Course Review: Sea Trail Maples
The Maples Course at Sea Trail Resort & Golf Links offers a few touches that give it a unique look on the Grand Strand.
Several moss-draped oaks and pine trees grow in waste bunkers that line a few holes; brick and stone walkways lead the way to tee boxes through waste bunkers; an open cemetery is passed en route to the second tee box; and despite meandering through a heavily developed residential community, the course also has a handful of holes that run along the Calabash Creek.
“I’ve seen waste bunkers with pampas grass growing out of them, but never trees,” said Frances Pritchard of Conway, a member of a foursome that reviewed and rated the course in early December. “It’s a nice addition.”
The Dan Maples layout is not overly demanding in length, measuring 6,797 from the back blue tees and 6,332 from the white. And you shouldn’t lose many balls. Tree-lined fairways rather than hazards account for the course’s biggest challenge.
In addition to Frances, a hostess at Papa’s restaurant who carries a handicap of 28, the foursome included me, Pete Veum, a retired salesman from Myrtle Beach who plays to a 13, and Ed Wydro, another retiree from Little River who plays to an 18. Pete played the back tees, Ed and I the white and Frances the 5,090-yard red. The course also features 6,035-yard gold tees.
“It’s a fair challenge from the white tees,” Ed said. “Under normal circumstances, the average player would have a tough time but a good time. The course makes you think a little bit.”
“Which is a real problem for us,” Pete added.
Over the summer and fall, the Maples Course closed for $500,000 in renovations, and changed its greens from Bermuda to an A1/A4 blended bent grass. Due to the increased speed associated with bent, several green complexes were redesigned to reduce their undulation, though there are still significant mounds, ridges and slopes on most.
“I thought they putted well for only being a month or two old,” said Pete, who has played the course three times. “In the summer, they’ll be very fast. They’re much better than they were before.”
Sea Trail also refurbished bunkers with a light, white sand, and managed to improve air circulation throughout the course without significantly altering the course’s tight, tree-lined characteristic.
“You have to be accurate on the second shots on the par-4s and the third shots on the par-5s,” Pete said. “They all narrow down as you go to the green.”
There are approximately 50 bunkers on the course, but many aren’t in traditional landing areas and greens are generally open in front with no more than two bunkers protecting any of them. The course’s rough is not very penal.
“The rough is not too deep, but it’s high enough to let you know it’s there,” Ed said. “That’s the way it should be for the average player. It’s there, but you can play out of it.”
Because it’s a residential course, out of bounds lurks close to the fairways of many holes. But so do friendly neighbors. A bowl of candy was left at the base of a tree behind a home adjacent to the cart path off the 15th women’s tee box, and was accompanied by a sign wishing everyone a merry Christmas. Pete and Ed abstained, possibly fearing a terrorist scheme, but Frances and I each grabbed a piece. “They’re so skeptical,” Frances said. “Some people are just nice.”
The par-3s are all between 150 and 172 yards from the white tees and 170-198 from the blue tees, and holes 5, 11 and 17 are straightforward with an open entrance to the greens. “The par-3s looked a lot alike,” Pete said.
The third hole is the most distinctive of the par-3s. It features split tee boxes, with the red and gold to the left and blue and white to the right, where a pond to the right of the green comes more into play and a short but wide tree that is growing out of a waste bunker in front of the green must be carried. “It’s a different look,” Ed said.
The course gets much of its yardage from the par-5s, especially from the back tees, where they start at 545 yards and stretch to 575. The one reprieve from the white tees is the 490-yard 12th. Otherwise, they measure between 525 and 553 yards.
The fourth hole is a straightforward par-5, while the sixth is designed for three shots. It features a gradual bend to the right that makes it difficult to get a good angle to the green on the second shot, and a small pond 20 yards from the green on the left side to further deter bold attempts.
The 12th hole has the creek to the left but is open to approach shots and can be reached after a long drive, and the 575-yard 15th has a waste bunker running all the way up the left side to the 150 marker, and another small waste bunker with a dead tree to the front-right of the green.
Though the majority of the doglegs turn to the left, the par-4s offer a variety of yardages and looks. “The course is laid out really nice,” Frances said. “It’s not a humdrum course. Each hole is a little different.”
The diversity of the par-4s is demonstrated in the front nine’s closing holes.
The seventh hole measures 410 from the back tees and 375 from the white. A drive of between 200 and 225 is required to get past the left tree line on the sharp dogleg-left, with an approach shot from 130 yards or less to a green that slopes to the front and back due to a middle ridge.
The dogleg-left eighth is 410 from the blue and 380 from the white, and requires a drive over water through a chute of trees, then approach to a green protected by a pair of bunkers to its right. More of the fairway’s left side is open to drives from the white tees, considerably shortening the hole.
