SCOUTING REPORT: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Waccamaw Golf Trail

As winter approaches and you begin looking for winter golf getaway destinations, one of the places you should definitely consider is the Waccamaw Golf Trail--12 courses in the heart of the Myrtle Beach area’s Grand Strand and just 30 miles south of Myrtle Beach. These courses include four of America’s top 100 public courses. Here are just three Waccamaw Trail courses that are among some of the most beautiful golf venues you will ever play, and each provides an entirely different golf experience:

Willbrook Plantation

Famous golf architect Dan Maples designed this beautiful course on the site of two old South Carolina plantations. The course winds its way through wetlands, waterways and a centuries-old oak forest. Two of its holes (#1 and #15) have been rated among the best 100 holes in all of the Myrtle Beach area. Playing Willbrook is fun, because the layout requires more tactical skill and course management than strength and distance. It is a favorite of women golfers.

TPC of Myrtle Beach

Let’s say you are on a 4-day golf package at Myrtle Beach and want at least one day of really challenging golf. Then try the TPC at Myrtle Beach. This is not a long course (6,950 from the blues), but it has water on 11 holes, and is known for particularly challenging par-3’s yet none of them are more than 205 yards. At the same time the course design doesn’t give up the natural beauty of South Carolina’s Low-Country. Whereas the plantation courses are surrounded by old oak forests, the TPC’s landscape is dominated by tall pines. But, any TPC course is all about the experience, and reaching the par-5’s is tough play. You’ll know you played a round of golf when you’re through here. And, have lots of “coulda-woulda-shoulda” stories to relive later.

Caledonia

Caledonia is the Latin word for Scotland. And, links-like Scottish play is what you’ll find here. Like Willbrook (see above) the course was built on the site of an old plantation. Caledonia has been recognized for combining the beauty of the South Carolina oak forests with undulating links-like fairways. It’s Scotland, except warm. It’s distinctive antebellum clubhouse reminds you of where you really are. And, anyone can play this course. In fact, Golf Magazine recently ranked Caledonia among its "Top 100 You Can Play.” Golf Digest also calls Caledonia one of "America's 100 Greatest Public Courses."

If you want to play Myrtle Beach, call Tee Time Central at 800.344.5590.

SCOUTING REPORT: Palm Springs

Golf courses in Palm Springs, CA may be more famous for the way they look on TV during the Western swing of the PGA Tour than in the way people who have played them experience them. The perception may also be that there are fewer courses in the Coachella Valley than there really are. LaQuinta and PGA West, for example, get more than their fare share of the limelight. For the record, I played PGA West once some years ago and thought it was the most poorly maintained course I had ever played. Here are two excellent courses for visitors to Palm Springs that are often overlooked in the press:

Desert Springs

Integrated into the JW Marriott resort in Palm Desert, CA about 15 miles west of downtown Palm Springs, Desert Springs is, by contrast to PGA West, the best maintained golf course I have ever played. It is a truly magnificent course--an oasis in the desert and well worth the money (plan on spending $135.00+ per round).

The two Ted Robinson designed championship courses feature a wide variety of hole designs with the dominant characteristic being multiple undulating moguls (they had to create their own topography out of the desert) and greens surrounded by deep bunkers. If you keep the ball up in the air, you’ll do well here.

The reason I emphasize maintenance is because the grooming of the fairways and first cuts provide some of the best lies I’ve ever had. In some spots, the grass actually tees the ball up for you, increasing your opportunities for good ball strikes. This course makes most courses east of the Mississippi pure hardscrabble.

You’ll definitely have fun playing this course. I guarantee it will give you a half dozen or more great shots that you’ll want to talk about and relive long after tour round is over. And, don’t forget to enjoy the hotel with its signature in-lobby lake and boat dock which was recently enlarged to three times its original size.

Mission Hills

I first heard of the Mission Hills golf course from two guys I played with on another course in Palm Springs. Then last year I had the opportunity to stay at the Westin resort where the two Troon Golf courses are located. Both the Pete Dye Resort and Gary Player Signature courses at Mission Hills give you challenging championship golfing experiences.

I played the Pete Dye course two days in a row because it challenged me to play better and was a lot fun without beating you up physically. Each hole requires a good long drive off the tee to stay in the game. The greens are large and fairly easy for one and two stroke putting.

The courses play longer and tougher than Desert Springs and are very well maintained, but get a little too close to the houses, condos and walkways built alongside the fairways. Many holes do feature spectacular mountain views. Greens fees are reasonable, especially if you are staying at the resort.

