It's that time of year again...Myrtle beach trip

What's up fellow golfwrxer's! It's that time of year again for the DelFuego golf group to invade Myrtle Beach. I got some great suggestions last year from everyone on where we should play, etc. so I figured I would go back to the well! This year we are going the latest we have ever gone, the weekend of May 14th. We have 6 rounds scheduled and we have a stable of 16 courses to choose from. Some we've played over the past 15 years, some we haven't. There are some stinkers in this group but we think there are some decent tracks as well. I would like to get some feedback on people who have recently played some of these courses. Because as we all know, pictures on the website can be very deceiving. Here is the list of courses-

Indian Wells

Indigo Creek

Burning Ridge

Cape Fear National

Carolina National

Rivers Edge

Sandpiper Bay

Crow Creek

Eagle Nest

Black Bear

Brunswick Plantation

Pearl East & West

River Oaks

Colonial Charters

Azalea Sands

Beachwood

I appreciate everyone taking the time to read and any input!

Thanks!

@hammerdelfuego

where are you staying that this is the list of courses they gave you, there are many more courses here that in my opinion would be way better to choose from

We are staying in North myrtle and I would agree there are plenty of courses that are better than the ones on this list. However, these are the courses in the tier we are looking at this year. Last year we did the barefoot courses.

Top 2
Rivers Edge
Cape Fear National


Next 3
Carolina National
Pearl East & West


Next 2
Crow Creek
Sandpiper Bay

Forget the rest on that list

We played Black Bear, Burning Ridge and Indian Wells this year. Not impressed at all.

Regardless - have a great time.

I don't want to sound rude, but when I go on a golf trip I want to play some really nice courses. Personally, I think you guys need to start over in picking your courses.

Wow I didn't think all 16 were that bad! Guess we need to look at some different courses? I thought a few would be decent enough to get 6 rounds in

grew up in myrtle beach as a high school student during the summer. my uncle a member at the Dunes golf and beach club I was spoiled to play it everyday time after time. but I have had the opportunity to play a lot of good courses. enough about my boring self.

courses i recommend,
Dunes resort club (worth the money)
Dunes Members club (call and see if they have open times)
1 1/2 drive north (north carolina close to willmington) Cape Fear national (solid)
TPC MB (redid some stuff looking sharp)
Pawleys plantation
Willbrook Plantation (south courses are really good)


Good luck play well and keep an eye out on the ponds !!!

Sabram is 100% on the money. Cape Fear and River's Edge are great courses, Carolina National and Crow Creek are C-listers that are slightly better than average. Sandpiper and Pearl courses are only average. The rest of the list are dog tracks and should be avoided.

Thanks for all the responses, we've played a lot of the great courses down there, barefoot, legends, cat courses, the Glens, to name a few. We were trying to get to some courses we either haven't played or haven't played in the last 8 years or so. After 15 years we've knocked out a bunch. We haven't stayed and played in North myrtle/NC for a few years so we are trying to get some great courses in that area.

My 6 for above based on reputation-
Rivers Edge
Cape Fear
Carolina National
Pearl East
Pearl West
Crow Creek

My 6 for above based on reputation-

Rivers Edge

Cape Fear

Carolina National

Pearl East

Pearl West

Crow Creek

Isn't that what I said? :-)

I've played them all several times.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/golfcoursepix/sets/72157632025253596/ Rivers Edge Pix

https://www.flickr.com/photos/golfcoursepix/sets/72157632023831959/ Carolina National Pix

https://www.flickr.com/photos/golfcoursepix/sets/72157633015099408/ Crow Creek Pix

https://www.flickr.com/photos/golfcoursepix/sets/72157633006438462/ Pearl West Pix

https://www.flickr.com/photos/golfcoursepix/8564166529/in/set-72157633013376767 Pearl East Pix

Rivers Edge #5 rev

Carolina National Egret #9 approach

Crow Creek #2 from tee

Pearl West #13 red tee r

Pearl East #6 r

Cape Fear National

[quote name='crazy8golfer' timestamp='1422152101' post='10812407']
I don't want to sound rude, but ... Personally, I think you guys need to start over in picking your courses.
[/quote]

I disagree. Rivers Edge and Cape Fear are very good courses to build a trip around. The next 4 are decent courses,although not top tier. Not everyone needs to play an A-list course every day. On a budget, there are 6 decent courses on the list the the OP posted. Could they upgrade? Of course. But the ones I listed will be a fun golf trip.

[quote name='artist08' timestamp='1422159865' post='10813067']
Sabram is 100% on the money. Cape Fear and River's Edge are great courses, Carolina National and Crow Creek are C-listers that are slightly better than average. Sandpiper and Pearl courses are only average. The rest of the list are dog tracks and should be avoided.
[/quote]


Sorry in 21 years plus & sometimes 2 a year of Myrtle trips i have played the supposed best courses and some on that list from the OP ....and for sure something i found out is that just because a course has a 150 dollar surcharge does not mean it is great or a cant miss and some of those you call terrible and have no surcharge are not so bad .... it is all in what each person expects from a golf vacation , it is what a individual make of it .......