The ninth hole is perhaps the toughest on the course because of its length of 455, 445, 420 and 360 from the four tee boxes, and one of the smaller greens on the course with a large ridge separating its right front and back portions.
The course’s first two holes are short par-4s with Calabash Creek running along the right side of each, and the closing hole is a very birdieable par-4, measuring 410 from the blue, 330 from the white and just 250 from the red, with housing on the left.
By Alan Blondin
Course Review: Sea Trail’s Byrd
Sea Trail’s Willard Byrd course: an underrated challenge!
The Rees Jones course at Sea Trail is the resort’s most popular course, mainly because golfers want the opportunity to play a tract designed by one of the nation’s most acclaimed architects. Yet, one of its mates, Sea Trail’s Willard Byrd course, is an underrated challenge that is just as popular with many of the people that have played them both.
“The Byrd course since they put the new greens in is great,” said New York resident Tom Capowski, a 5 handicap. “I prefer this actually even over the Jones. It’s very playable for most of the people. I know guys that play here that are 30 handicaps or 15s. It’s playable for everybody. It’s challenging enough. I enjoy it.”
Both the Byrd and Jones courses opened in 1990, and each of them have their own personality and have developed their own following.
“The public all wants to play Rees Jones,” said Tom Plankers, the president of golf at Sea Trail. “The Willard Byrd is more renown for being one of the better Southern courses he’s done. He’s done quite a few in the South, but this is probably one of his better golf courses.”
Sea Trail Resort’s Byrd Course is a prime example of why so many courses on the Grand Strand are replacing bentgrass greens with new ultradwarf Bermudagrasses.
The pine tree-lined Willard Byrd layout that opened in 1990 has been revitalized by the changing of the greens last year from bent to Champion Bermuda.
“The greens are great. They are huge, they don’t have any blemishes and are really true,” said Josh Unger of Myrtle Beach, a student at the Golf Academy of America who took part in a review of the course in late March.
“Any time you can get a green that’s big and relatively flat that is ideal. These greens are big and they have some undulation in them but not too much, and they’ll hold shots and aren’t too hard.”
Joining me and Josh, who carries a 10.4 handicap, in the review foursome were John Hasenstab of Murrells Inlet, a retired educator with a 17 handicap, and Grace Caravello of Conway, a retired Verizon systems analyst with a 24 handicap.
“This course had a tremendous variety of holes,” John said. “There are many very nice holes with scenic aesthetics.”
The course’s yardage of 6,740 doesn’t require a driver off every tee and includes a number of doglegs both right and left. “A variety of clubs can be used off the tee and there’s a high amount of risk-reward,” Josh said.
There is some water on the layout but most of the difficulty stems from bunkers. Both waste and traditional bunkers pinch fairways, and 15 of the 18 greens are protected by multiple bunkers. “The course was very fair with good shots and not overly punitive for bad ones,” John said.
The course’s aesthetics include stone walkways to delineate parking areas at tees and greens, dead trees in some waste bunker areas, a plethora of wildlife including alligators and a variety of birds – there’s an osprey nest on the 18th fairway near the green – and attractive housing, including Charleston-style homes on some holes.
“The course was in great condition,” Josh said. “The manicuring on this course is really nice. They definitely take time and do the work to make it nice.”
Women have a significant advantage on many holes with a total yardage of 4,621 yards. “The par-3s were easy for women and some of the par-4s were short enough to make it in regulation,” Grace said. “The par-5s were short also.”
Likes
The driving range has target greens and flags with measured yardages, and there is a chipping green with a bunker.
John enjoyed the tee-time separation of 10 minutes, compared to eight minutes at many clubs, and the policy to start every group on the first tee. “What a pleasant experience it is,” John said. “We didn’t push the group in front of us and we weren’t pushed, and that must be attributed to the 10-minute tee times.”
Grace thought the staff was friendly and helpful and enjoyed the rolling terrain in and around many fairways. “Fairways were hilly and fun to play,” she said.
With combined green and cart fees between $40 and $55 year round, “it’s a great value,” John said.
Josh appreciated the tree-lined layout and detailed yardage book. “It’s very detailed and helped a lot having not played the course before,” Josh said.
Dislikes
There are small hole depictions on the scorecard and yardage books are available for $3, but there weren’t hole depictions on tee boxes. “If we didn’t have the yardage book we would have been lost because there were no hole descriptions at the tee boxes like a lot of courses have, and there are some things you can’t see on the tee box,” Grace said.
The sand was good when abundant in bunkers, but it was inconsistent and thin in spots and had sparse grass growing through some areas. “The bunkers were unkept and irregular in condition,” John said.
