Central Myrtle Beach golf on a budget

Don't want to pay $100+ to play one of the premier resort courses in the Grand Strand area, there are some great tracks you can play that will keep your budget intact. Up and down the Myrtle beach area there are a number of enjoyable courses that you can play and still be able to enjoy dinner and sleep in a quality room. :)! You can also save significant dollars by playing Monday-Wednesday and during off-peak times of the year. The general prices I'm going to mention here are reflective of those conditions. In this first post, we'll cover courses that are in the vicinity of central Myrtle Beach. In later posts we'll move up and down the coast identifying other courses that won't tap your budget.


Arrowhead Country Club, a mile or so off 501 can be played for around $60 and is usually in great condition. With 27 holes, this Tom Jackson course opened in 1994, Arrowhead combines challenging golf with great conditioning.

Also near the 501 area, Man O' War has traditionally been in nice condition with an open layout, and a lot O' water. Built on a 100 acre lake, this Dan Maples layout can be played for around $60, and offers wide fairways, large greens and not much trouble (other than the water) and good pace of play. It's sister courses The Witch and The Wizard are also enjoyable tracks and occassionally you can find discounts available if you play all 3.

Just across 501 are the Legends Courses, (Heathland, Parkland and Moorland) which offer distinctive styles of play, and can be played for about $70. With great practice facilities, varying layouts, and lots of amenities, it's worth considering.

If you're looking for a no nonsense basic layout without a lot of tricks, Myrtle Beach National West course might be worth a look. For about $40, MBN-West is a great course for your first round where you want to take the rust off, play a course with friendly management, that offers an opportunity to score well and get your frame of mind right for the more challenging courses in your trip.

Further south of 501, John Daly's Wicked Stick is usually in good shape and doesn't strain the budget with it's $40 fees. Opening in 1995, this track features a lot of open fairways though you need to watch out for the deep bunkers.

There are other courses as well in the central area that are budget friendly, but some are also a step down in terms of quality, amenities, and interesting golf. But if you're staying in the 501 area, you should give a few of the courses above a look. Next time we'll venture south of MB and see what courses offer good value while still letting you afford to put gas in your car.

Going to Myrtle Beach, SC for Golf? Some insights from many trips to Golf Mecca

Well, if you're thinking of heading to Myrtle Beach to play golf, by yourself or with a group, you've made a great choice. The golf selection in Myrtle Beach is incredible. Over a 100 courses are waiting for you to experience. But it pays to think ahead. If you're a spontaneous person that likes to grab the clubs and hit the road, you wont be disappointed but with a little planning, you can turn a good time into a great time.

First, think about the time of year you plan to go. Late spring is usually a great time to be at hte beach playing golf but it's also the most expensive time. Premier courses charge a premium during this peak time. For example, the Barefoot Resort courses, which play at a high of about $100 during May-Sept can run upwards of $160 during the winter and spring times. This is true for most of the courses down there. So if you're trying to play great courses on a budget, consider changing your time of year to save some money.

Also, if you are planning a group outing, consider using a booking agent like GolfDesk (http://www.goldesk.com) to arrange your tee times. Booking agents will generally get a better rack rate than you will if you're planning in advance.
They can assist you with accommodations and they can recommend courses based on condition, player's ability, etc.

So you're ready to go and you want to low down on what courses are great and which ones to avoid? Well, in general, all of the premier courses and resorts are well kept and good plays anytime. International World Tour, TPC, Dunes, Grand Dunes, True Blue, etc, all are great plays. But before booking tee times just off names, you might want to visit some review sites and read up on the courses just in case there's something that you find you don't like. For example, many courses have condos and golf villas that back up to the golf course. So if you don't like courses where you weave around and through condos and parking lots, you definately want to do some checking into the course specifics. This is very common at a lot o courses in Myrtle Beach. The more upscale courses have plenty of room in the fairways and off the tees, but some have pretty tight OB areas which I don't care for at all.

Another resource for you to look at is the Myrlte Beach Golf Association's web page (http://www.mbga.com/). This site gets updated periodically and lists local recommendations for the Top 20 and Bottom 20 courses. I would definitely make sure you avoid the courses listed in the Basement listing. But in addition to recommendations, the site also has course demographic and overall rating information for many of the courses in the Grand Strand area.

So with a little planning and research, you can identify some great courses to play and maybe save a buck or two doing it.

Next time, I will identify a number of courses in the Grand Strand talk about the course, the management, facilities, etc.

Thanks

Saddlebrook Resort Invites You and Your Foursome to Experience Golf the Saddlebrook Way

Saddlebrook Resort is offering its guests a golf foursome package featuring accommodations and golf amenities at what Conde Nast called one of the Top 100 Golf Resorts.

Tampa, FL (PRWEB) June 9, 2008 -- Saddlebrook Resort is reaching out to the Tiger in you! They are offering you and your foursome their Suite Deal at what the prestigious Conde Nast Traveler's Magazine named one of their Top 100 Golf Resorts. The 2-nights package offers alternating golf games on both of their courses, The Palmer course, which features firm, fast and undulating Tif-Eagle greens, and the Saddlebrook course with Tif-Dwarf greens and its low lying areas surrounded by Cypress trees. Also included are deluxe accommodations in one of their spacious 3-bedroom suites, sleeping four golfers -- including a separate living room, dining area, and fully equipped kitchen. There's plenty of room to relax, play cards, or just sit out on your private balcony or patio. Package includes:

* Accommodations in a 3-bedroom suite
* Daily Breakfast
* Daily golf (18-holes, cart & greens fees)
* Second golf rounds at cart fee of $25 (subject to availability)
* Nightly club cleaning and storage
* Practice range use (one bucket of balls daily)
* Advance tee times
* Resort Fee


Package is only $149.00 per person, per night, quad occupancy and is available from June 13 until October 4th, 2008.

"Any golfer would equate playing on our greens to playing on cloud nine. Our courses were designed by Arnold Palmer, and by getting your favorite foursome together, not only will your group appreciate playing on one of the finest courses in Florida, but they'll also appreciate the immense savings supplied by our offer," said Alberto Martinez-Fonts, Director of Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations at Saddlebrook Resort.

Any golfer would equate playing on our greens to playing on cloud nine. Our courses were designed by Arnold Palmer, and by getting your favorite foursome together, not only will your group appreciate playing on one of the finest courses in Florida, but they'll also appreciate the immense savings supplied by our offer
To read more about this offer and to book online, please visit their website.

About Saddlebrook Resort:
Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa is a luxury golf and tennis resort ideal for leisure and business travel. Located just 30 miles north of Tampa International airport, Saddlebrook offers an award winning resort setting with luxury accommodations and facilities for corporate events, meetings and conferences, spa getaways, family reunions, kids camp, and Florida golf and tennis vacations. The resort also features a unique Walking Village layout, so that guests can stroll from accommodations to meeting rooms, function space, recreation, restaurants and shops in minutes.