I have played just about every top tier course in Myrtle Beach and Cape Fear National is my all time favorite. It is not in Myrtle Beach and that is why it doesn't get the publicity that the other courses get. It works out for my trip because it is on our way and we play it on the way down the first day.

Thanks again for all the replies, two of us are going down early and have a chance to get on one of the following, how would you rate these 4? Or are there any other that we should consider?
Caledonia
True Blue
Tidewater
The Dunes

Also, is all of this recent feedback (past year or so) of the people who have played these courses or from years back?

[quote name='AtlBomber' timestamp='1422321618' post='10824389']

[color=#282828]how would you rate these 4? Or are there any other that we should consider?[/color]
[color=#282828]Caledonia[/color]
[color=#282828]True Blue[/color]
[color=#282828]Tidewater[/color]
[color=#282828]The Dunes [/color]

Also, is all of this recent feedback of the people who have played these courses or from years back?
[/quote]

True Blue, Caledonia and the Dunes are my three favorite Courses in MB. They are fairly different form one another, but all worth playing.

The suggestions that I posted above from the courses on your original list are based on my experience playing them over many trips to MB. Although course conditions often change, the layouts don't (at least not unless there is a renovation or re-design). My recomendayions have nothing to do with course conditions, but on the course designs

[quote name='AtlBomber' timestamp='1422321340' post='10824353']Thanks again for all the replies, two of us are going down early and have a chance to get on one of the following, how would you rate these 4? Or are there any other that we should consider?
Caledonia
True Blue
Tidewater
The Dunes[/quote]
Just went down there for our beach trip last week, played tidewater, it was closed for 3 months 're-doing greens, besides being a little firm they were great. Course was in top shape as of last week.

Interesting. This is a first. I've only played three of this list and other than proximity to where you're staying I don't think I'd recommend these to anyone... Beachwood, Azalea and Eagles Nest.

What package company or hotel are you booking thru? Seems like an odd group of courses to be forced to choose from. You could certainly make a fun trip out of 6 of those but I think for the couple extra bucks that it would cost it would be worth it to throw in 1 or 2 of the top courses. When booking a large group of guys for 6 rounds you should have some serious bartering room on your package

[quote name='AtlBomber' timestamp='1422321618' post='10824389']
Also, is all of this recent feedback of the people who have played these courses or from years back?
[/quote]

Well my comment from from years in the past.

This group is awful. Sabram is nearly on the mark. You group needs a new way to pick them.

sent you a pm with information from my trip coming up in Feb.

[quote name='AtlBomber' timestamp='1422321340' post='10824353']
Thanks again for all the replies, two of us are going down early and have a chance to get on one of the following, how would you rate these 4? Or are there any other that we should consider?
Caledonia
True Blue
Tidewater
The Dunes
[/quote]

All 4 top notch, but Caledonia is the best thing down there, imo. Might be a bit out of your way though, depending on where you are driving in from.

Agree with other posters, you have got 2 very good courses in that list - not so sure about the others. From the pics someone above posted, looks like Pearl East/West and Crow Creek are decent. I'd take the 6 that were suggested, or look for another package/packager.

Not on your list, but Thistle is a good course in the north end - at least it was 5-6 years ago, last time I played it.

All of the courses listed above are no as bad as people say. I just believe many have not traveled to the Calabash area as often as Myrtle Beach itself.
Rivers Edge is always rated as one of the best in North Carolina.
Crow Creek is listed as one of Myrtle Beach's top courses on almost any list.
Both Pearls are also nice as are Carolina National and Sandpiper.
Stay away from Azaleas and Brunswick.

Enjoy your trip

Rivers Edge has some excellent holes along the water, although there is a par 5 that's a bit tricked up.
I have played both Pearl courses many times and actually find them to be worth going back to.
Thisle is also nice right across the road from The Pearl.
Caledonia is probably as good as it gets in Myrtle, but will cost you an arm and a leg.
Newer course that I really like and is convenient to North Myrtle is the Grande Dunes Resort course.

[quote name='Itsjustagame' timestamp='1422393175' post='10830103']
Rivers Edge has some excellent holes along the water, although there is a par 5 that's a bit tricked up.
[/quote]

#9? Which temps you to go in two except the green is only maybe 10 paces wide at the angle you'd have to hit in from and surrounded by water on three sides - and coming in with a wood, so bascially impossible to hold it and you ball is in the water short or long. Or a 9 iron lay up to the right and then coming into the long narrow green lengthwise with a wedge for third (still not an easy shot).

That hole?? I hate it, if I am remembering it correctly. But I love the course.

Sabram is on the money with the 6 he picked out, but all the others are dog tracks....I assume with the choices you have you are working with a small budget and if that's not the case find a different packager to work with...One thing for sure the weather should be great at that time.

Rivers Edge #9 Par 5 - 2nd shot across marsh

Rivers Edge #9

Rivers Edge #9 golf ball grave yard hundreds of balls that didn't make the green