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SUNSET BEACH, N.C. - Oyster Bay Golf Links sets up like something out of a putt-putt player's nightmare: Off the shells, avoid the alligator, and do your best to carry the water.
The course, located just north of Myrtle Beach, S.C., in Sunset Beach, N.C., combines some of the rarest scenes of any round in the area. And it's not afraid to lean on those visuals.
"Most players, if we had bad conditions, we get away with it because of the nature and the beauty of the golf course," Oyster Bay Golf Links Assistant Professional Brian Altena said. "If everything else was just okay, they're still going to come away very, very happy."
The most favorably priced of the Legends Golf courses, Oyster Bay's sights are unavoidable. Many of the holes are designed with the native white-and-black oyster shells, and on several, those adages come into play.
And those alligators keep players on their feet nearly year round on at least two holes. It's part of the package that has kept Oyster Bay successful even during some of the game's lean times.
"I think it's just pretty: the design, the shells, the whole look," said Galo Andrade, a high handicapper from New York City. "It's a nice course; I like it. I judge a course by how many balls I lose. This was a success. I actually did better (than expected)."
For most, that's where the final four holes aren't so friendly.
Oyster Bay Golf Links: The course
The par-70 course shaved two holes off the normal round by designing two water-laden par 3s into the final four holes.
That was just fine for fellow New York City native Marcelo Cruz. "I'm sort of fanatical about island greens," he said. "I love island greens."
Holes No. 15 and No. 17 offer an injection of adrenaline into the end of the round. The short No. 15 gives players some allowance in the front; granted, it's protected by a sand trap. No. 17 is not as kind, offering only a small sliver of green beyond the green in which to miss the green.
Those two holes fund plenty of ball divers.
"It's a pretty rare thing that all four in a group will lay it across and put it on dry ground," Altena said.
And, as Altena points out, those two par 3s are sandwiched around an equally frustrating par 4.
Oyster Bay Golf Links' 16th hole is lined fully up the right side by more water. Off the tee of the 450-yard hole, players must find a way to hit their drive long enough to take water down the middle of the course out of play with a shot long enough to reach on their second while still keeping it wet.
For golfers who tire toward the end of a round, those three holes will certainly offer a wake-up call.
The rest of the 6,355-yard course (from the average tees) finds other ways to have a similar effect.
There's the split-green No. 3, a par 4 with one green requiring an approach over water, while the other one plays sans water. There's No. 6, where the white shells make it next to impossible to judge distance.
As for the rest, thick marsh, plenty of trees and even more shells are added into undulated greens, and there are deceivingly placed bunkers throughout.
SUNSET BEACH, NC (January 30, 2011) – For more than 25-years Oyster Bay Golf Links has received an almost endless number of accolades and awards beginning in 1983 by being voted Golf Digest “Resort Course of the Year.” This Par 70 Dan Maples gem continues to shine with both critics and players alike.
Oyster Bay has a uniquely pleasant blend of natural beauty and playability. Saltwater marshes, freshwater lakes, natural waste areas and pine forests provide an almost breathtaking setting. That’s just the beginning of what makes this golf course great.
The way the architect utilized this wonderful piece of property is what makes Oyster Bay so very special. Although the course is fair the lakes and marshes along with some cavernous bunkers do come into play. This true test of golf requires a strategic approach to the game. However, regardless of the tees that fit your game undulating greens await you.
Oyster Bay in late January is both strikingly beautiful and in superb condition. From tee to green the course was in great shape. The practice range is indicative of the fairways lies you’ll experience. The practice green is the equivalent of its on course partners. Do allow time to visit the well-stocked pro shop.
Both my grandson and our playing partners from New Jersey, a father and daughter, agreed that the 5 Par 3s were marvelous and defined the course. Although water really isn’t a factor on the front nine, well-placed and challenging sand hazards can be penal. On the back nine Nos. 15 and 17 are surrounded on three sides by water that awaits the wayward shot. Each of the Par 3s is quite challenging. No. 8 requires a shot over marsh to a hole protected by a trap on the left front. Play to the right of the pin into a right to left sloping green.