Josh thought out-of-bounds stakes created by housing were too close to some fairways, and Grace didn’t believe there was enough selection of women’s clothing in the pro shop.
Par-3s
Par-3 distances are very manageable at between 174 and 202 yards from the tips. The 174-yard second hole measures 167 from the white tee and requires a carry over water to a green that is angled to the back right, slopes to the front and left, and is surrounded by four bunkers, including an expansive bunker to its left.
The 190-yard seventh is 167 from the white and has a drive over a waste bunker decorated with a pair of small dead trees. A mildly rolling green is situated between five bunkers.
The 186-yard 12th measures 163 from the white and requires a drive over a water hazard that extends past the left side of a wide green that contains a couple rolling areas. A bunker covers the entire front of the green and there are smaller bunkers back and back left. “It’s a great par-3 over water with wind factoring in,” John said.
Several bunkers are snuggled around the green of the 202-yard 16th hole, which is 155 from the white.
Par-4s
None of the par-4s were overwhelmingly long, measuring between 368 and 412 yards. “There’s a good variety of par-4s,” John said. “Some were easily reachable in two, some were tough.”
The 387-yard first hole doesn’t require a driver and is somewhat benign, though it has water far left. The 412-yard fifth is straightforward with five deep bunkers protecting the fairway and one protecting the front left of the green.
The 396-yard sixth has a fairly narrow landing area caused by bunkers pinching both sides of the fairway, with the left bunker prominent off the tee. The eighth, 10th and 11th holes are either sharp or slight dogleg rights, the 15th is a sharp dogleg left, and the 404-yard slight dogleg-left 14th has a very narrow landing area for a driver, with water coming into the fairway from the left that is blind from the tee and bunkers on the right.
“They have a nice mix of dogleg lefts and dogleg rights,” Josh said. “There’s a lot of risk-reward from the back tees on the hard dogleg par-4s. You can hit to the dogleg with a hybrid or take on the dogleg with a driver.”
Par-5s
Three of the par-5s measure between 515 and 542 yards, while the final par-5 offers birdie and eagle possibilities. Only one par-5 is more than 495 yards from the white tees. “All the par-5s were fair and scoreable,” John said.
The 525-yard third hole measures 468 from the white tee and features a drive over water to a fairway on the left that must be placed between a pair of fairway bunkers at the turn of a sharp dogleg right. The fairway is a narrow corridor through pines and is rolling with mild mounding on both sides. The green has a mild plateau back right and is protected front and left by one bunker and right by another. “It’s a wonderful hole that requires a good drive and solid approach,” John said.
The 542-yard ninth is 517 from the white and turns slightly left with five bunkers to maneuver beginning deep in the tee shot landing area. The 528-yard 13th is 493 from the white and has bunkers both left and right in the fairway off the tee, and a green-fronting water hazard cutting across the fairway beginning 70 yards from a green that bends around a back left bunker and features a mild ridge through the middle.
The short 469-yard 18th measures 442 from the white and is intimidating in the yardage book with water abound, but the landing area is generous. “Once you get off the tee you’re good to go toward the green,” Josh said.
“All the par-5s were reachable in two good shots, though No. 13 may require a layup short of the water with 80 yards in after that,” Josh said. “They had tight landing areas off the tee with a driver but then the fairways opened up into large bunker-surrounded greens.”
Favorite holes
Josh’s favorite hole was the par-4 17th, a 382-yard hole turning slightly right with an elevated tee, water down the left side and a green well-protected by four bunkers. “A good drive will get you around 130 to 140 yards into the green, and the hole is aesthetically pleasing from the tee,” he said.
John enjoyed the par-4 14th, measuring 380 yards from the white tee, because “it required a center drive and punished you left or right.” He also liked the par-5 13th and third holes. “The third, with a drive across water at an angle into rolling hills to a dogleg right, was a great hole,” John said.
Grace liked the par-3 second hole, which measured 106 yards from the red tee and required a short shot over water to the green.
Least favorite holes
Josh’s least favorite hole was the 407-yard par-4 fourth, a sharp dogleg left turning around a waste bunker and tree line. A tree extending beyond the waste bunker on the left side of the fairway forces players to hit a well-placed tee shot of 240 to 270 yards to have a clear shot at the green, and OB lurks on the right. “You really only have about 30 yards to place your ball in the fairway off the tee and have a shot at the green,” Josh said.
John’s least favorite hole was the par-3 16th. “It was the least aesthetically pleasing hole on the course,” he said.
Grace’s least favorite hole was the par-5 13th, which measured 382 yards from the red tee and required about a 60-yard carry over water to reach the green. “I had to go over the water on the fourth shot and couldn’t make it over on the third shot, and I hate having to lay up like that and lose a shot.”
