River Hills Golf & Country Club, long regarded as one of the Myrtle Beach area’s hidden gems, will close this summer to undergo a complete greens and bunker renovation project, Founders Group International announced.
River Hills will close June 20 and plans to reopen August 21.
FGI worked with Tom Jackson, the course’s original architect, to develop the renovation plan, which will restore the layout’s greens to their original size, expanding the putting surfaces by 40 percent, and install new TifEagle bermudagrass.
The expanded greens will dramatically increase the number of pinnable areas, enhancing the layout and helping ensure outstanding conditions.
Every bunker on the course will be renovated as well, adding greater definition, improving sightlines and upgrading playability. FGI is installing new Capillary Concrete bunker-liners, which will eliminate washout and improve drainage.
“River Hills is a fantastic layout, and this project will guarantee it continues to deliver the quality and value golfers have come to expect,” said Steve Mays, president of Founders Group International. “The changes in the greens complexes will be dramatic with the added size and TifEagle bermudagrass, and the bunkers will be significantly upgraded. We are very excited about what these changes will mean for River Hills and our golfers.”
The greens and bunker renovation project comes just three years after FGI invested in a transformative clubhouse renovation at River Hills that included a revamped pro shop, grille room and upstairs banquet facility. That project, especially the revitalized grille room which took on the feel of a full-service restaurant, turned the River Hills clubhouse into a gathering spot for golfers and the surrounding community.
The work at River Hills is one of two major capital improvement projects FGI is undertaking this summer. Grande Dunes Resort Club, one of Myrtle Beach’s premier layouts, is undergoing a greens, bunkers and clubhouse renovation effort as well.