Lengthy Par 4s (averaging 398 yards from the Blues!) many with elevated greens will really test your game. Unless you’re exceptionally long the average mid-handicap golfer will need to lay-up allowing a short iron into the green. For my length there are only three/four holes from the Blues I could hit in regulation. No. 2 is the #1 handicap hole and a truly great hole. From the Blue Tees a 160-yard carry over the lake is necessary. Three sand bunkers line the right side of the fairway of this uphill hole. A back pin position on a large green protected front right and back left by hazards is exceptionally challenging. Scoring a bogey is quite acceptable and par is outstanding.
Each of the 3 Par 5s has some length from the Blue Tees, but a birdie is not out of the question for the solid short iron player. No. 9 requires an accurate drive to the center of the fairway, which has sand hazards guarding both sides of the landing area. Marsh on the left parallels the fairway almost to the green. Your second shot requires a fairway wood or long iron, again to the center of the fairway. Sand hazards guard both sides of the landing area. A short iron to the center of the green puts you in great position for a birdie.
Some regular readers of my golf course reviews tell me that they always know if I really liked a golf course. Well just in case I haven’t made it clear, I in truth rank Oyster Bay Golf Links one of the top courses on my “Must Play” list. I believe you’re really going to like it, also.
Voted the 1983 Golf Digest "Resort Course of the Year," and ranked by the same publication among the top 50 public courses in the country in 1990, Oyster Bay Golf Links is a rare, harmonious blend of the penal, heroic and strategic philosophies of golf course architecture. Architect Dan Maples and developer Larry Young created a course where variety and innovation are the name of the game. Consider severe marsh-oriented holes, two island green par threes, strategic (and stunningly beautiful) fresh water lakes, long holes, short holes...the consummate combination of shot making requirements.
The par-70 course plays to just under 6,700 yards, but cavernous bunkers, wickedly undulating greens and lengthy par 4's make Oyster Bay a test of one's mettle.
The Verdict: Oyster Bay is known to be the best shot-makers course in the area and we guarantee that no two holes are even close to being the same. This finishing design touch truly makes you feel right at home on the beautiful East Coast. Severe and plentiful bunkers and massive slopes all await you! Oyster Bay is not a course you want to pass up the opportunity to play!
Package Notes:
Prices are per golfer based on 4 persons sharing a 2 bedroom condo - includes all taxes. Prices are subject to change without notice. Accommodations and golf are subject to availability.
| Package Rates 2011-12 : | |
| Nov 28 – Dec 31, 2011 | $415 |
| Jan 1 – 18 | $375 |
| Jan 19 – Feb 15 | $375 |
| Feb 16 – Mar 7 | $395 |
| Mar 8 – 21 | $575 |
| Mar 22 – Apr 11 | $640 |
| Apr 12 – May 20 | $625 |
Course Opened:
1983
Course Type/Style:
Seaside/Links
Number of Tee Boxes:
4 sets
Total Number of Sand Bunkers:
65 - 69
Number of Water Hazards:
14 of 18 holes
Most Challenging Hole:
No. 2
Most Memorable Hole:
No.17
Signature Hole:
No. 13
Acreage of Course:
369 acres
Average Size of Greens:
6,400 sq. ft.
Primary Grasses
Fairways:
Bermuda 419
Rough:
Bermuda 419
Greens:
Tif Eagle
Months Open:
January – December
High Season:
March – November
Aerification:
Overseeding:
Rounds per year:
Green Fees:
Low: $65 High: $130
Walking Options:
Mandatory Cart
Head Pro:
Keith DeVos, PGA
Superintendent:
Dave McGhee, GCSAA
Golf Digest 
rating
What do you need to know about TPC-Myrtle Beach, beyond the need to bring your 'A' game? Here are five tidbits that might enhance your enjoyment of the South Strand layout.