SCOUTING REPORT: The Caribbean

Aruba

Still growing in its popularity among millions of Americans and long regarded as a windsurfing and scuba capital of the Caribbean, Aruba has only two golf courses. The reason for this is clear—the Tradewinds. They blow steadily at 10-20 mph all day most days. But, do not hesitate to take your clubs along to this beach destination, because both courses, for different reasons, offer challenging golfing experiences:

Tierra Del Sol

Located on the southern tip of the island and in view of the California Lighthouse, the Tierra Del Sol golf course offers a great round of golf and is a reasonable way to take a mid-week break from beach sitting. The ocean views are spectacular, the fairway layouts are unique and many feature majestic sand dunes along their edges.

Long and tough, this course will definitely give you a workout. But, on the whole, it is not difficult. Because the contour of the holes often lie below the rocky shorelines, the Treadwinds do not interfere with play that much, although the local word is that the PGA Tour’s Aces Tournament often played here in the 1990’s left because the pros thought the winds made it too difficult to card a good score).

I like the course and try to play it whenever we visit there. Aruba is a desert island, so don’t look for an oasis feel here.

The Links at Divi Village

This is a new 9-hole course built within the four-hotel Divi complex. This course is too close to the ocean and the Tradewinds can wreck a good game. But, for a quick afternoon break from the sun you can still have fun. It’s a great course for couples. Most holes are short par 4’s with one long par 5 in the back stretch of the design. Difficulty level is moderate to easy, and the ninth hole features an island green.

SCOUTING REPORT: Orlando, Florida

If you are thinking of playing golf on vacation or during a business trip or family adventure at Walt Disney World,  here is my take on a couple of the more prominent options in the area.

Shingle Creek, Orlando, FL

One of the newest golf courses in the Orlando area Shingle Creek includes a privately-owned hotel that opened in September 2006.  It is a challenging, but relatively flat 18-hole course that is fun to play and likely to generate one of your best scores. Shingle Creek is a great course to practice on not because it is easy, it’s not, but it does give you the open space you’d like to have to play the game you’d like. I used my round to test several new clubs I had purchased the month before on the MyGolfLifestyle.com web site--the Adams Idea A2 hybrid irons and the new TourEdge QL #6 iron-wood. 

Shingle Creek’s wide fairways, plus the forgiving design of the Adams A2’s combined for a great round of golf.  As I played through a threesome on the sixth hole there was one of those moments when you know if you blow the shot it is going to be an embarrassing day overall.  Well, they stood on the side on the green while I approached from 150 yards out.

So, I took the new QL that I had not even practiced with before, and hit a low launch to high approach shot up onto the left side of the green and  away from the water on the right.  This left a 25 foot put that I left only 6 inches to the right of the hole.  I played through on about all of 5 minutes. The “he must be a scratch golfer” look I got from the guys who let me play through left me feeling that it didn’t matter how the rest of the day went. 

But, it was the player friendly layout of Shingle Creek  more than my game that helped that day, and as I was about to find out the next day on the Osprey course at Walt Disney World. 

 If you have the time and want to make the most of a morning or afternoon, call the Academy located onsite at Shingle Creek.  For only $130 you can get an hour instruction with a pro, and a digital video recording of your swing that includes a split-screen comparison with a professional.  I did the instruction in the morning and a round in the afternoon. My pro, David Rose, changed my grip and follow through on my swing. So the afternoon play was ugly.  Two months later, however, everything he showed me is a natural part of my game and it’s made a big difference. So, think about it.

Osprey Ridge at Walt Disney World

Of the three courses within the Walt Disney World  theme park property, Osprey Ridge is the most open and playable of the courses. The Magnolia course, recent home of the Funai Classic of the PGA Tour is longer, more challenging and not the most suited for recreational play.  Osprey Ridge offers great play on holes with hidden greens protected by steep moguls and numerous deep moguls.  The greens, however tend to be small.  You know you are playing on a Walt Disney World course when you see how well planned and manicured the course is.  That includes the abundance of wildlife, from deer to gophers, chipmunks, red squirrels, eagles, cranes, flamingos, and of course, osprey. 

The eye-candy on the course is worth the very reasonable $58.00 greens fee, cart included.  Okay, so it was out of season at the time, but a bargain price for any resort area and certainly worth planning to do while you are otherwise at a convention or taking the family through the theme parks.