With much of the nation on lockdown, there is little for us to do beyond dream so l’ve spent time this week in fantasyland.
I’ve played every course in the area, mostly without success, and time and failure have led me to a list of the five holes I’d most like to birdie. If you are a mid to high-handicapper, every birdie is to be appreciated, but if you are able to put a circle on the card on these five holes, you can puff your chest out just a little further.
— The 13th at the Dunes Club, aka “Waterloo,” is Myrtle Beach’s most iconic hole, and it’s also where dreams often go to die. The 90-degree dogleg right plays around Lake Singleton, and the first two shots are perilous as players must decide how to approach the water on both. Once you arrive on the green, arguably the course’s most diabolical putting surface awaits. If you make birdie here, it doesn’t matter what happens on the other 17 holes, you’ve had a good day.
— If you play King’s North, the first question everyone asks is: “How did you fare on The Gambler?” Whether you play the hole conventionally or attack via the alternate, island fairway, making birdie on the par 5 sixth hole at the Arnold Palmer classic would always be a point of pride.
— Farmstead is home to the Myrtle Beach area’s only par 6, the 767-yard monster otherwise known as No. 18. Who doesn’t want to say they made five on a par 6? The hole tees off in South Carolina, finishes on a green in North Carolina, and provides a lot of fun in between. The water as you approach the green is a threat but not an overwhelming one. The challenge is hitting four quality shots to get to the green and making the putt, of course.
— TPC Myrtle Beach is one of the area’s most popular courses. The 17th and 18th holes, understandably, attract much of the attention, but if I could pick one hole to birdie on the layout Dustin Johnson once called home, it would be the par 4 ninth.(pictured above) This bad boy plays 445 yards from the white tees, and it’s by far the biggest challenge at TPC. Make three here, and you will sleep well.
— Last, but certainly not least, is the ever-popular 18th hole at Caledonia. (pictured right) The dogleg right requires a carry over water to an undulating green residing in the shadow the antebellum style clubhouse, which often has a porch full of people. Hit a good approach and make a putt and you can expect applause. Dump the ball in the water and the collective groan will stick with you the rest of the night.
Which holes would you most like to birdie?
