We’re never gonna hit it like the pros.
Maybe we can get lucky here or there and stick one close to the pin like they do on Sundays.
But if we want to see the scores decrease and the bragging rights do the opposite, the most noticeable improvement is going to be with the short sticks. The irons are a difference maker
We know exactly where to send you in and around Myrtle Beach to help all that happen on a more regular basis. These four courses will give you equal parts forgiveness with the short shots and just enough of a challenge to help you improve them.
Ron Garl clearly loved subtle angling with his layout at Tradition. Among the Par 4s and 5s, those slight turns are everywhere, even when the massive doglegs that are often necessary to make routing work. Tradition was different that way, and it includes just enough to an edge to mean most folks have to know when to pump up or pull back at just the right time. Tradition, though, is simultaneously forgiving. Missteps will happen, but they won’t obliterate the card. (Pictured Right)
RIVER HILLS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
Nearly from the get-go, visitors to River Hills are going to be asked to embrace their iron game. It’s not as if bigger hitters can’t find success here. Rather, it’s that most don’t have the skill set to cut the necessary corners off the tee to get into some of the tight spots that eliminate the need for a good short game. Tom Jackson’s design will test that, but it will also reward players who are ready for it.
BAREFOOT RESORT & GOLF, FAZIO COURSE
Water on 15 holes – sort of. Oversized waste areas that affect your direction – sort of. Heavy tree lines that block your site lines – sort of. Tom Fazio’s namesake at Barefoot is often perceived to be a brutal Par 71 until folks actually play it. That’s because anyone willing to think outside the box and trust their sticks can truly appreciate it. Every iron shot within a few yards of the fairway is going to be teed up, letting players get into a zone.
FOUNDERS CLUB OF PAWLEYS ISLAND
Target-rich golf is true at Founders Club just as much off the tee as it is into the green. Thanks to more sand than most players know how to handle, there are, at times, very little room to misfire. At the same time, the definition utilized in the brown-to-green-to-brown-to-green layout serves as a great schematic way to approach the game. Long and short flies alike, you’re going to feel more confident about your swings after playing here. (Top Photo)