Hit it high – Generally speaking, the greens at TPC are elevated and well bunkered, so you aren't going to have much success trying to run the ball up. Make sure you iron game is sharp and be prepared to fly numerous bunkers on your way to the green.
Tournament Tested – TPC is one of Myrtle Beach golf's biggest challenges and it has the resume to prove it. The course has hosted the PGA Senior Tour Championship, the finals of the Golf.com World Amateur Handicap Championship, and every spring it hosts the General Hackler Invitational, one of the nation's best collegiate tournaments. Take the time to check out the clubhouse memorabilia.
One of a Kind – In recent years Myrtle Beach golf courses have collected honors like a kid receiving candy on Halloween, but TPC is the only course in the area to earn 5-stars in Golf Digest's prestigious "Best Places to Play" guide and one of fewer than 25 layouts in the nation to earn the distinction.
Yes, that is Dustin Johnson – Rising PGA Tour star Dustin Johnson calls TPC-Myrtle Beach home. In addition to practicing and playing at TPC, the three-time winner on tour has been known to hang around the clubhouse. Don't be shocked if you see him, but he's just one of the guys in Murrells Inlet.
That's a wild turkey, not a drink – TPC-Myrtle Beach is built on 369 acres, much of it wetlands, which means the course has plenty of breathing room and there is ample wildlife. Wild turkey roost in the swamp to the left of ninth tee and there are an abundance of deer, alligators and fox, among many other animals. Enjoy the scenery.
By Chris King on May 4, 2010
The TPC-Myrtle Beach is one of the Grand Strand's bluebloods.
It enjoys the benefit of a premium brand, superior design (the team of Lanny Wadkins and Tom Fazio is tough to beat), and it's the home course of Dustin Johnson, a three-time winner on the PGA Tour. Throw in a bevy of national honors, and it's not hard to see why the facility is so highly regarded.
Identifying the three best holes on a course that has hosted what was then the Senior PGA Tour Championship and gets a regular workout from Johnson is a challenging task, because the candidates are plentiful. We asked course owner Chip Smith to identify the best of the best at TPC-Myrtle Beach and he complied, with an assist from Johnson.
The three best holes at TPC are:
No. 5, 158-yard, Par 3: Despite being TPC's shortest hole, the fifth is one of its most challenging, particularly from the tips where the tee shot requires a long forced carry over water. The green is wider than it is deep, so your margin for error is limited. A bunker in the right front looms for players not playing from the tips, as does a bunker in back of the green.
"There is almost a false front on the front of the green," Smith said. "It's a tough little shot because the green is narrow. The right side of the green is always better than short because of the lake."
No. 17, 193-yard, par 3: The words island green and TPC have almost become synonymous because of the famed 17th at Sawgrass, and No. 17 at TPC-Myrtle Beach is a reasonable approximation. The primary differences? The 17th in Myrtle Beach is a peninsula green surrounded by water on "only" three sides and it's approximately 50 yards longer. The 17th is TPC-Myrtle Beach's signature hole and with an almost constant wind, it represents a significant challenge. "Because of the distance, I think it's a little tougher than 17 at Sawgrass," Smith says. "Now I've never stood on 17 at Sawgrass on Sunday with $1.4 million on the line either (laugh)."
No. 18, 538-yard, par 5: The 18th, with a creek running along the right side of the fairway and a large lake on the left, is Johnson's choice as the course's best. It's a classic risk-reward hole. Players that can snuggle up to the creek before it runs out to the lake can get home in two, but there is considerable risk. Half of the green is exposed to water and with the rough surrounding it shaved, it's not an easy green to hold. One person who doesn't have to worry about length is Johnson. What does one of the PGA Tour's longest hitters use to reach the green on his second shot? "Depending on which way the wind is blowing, anywhere from a 5 or 6 iron to a 3-wood," he said. For the mere mortals among us, an iron on the second shot when attempting to reach the 18th green is out of the question!