To view Blondin’s blog, Green Reading, or Q&A Forum, Ask Al, go to TheSunNews.com.
Sea Trail Willard Byrd Signature Course -
Opened in the Fall of 1990, each hole of the Willard Byrd Golf Course at Sea Trail Resort & Golf Links, Sunset Beach, NC is memorable for both beauty and exacting play.
Built around several man-made lakes, each ranging from 14-20 acres, every hole of this par-72 signature course requires a distinctly difference approach. Contact us for additional information or call 800-624-6601 or 910-287-1157. http://www.seatrail.com
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Sea Trail Dan Maples Signature Course - Twisted ancient oaks and tall Carolina pines define each hole on the beautiful par 72 course, still regarded as one of Maples finest. This one-of-a-kind course has newly renovated A1/A4 blended Bent grass greens and boasts five holes that wind along the scenic Calabash Creek, home to nesting ospreys and other native wildlife. The course is also peppered with numerous waste bunkers, one of which extends the full length of a fairway. Contact us for additional information or call 800-624-6601 or 910-287-1157. http://www.seatrail.com
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Sea Trail Rees Jones Signature Course – The Rees Jones Golf Course at Sea Trail Resort & Golf Links, Sunset Beach, NC, opened in the Spring of 1990 and has become a perennial favorite of visitors and locals alike. Players of all skill levels will enjoy an extraordinary golf experience on this straightforward golf course with typical Jones bounding. Wide fairways and large mounds are surrounded by water, with water coming into play on 11 holes of the Par 72 championship course. In addition to water hazards, the many pot and large expanse bunkers make for a delightfully challenging game of golf. Contact us for additional information or call 800-624-6601 or 910-287-1157. http://www.seatrail.com
Great Golf! The Pearl!
The Pearl’s fast rolling greens and finely manicured fairways are cut through the southern North Carolina forest and border the coastal marshland and Calabash River.
This dramatic property has been enhanced with an array of gardens and water features that add to the difficulty and splendor of each hole.
In addition to the magnificent landscaping, The Pearl is home to a variety of wildlife. You’ll share the course with herons, egrets, eagles, deer, and our resident gators. The Pearl is as challenging as it is beautiful.
In 1988, one year after it opened, The Pearl was nominated “Best New Public Course” by Golf Digest. Both Courses have also been ranked 
among the top courses in the Carolinas.
The Pearl East is a traditional course and The Pearl West is a links style course. Select East or West below for more in depth description of each course and hole by hole tips.
888-947-3275 – 910-579-8131 Click Here to download our scorecards
North Carolina’s Southern Coast & Wilmington
Save $6.00 off! If you want to know what the locals know, the Insider’s Guide is for you.
Written by longtime locals and true insiders who offer personal and practical perspectives that readers trust.
The Insider’s Guide to NC’s Southern Coast & Wilmington takes you to the clean, quiet, family oriented beaches of North Carolina’s Southern Coast and introduces you to the intriguing city of Wilmington, including the historic downtown riverfront.
Regular Cover Price: $15.95
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Father & Son Team Classic
Mark your calendars for “Three Days of Golf and A Lifetime of Memories” when on July 21-23, 2011 fathers and sons from all over will unite for the 14th annual Golf Dimensions Father & Son Team Classic.
As little boys grow into men, they gain much of their knowledge from their fathers, absorbing the father’s behaviors, values, work ethic and a sense of who they will be.
Of course all of that information and understanding doesn’t just happen to pass from parent to child through osmosis. As is often the case, father and son will discover a shared passion or common ground ideal for cultivating the closest of bonds.
Whether it’s Little League baseball, Pop Warner football or a Saturday morning soccer league, sports often serve as the vehicle for forming that special friendship. But is there any better way for a father and son to learn about life and each other than by playing a round of golf together?
Almost 15 years since one of golf’s most famous fathers, Earl Woods, proclaimed that his prodigal son would do more than any other man in history to change the course of humanity, we live in a world capable of connecting us to our neighbors on the other side of the globe with the click of a button. Yet, we’ve become so distant. Golf gives us the opportunity to bridge that gap. The most humbling and human of all sporting pursuits, golf teaches us patience, honesty and persistence.
The Father & Son Team Classic tournament committee remains committed to bringing participants only the highest quality golf experience Myrtle Beach has to offer. This year’s tournament host sites include Barefoot Golf Resort, Grande Dunes Resort, Founders Club at Pawleys Island, Legends Resorts, Myrtle Beach National Golf Club, Sea Trail Golf Resort, The Members Club at Grande Dunes, Thistle Golf Club, and Wachesaw Plantation East.
