There hasn’t been a new course open in Myrtle Beach since 2008, but golfers looking for a different experience will want to give the new-look Shaftesbury Glen a try. The remaking of the Clyde Johnston design was completed this summer with the installation of new Sunday Bermudagrass greens and more than 250,000 square feet of waste bunkers. What do golfers need to know about a layout that flies under the radar?

Plenty.

— If you haven’t played Shaftesbury since the launch of the rebuilding project in 2016, you won’t recognize it. The elevated greens remain one of the layouts defining characteristics, but the layout is significantly different from tee to green than the one that opened in 2001. The changes are highlighted by the installation of more than 500,000 square feet of waste bunkers, an effort that was completed in two phases, the first coming in 2016 and the just-completed second stage.

— The completion of the project, which included work on holes 1, 2, 5, 10 and 14 this summer, provides visual contrast that enhances the layout significantly. The increased definition accentuates the layout’s strengths without making it substantially more difficult, a win for golfers.

— How can a course add 500,000-square feet of waste bunkers over three years without making the course infinitely more difficult? For starters, the sand sits on the perimeter of each hole, so any shot that finds its way into the hazard, will deserve its fate. Shots that are slightly offline won’t be impacted and Shaftesbury has eliminated the rough. As long as you find grass, the lie will be good. Additionally, the waste bunkers are flat, so playing from them won’t be exceedingly difficult.

— We’ve spent a lot of time talking about the bunkers because of the way they change the appearance of the course, but don’t overlook the course’s conversion to Sunday Bermudagrass greens. Shaftesbury previously had A1 bentgrass, but warm South Carolina summers made maintaining the putting surfaces to the standard Shaftesbury Glen wanted difficult. Instead of waiting until the heat caused a significant problem, Shaftesbury made the transition to a grass ideally suited for the climate, and the result will be better year-round conditions.

— A secondary benefit of the waste bunkers is the ability to drive down either side of the fairway, It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but if you are playing on day when carts are confined to the path, it allows players to drive to the side closest to their ball, which will save time and energy for players.

The remaking of Shaftesbury Glen is complete and the improved conditioning and playability will leave golfers smiling.