood night
Wednesday 5/6 Blackmoor
This course showing the signs of lack of rain more than the previous three. Tees and fairways were rough.
Tee time 8:30
Bag drop 8/10
Grass range with token available in pro shop for $7
Greens 8 removed link Greens putted true and were on the small side. They were firm and tough to hold unless you landed in front.
Fairways 5/10 not much coverage. Any errant ball hit to the edge of the fairway had significant run with no grass to stop it. Lots of tight lies.
Tee boxes 5 removed link
POP 4 hours.
Dinner - Chicken cutlets
Thursday 5/7 Whispering Pines
This is a lower end course across the street from the airport which is city run. You have to keep expectations low. They did have some renovations last year but I wouldn’t play it again unless you need a budget round in the mix.
Tee time 7:42
Bag drop 8 removed link We had 4 groups and they sent 2 groups to 18 while the other 2 groups went to hole 1. This way we could all finish around the same time. This is the first time I ever encountered this and felt it was a really nice touch.
Grass range but I didn’t have a warmup today.
Greens 8 removed link Greens rolled good with only a couple problem areas. Whoever changed the hole position on number 3 did a horible job with clumps of dirt left scattered near the hole. Greens are slightly elevated so there is no running the ball up here.
Fairways 6/10 seems like they may have been watered more than other courses but have an unkempt look.
Tee boxes 5 removed link I guess they cut the tee boxes in the morning and didn’t replace the markes. The group in front of us couldn’t find the white tees on hole 1 because they were laying on the far side of the tee box. This was not a good look. Generally, Some good and some bad boxes from a grass coverage perspective.
POP 3:40 hours.
No cart girl by the way
Friday 5/8 Wild Wing
What a pleasure to play this course. There are absolutely no signs of lack of rain here. Everything was green and lush. Rough was thick also.
Tee time 7:40
Bag drop 8/10
Grass range with token available in pro shop for $8
Greens 7 removed link Greens were fine but are scheduled for full renovation in 2 weeks. Most of the greens are framed with bunkers and mounding.
Fairways 9/10 Best of the week. Full coverage and the ball sat up nicely. Rough was also high and thick.
Tee boxes 9 removed link Full coverage
POP 3.5 hours.