In 2010, the Father & Son team Classic attracted players from 43 states and seven foreign countries. More information about the 2011 tournament is available online at fathersongolf.com.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 |
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| 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | Tournament Registration: Golf Dimensions Superstore locations.
Teams with Father’s Last Name Beginning with A-K Register at: Teams with Father’s Last Name Beginning with L-Z Register at: Welcome Reception at Pine Lakes Country Club 6-8pm Practice Rounds – Make own arrangements |
Thursday, July 21, 2011 |
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| 8:30 a.m. | Round #1 – Two Man Better Ball (80% of Individual Handicap) Shotgun Start – All Courses |
| 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. | Father & Son Skills Challenge & Demo Alley - The Resort Course at Grande Dunes Presented by Golf Dimensions Superstore |
| 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. | Closest to the Pin & Putting Contest – Golf Dimensions Superstore |
Friday, July 22, 2011 |
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| 8:30 a.m. | Round #2 – Two Man Alternate Shot (Modified Pinehurst Scotch) (40% of Total Team Handicap) Shotgun Start – All Courses |
| 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. | Father & Son Skills Challenge & Demo Alley – The Resort Course at Grande Dunes Presented by Golf Dimensions Superstore |
| 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. | Closest to the Pin & Putting Contest – Golf Dimensions Superstore |
Saturday, July 23, 2011 |
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| 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. | Round #3 – Two Man Captain’s Choice Competition (30% of Total Team Handicap) Shotgun Start – All Courses Starting time for shotguns will be staggered according to golf course |
| 12:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Awards Ceremony / Player’s Cookout – The Resort Course at Grande Dunes |
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Fly Direct Toronto To Myrtle Beach
Porter Airlines began seasonal, direct-flight service from Toronto to Myrtle Beach, S.C. on February 17. Porter provides four weekly round trips through May 23 with flights scheduled on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. The first week of service features flights on Monday and Thursday. This is the second year Porter Airlines has offered seasonal service from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to Myrtle Beach International Airport. The four weekly flights double the amount offered last year.
Canadian golfers can look to Porter Airlines to provide affordable, direct access to Myrtle Beach (approx. 45 minutes from The Winds).
Connecting flights are available in Toronto for Thunder Bay, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City and Halifax. Reservations can be made immediately at FlyPorter.com or through travel agents, with one-way fares from Toronto starting at $179, plus fees and taxes.
Porter AirlinesPorter Airlines is Canada’s third-largest scheduled carrier, based at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. Porter is an Official 4 Star Airline® in the World Airline Star Rating® by Skytrax, committed to offering speed, convenience and service as part of a premium travel experience. A refined journey begins on the ground with comfortable airport lounges and service-oriented team members. The experience continues seamlessly in the air with spacious interiors and well-appointed crew.
Passengers enjoy complimentary services, including free in-flight wine, beer and premium snacks, all aboard modern aircraft.??The airline currently serves Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Moncton, Halifax, St. John’s, Thunder Bay, Sudbury, New York (Newark), Chicago (Midway), Boston (Logan), and has seasonal flights to Mt. Tremblant, Que. and Myrtle Beach, SC.
Join VIPorter frequent flyer program to earn a free flight after as few as five one-way trips. Visit www.flyporter.com or call (888) 619-8622 for more information.
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Spirit To Launch Non-Stop Service
Non-Stop Service From 5 New Markets, Including Washington, DC
It just got a lot easier for residents of Washingon, DC, Pittsburgh, Charleston, WV, Montreal, Buffalo, Toronto and Niagara Falls to take a Coastal Carolina golf trip!
Spirit Airlines introduced the next phase of the ultra low cost carrier’s Grand Strand expansion as it announced non-stop service to five new cities from Myrtle Beach. Effective May 5, 2011, Spirit will begin seasonal service to the following new markets:
• Washington, DC Reagan National Airport – daily non-stop service to our Capital’s close-in airport.
• Plattsburgh, NY – four times per week.
Located in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York on the shores of Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh is centrally positioned near Albany, New York; Burlington, Vermont; and Montreal, Canada.
• Niagara Falls, NY (near Buffalo, New York and Toronto, Canada) – three times per week.
In addition to Niagara Falls being a tourist destination in itself, the Niagara Falls International Airport is also conveniently located near Buffalo, New York, and just across the border from Toronto, Canada.
• Latrobe, PA – four times per week.
Located in southwestern Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh.
• Charleston, WV – three times per week.
State Capital serving all of West Virginia.
To celebrate, Spirit is offering $9 introductory fares* (each way based on round trip purchase) available today and tomorrow only at www.spiritair.com.
