The 18th hole is a golfer’s final memory of a course, and for architects, there is often a desire for a round to build, crescendoing with a dramatic par-4 or a risk-reward par-5 to finish. Think of courses like King’s North, Caledonia and TPC Myrtle Beach, where the closing hole is synonymous with heroic architecture and a memorable conclusion.
Acclaimed as those finishers are, not every 18th hole follows the playbook. In fact, a finishing par 3 can create plenty of drama, deciding matches that have built-in tension with do-or-die tee shots and potentially dramatic putts.
There are a trio of Myrtle Beach golf courses that finish with a par 3 to great effect and here is a look at each.
Eagle Nest Golf Club’s (pictured right) claim to fame is being the longest course in South Carolina, courtesy of the 8,168-yard Black Perch tees, but you aren’t going to tee it up from way back there. What you will remember about the Gene Hamm design is the 164-yard (all distances from white tees) finisher that requires a carry over water to a green fronted by a bunker. It’s all carry if you want a birdie putt, making for a nervy finish.
The Surf Club, a private course you might be able to get on with a little creativity (or a well-placed friend), concludes with a 170-yard, one-shotter that includes a substantial carry over water. It’s a memorable conclusion on a George Cobb design many traveling golfers haven’t heard of. If you have an opportunity to play Surf Club, the layout is a treat, and the par 3 finisher will send you home on a high note.
Myrtle Beach National’s West Course (top photo) is the Grand Strand’s most player-friendly layout, according to the USGA’s slope and rating system, but the Arnold Palmer design’s par 3 closer can tighten the collar of your shirt. From the 165-yard white tees, there is no forced carry but any shot that is tugged to the left will find water that runs the length of the hole on that side and merely hitting the large green doesn’t ensure a two-putt. The West Course’s toughest par-3 is an enjoyable finish to your round.
Sure, a drama-filled par 4 or a risky par 5 will remain the norm for 18th holes, but as Eagle Nest, Surf Club and the West Course make clear, there is room for creativity on the closing hole.
