Review - MBN West good place to start season

[WUTiger]

I got to play Myrtle Beach National – West the  second week of March, and it a great place to launch your golf season. I shared the course with vacationers - and a number of collegiate golfers who work overtime on-course during spring break.

West has gently rolling fairways through pine forests, with slightly elevated tees and frequent crowned greens which help to both drain off water and challenge the golfer. Most of the holes have a tight side with thick pine stands or lagoons running up to edge of fairway, and a more open side with less trouble. You have decent fairway to work with, but an offline drive can leave you deep in the pine straw.

While an average golfer can break 90 here, it’s not a course where you could shoot a personal best unless you can master the dips and rolls of the green. The greens had not yet been aerated due to the unusually wet spring. They ran very fast but smooth – but should have more turf body after a few days of warm weather. The staff said the greens had not yet been aerated, due to the lingering wet spring.

The old adage of “stay below the hole” really applies here if you want to score. The greens are fairly large, so your GIR can turn into a three-putt if you misjudge your approach distance.
Like a majority of courses in the area, West featured Bermuda fairways and greens, with a fall rye overseed and dormant rough.  The day’s rule was carts in the fairway, but stay out of the still-fragile rough.

My three favorite holes were (yardage from back tees):

• No. 5, Par 4, 421 yds. This fairly straight hole features trees encroaching on the landing area short left and long right. The wide, shallow green features bunkers left and front center, so it’s tough to bounce one on. Hitting the fairway off the tee sets you up for the preferred lofted approach into the No. 1 handicap hole.
• No. 12, Par 4, 325 yds. This dogleg left has fairway cross bunker about 230 yards out, and a second gathering bunker deep across the landing area at about 260. The crowned green will accept either a pitch or a chip and run, depending on pin location. Those who miss when trying to cut the left corner can end up with a pinball adventure in the primeval pine forest.
• No. 17, Par 5, 491 yds. Sharp dogleg left, with bunkers guarding the deep landing area, and the high mound guard the inside of the dogleg. With an uphill approach, it’s tough for the average golfer to reach in two – and tough to reach in three with an errant drive. The narrow green    is fairly level, and will yield an up-and-down birdie if approached well. 

West if one of three courses at Myrtle Beach National, all of which were designed by Arnold Palmer. MBN is part of the area’s Founders Golf group holdings. MBN  also features the slightly longer South Creek course, which I wrote about in 2015, and the North  “King” course. West has a reputation as being female-friendly, and my wife Shirley liked it. She especially liked that the forward tees did not require many forced carries across water.

All three courses are good quality layouts, with the North “King” course the most challenging. The maintenance crew is always off to the side working on something, without getting in the way of the golfers. Again, West is a solid place to start your season - challenging without being punishing.

Chris King of Kingfisher Communications, whom I met at PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, set up the play date for me.  King works with the highly successful Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday website.