Schedule for Spirit’s Myrtle Beach (MYR) – Washington, DC (DCA) seasonal service effective May 5, 2011:
Depart Arrive Flight # Stops Frequency
From Myrtle Beach to Washington, DC: 10:05 pm 11:30 pm 548 0 Daily
From Washington, DC to Myrtle Beach: 6:00 am 7:25 am 547 0 Daily
Schedule for Spirit’s Myrtle Beach (MYR) – Charleston, WV (CRW) seasonal service effective May 5, 2011:
Depart Arrive Flight # Stops Frequency
From Myrtle Beach to Charleston, WV: 6:15 pm 7:30 pm 278 0 Tue, Thur, Sun
From Charleston, WV to Myrtle Beach: 4:10 pm 5:25 pm 279 0 Tue, Thur, Sun
Schedule for Spirit’s Myrtle Beach (MYR) – Latrobe, PA (LBE) seasonal service effective May 5, 2011:
Depart Arrive Flight # Stops Frequency
From Myrtle Beach to Latrobe: 6:10 pm 7:30 pm 412 0 Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat
From Latrobe to Myrtle Beach: 4:20 pm 5:35 pm 415 0 Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat
Schedule for Spirit’s Myrtle Beach (MYR) – Plattsburgh, NY (PBG) seasonal service effective May 5, 2011:
Depart Arrive Flight # Stops Frequency
From Myrtle Beach to Plattsburgh: 3:50 pm 5:55 pm 820 0 Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat
From Plattsburgh to Myrtle Beach: 1:15 pm 3:20 pm 819 0 Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat
Schedule for Spirit’s Myrtle Beach (MYR) – Niagara Falls, NY (IAG) seasonal service effective May 5, 2011:
Depart Arrive Flight # Stops Frequency
From Myrtle Beach to Niagara Falls: 3:20 pm 5:05 pm 226 0 Tue, Thur, Sun
From Niagara Falls to Myrtle Beach: 1:00 pm 2:45 pm 289 0 Tue, Thur, Sun
$9 Introductory Fares* (each way based on round trip purchase):
One-Way Applicable date
Myrtle Beach – Washington, DC $9 5/10/11, 5/13/11, 5/17/11, 5/20/11, 6/8/11, 6/10/11, 6/15/11, 8/5/11, 8/9/11, 8/19/11
Washington, DC – Myrtle Beach $9 5/7/11, 5/9/11, 5/10/11, 5/18/11, 6/1/11, 6/7/11, 6/11/11, 8/2/11, 8/13/11, 8/16/11
Myrtle Beach – Charleston, WV $9 5/10/11, 5/12/11, 5/17/11, 5/19/11, 5/24/11, 6/7/11, 6/9/11, 8/9/11, 8/11/11, 8/16/11
Charleston, WV – Myrtle Beach $9 5/8/11, 5/10/11, 5/15/11, 5/17/11, 5/22/11, 5/24/11, 6/5/11, 6/7/11, 8/2/11, 8/7/11
Myrtle Beach – Latrobe $9 5/11/11, 5/13/11, 5/18/11, 5/20/11, 5/25/11, 5/27/11, 6/8/11, 6/10/11, 6/15/11, 6/17/11
Latrobe – Myrtle Beach $9 5/9/11, 5/11/11, 5/16/11, 5/18/11, 5/21/11, 6/6/11, 6/8/11, 6/11/11, 6/13/11, 6/15/11
Myrtle Beach – Plattsburgh $9 5/11/11, 5/13/11, 5/18/11, 5/27/11, 6/1/11, 6/3/11, 6/8/11, 6/10/11, 6/15/11, 6/17/11
Plattsburgh – Myrtle Beach $9 5/9/11, 5/10/11, 5/11/11, 5/17/11, 5/18/11, 5/21/11, 6/7/11, 6/8/11, 6/14/11, 6/15/11
Myrtle Beach – Niagara Falls $9 5/10/11, 5/12/11, 5/17/11, 5/19/11, 5/24/11, 5/26/11, 6/7/11, 6/9/11, 6/14/11, 6/16/11
Niagara Falls – Myrtle Beach $9 5/5/11, 5/10/11, 5/12/11, 5/17/10, 5/19/10, 5/22/11, 5/24/11, 6/7/10, 6/9/11, 6/5/11
About Spirit Airlines
Spirit Airlines (www.spiritair.com) is the largest Ultra Low Cost Carrier (ULCC) in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean. As the unbundling leader in the industry, Spirit allows consumers the option of paying only for the features they value without subsidizing the choices of others. Its all-Airbus fleet flies more than 150 daily flights to 40 destinations. The company is based in South Florida.
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Willard Byrd Course at Sea Trail
Sea Trail Golf Resort is home to layouts designed by the Open Doctor, Rees Jones, Dan Maples, who has designed more Myrtle Beach golf courses than any other architect, and Willard Byrd, who completed the trio with the opening of his course in 1990.
On the name recognition index, Byrd doesn’t enjoy the cache of his Sea Trail compatriots, but his work at the Sunset Beach, N.C., facility might be the best of the bunch. The Willard Byrd Course at Sea Trail has an ideal combination of playability, challenge and value that appeals golfers.
The Byrd course isn’t particularly long, playing 6,750 yards from the blue tees and 6,251 yards from the white tees (where most of us play), so long, forced carries and the need for a space-age driver are minimized.
Byrd created a layout that allows golfers ample opportunity to hit the driver, but doesn’t make length a prerequisite for success. The course, which has seven doglegs of varying severity, rewards shot-making and creativity, challenging players to hit a variety of shots.
Those challenges are what make the course appealing to low-handicappers despite the relative lack of length.
“Byrd is more demanding on the good golfer,” head pro Eddie Pratt said. “That’s why they like to play it.”
Mid to high handicappers are fond of Byrd because it isn’t overly penal from the white tees. Regardless of your handicap, Byrd rewards players that pay attention to where they are hitting the ball. Playing to the proper side of the dogleg and awareness of hazards are vital success.
“It’s more of a shot-makers course,” Pratt said. “It’s not a course where you hit it, find it and hit again.”
The Byrd Course is home to several large man-made lakes – the biggest is 20 acres – but the water isn’t an overbearing threat. The course’s fairways are plenty wide, giving players ample room to find the short grass.
The key to success lies in a player’s ability to execute with short irons. There aren’t many long approaches, but the greens are well guarded, most of them surrounded by sand. If you miss a green, you will likely be chipping out of or over a bunker.
If the threat of missing the green weren’t enough, hitting it hardly ensures success. The Byrd Course’s greens are often large and multi-tiered, so hitting the right part of the green is vital to scoring well.
One thing players don’t have to worry about is the condition of the greens. Sea Trail installed new Champions Bermuda on the greens as part of a two-year project, and the results have been well received.
The par 3, seventh hole on the Byrd Course is head pro Eddie Pratt’s favorite hole.
Par 3s
The par 3s are Byrd’s strongest collection of holes. The seventh, a 190-yarder, is Pratt’s favorite hole on the course and the 186-yard 12th isn’t far behind. Both holes require relatively long tee shots over sand and require a sturdy commitment to your club selection. They encapsulate what’s so enjoyable about the Byrd Course – a good score is very much within reach but It must be earned.
The 174-yard second hole requires a carry across one of the (alligator filled) man-made lakes to another three-tiered green. The 16th is the longest par 3 from the blue tees, playing 202 yards, but the shortest from the white tees (155 yards). With no water and healthy size green, it’s the easiest hole on the back nine, according to the scorecard.
Par 4s
Byrd’s par 4s speak to its reputation as a player friendly course. While the par 4s feature several doglegs, not one of them plays longer than the 392-yard fifth hole from the white tees. Setting the fifth hole aside, there isn’t another par 4 that stretches to 380 yards from the white tees. With even minimal distance off tee, players will have manageable approaches.
A prime example is the fourth hole (407 blue/378 white), which features an almost 90-degree dogleg left. A 225-yard drive from the white tees will leave players well positioned, but a waste bunker runs along the left side and mounds on the right complicate any mistake in that direction.
The aforementioned fifth hole is the course’s hardest. In addition to being long and straight, the hole has subtle elevation change.
“On the tee box it looks flat but there is a steady incline,” says Pratt. “You are always hitting one or two more clubs than you expected on your second shot.
The most difficult hole on the back nine, according to the scorecard, is the 400-yard, 10th hole, a dogleg right with sand on both sides of the fairway, and a relatively small green.
The final two-shotter is the 382-yard 17th hole. Long hitters can bomb away but a lake runs up the entire left side of the fairway and mounding on the right can punish a slice. The 17th green is classic Byrd; it’s large – 39 yards deep – but surrounded by four bunkers.
The third hole is a 525-yard par 5.
Par 5s
The par 5s on the Byrd Course offer players a couple chances to pick up strokes.
The third hole (535 blue/468 white) is relatively short but it has a severe dogleg right. A large waste bunker and a tree on the right side make cutting the corner difficult. Play this one by the book and be content to reach the green in regulation. The ninth hole isn’t complicated. It’s long and straight. If you can get home it two from the 542 yards on the blue tees (or 517 from the whites) more power to you. Most of us can’t.
Opportunity potentially beckons on the 13th hole (528 blue/493 white), but there is a significant risk-reward component. The hole is straight but each side of the fairway sports a large bunker and one of the course’s lakes runs in front of the green. Long hitters can go for the green in two, but you better be certain you can get there. Any ball that is short will be wet.
The 18th is regarded by many as Byrd’s easiest hole. It’s short (468 blue/442 white) and not overly tight, giving many players the opportunity to go for the green in two, assuming your drive is in the fairway.
The Verdict: The Byrd Course at Sea Trail doesn’t receive the accolades of its Grand Strand brethren (including the on-site Jones Course), but it’s a good layout with good conditions. There isn’t much housing, and players have the opportunity to score if they play well. If you are a low handicapper, play from the blue tees and enjoy the challenge.
In short, if the Byrd Course offers value and challenge, a combination everyone seeks on a Myrtle Beach golf trip.
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Course Review: Meadowlands
Course Review: A Quality Round Awaits at Meadowlands Golf Club
Meadowlands offers people great conditions, value, customer service and consistency of experience, all qualities that people seek in a course.
The parkland layout places an emphasis on playability. There are no blind shots from the middle of the fairway, no elephants buried under the greens, or long forced carries. Meadowlands isn’t a pushover, but it rewards good shots and doesn’t unnecessarily penalize mid to high-handicappers.
A prime example, several years Meadowlands removed 11 bunkers. The bunkers never came into play for low handicap players, but were positioned to gobble up balls hit by golfers who need the most help. The idea wasn’t to ease the challenge but to make sure high handicappers didn’t consistently have to face an additional set of hazards.
“We try to work on making the course as playable as possible,” head pro Mac Hood said. “It’s our job to make the game fun.”
Meadowlands succeeds in making the game enjoyable. The course measures just over 7,000 yards from the tips, but it has four set of tees between 5,041 and 6,591 yards, giving men and women an opportunity to score.
Most men play the heron (6,591 yards) or egret (6,080 yards) tees, and Meadowlands has generous landing areas and large greens. Players don’t have to split the middle of the fairway to have a reasonable approach, but don’t swing wildly as water is in view on 17 of 18 holes.
Meadowlands also has a pair of women’s tees (cardinal – 5,041 yards and hummingbird – 5,512 yards) and has been ranked among the Top 100 Women-Friendly Courses in America. Throw in a newly added set of “family” tees that are typically about 200 yards from the hole, and the course offers a good time for everyone.
While many layouts allow players to ease into the round, architect Willard Byrd challenges players from the opening tee. The first three holes at Meadowlands are demanding par 4s, capped by No. 3, a 480-yard whopper that requires a pair of carries over water.
Even from the heron (455 yards) and egret (408 yards) tees it’s a long hole and the approach over water is a demanding one, though Byrd left bailout room. It’s unquestionably the toughest hole on the course.
Meadowlands relents after the opening holes. The fifth is a short par 5 (484 yards from the tips), and the remaining par 4s offer birdie chances, particularly the seventh and 17th holes, both relatively short.
If you need to pick up a stroke down the stretch, the par 3, 15th hole is the place. The hole is 160 yards from the tips and the green is large and relatively flat. Take dead aim off the tee and on the green.
After your round, Meadowlands features a clubhouse that pays homage to the area’s historic roots in the farming industry. A rough, wood exterior welcomes players into a clubhouse that features a homey feel and it has an expansive back porch overlooking the course and water. It’s a great way to cap a round.
The Verdict: If Meadowlands is on your itinerary, it’s typically an indicator your group leader has done a good job. Players will find a good course, conditions, customer service and value. It’s a recipe for happy golfers and Meadowlands has been serving it for 13 years, much to the delight of players that do their homework.
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Sea Trail Golf School
The Sea Trail Golf School has been running golf improvement programs at Sea Trail for over 10 years. Their stay, play and improve packages include accommodations, lunch each day, golf on our 3 courses, and daily instruction including 9 hole playing lessons with your instructor.
They offer 2-Day, 3-Day, and 5-Day Full Packages as well as commuter packages year round. Their classes are small, they only offer 1-to-1 or 2-to-1 teacher/student ratio programs. This individual attention guarantees you the most improvement while you are here. Their instructors are with you on the range each morning and help you take it to the course with our afternoon playing lessons.
Golf School Packages
Their full time teaching staff keeps it simple, they work with what you have (no major swing surgery), just basic fundamentals that improve ball flight and overall consistency.
They cover all aspects of the game and welcome all levels of golfers. They also can customize our classes to work on those specific areas that you’re having trouble with.
The pricing schedule of their programs is based on season, as the accommodation and golf round rates change.
Click here to email The Sea Trail Golf School or call:888-321-9048 ext: 1367
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