Review - Willbrook Plantation features clever holes amid history

[WUTiger]

Opened in the 1980s, this Dan Maples design was billed as “not old, but old school.” The holes wind through stands of ancient oak trees, with creeks and lagoons to cross and avoid on the sides. No. 11, a 336-yd. par 4, is shown to the right.

Golfers get a mix of clever holes, with small history lessons along the way, marked by on-course plaques. When Willbrook course was being built, the developers found that an old black slave cemetery was located in the area near future hole No. 8. Contacting state historians, the developers preserved the cemetery pocket, routing the hole around it.

Kevin McGuire is head pro for Willbrook Plantation, which is one of six Founders Golf group courses in Pawley’s Island on the south end of the Myrtle Beach zone. Despite being surrounded by residential areas, the trees screen the holes off from the houses. A course map shows the path of the holes, but you really don’t notice the houses that much when on the course.

Willbrook Plantation             Par 72
Tee	Rating	Slope	Yardage
Blue	72.4	132	6722
White	70.3	129	6292
Gold Gold - L	68.3 74.1	120 133	5829
Red (W)	67.7	118	4981

Distance control off the tee is critical. I got to talk to assistant pro Tim Self, a Michigan native working a PGA apprenticeship. He said the course requires golfers to be ready for anything.The course originally had a large membership, but nowadays is semi-private with plenty of outside play.

“It’s a course where you need to be able to use all the clubs in your bag. You need a variety of shots.” 

Tee shot placement and distance control proved to be two major features of the course. On No. 2, I hit an excellent drive that blew past the landing area and into a deep fairway bunker.  Due to the steep lip, I chopped a 9 iron diagonally back to the fairway rather than going for the green.

Self also noted that several of the holes feature one or two major trees which really shape the route, a feature of designer Maples’ architectural style.

Also, if you like sand you’ll love Willbrook. Fairway bunkers come into play on several holes. The huge cross bunkers which rise up atop mounds about 100 yards out on Par 5 No. 3. These bunkers not only gather in shots, but can block the view of the green for those who choose to lay up. Also, holes 12 and 13 have sand waste areas. Going from tee to green you are driving through what appears to be huge sand bunkers.  But, the course designates them as waste area.

Back 9 has more elevation change than the front.

My wife played with me, in her second season playing again after just occasional play for more than a decade. Although she had trouble on some holes, she loved the scenery and wants to come back and play it again.

One of the best features is the practice area.  The driving range has its own little niche off to the side, and you find the practice green bordered by a small creek on your way back.

Chris King, whom I met at the PGA Show in Orlando, arranged for me to play Willbrook. He runs Kingfish Communications in Myrtle Beach, and helped develop the area’s golf websites.

Willbrook is a course I want to play again – both for the scenery, and to see if I can improve my score with what I learned the first time through.

[gatsby47]

It has been a while for me. But looking at the photos, I was reminded that I enjoy playing on the South Strand in and around Pawleys. Island.  Willbrook  is pretty highly rated and on a lot of  wish lists.. Thanks for the review

[jsgolfer]

I loved this course when I played it many years ago.  It is probably my favorite of the courses I've played in Myrtle, a very underrated course.

[bkuehn1952]

One possible typo - Wilbrook may have opened in 1986. Our group played there in 1998 and for several years after.

Other than that, I agree with all your observations.  Nice course.

[jsgolfer]

26 minutes ago, bkuehn1952 said:

One possible typo - Wilbrook may have opened in 1986. Our group played there in 1998 and for several years after.

Other than that, I agree with all your observations.  Nice course.

I played there in 1995, so definitely before 1999.

[WUTiger]

On 3/22/2016 at 6:58 AM, bkuehn1952 said:

One possible typo - Willbrook may have opened in 1986. Our group played there in 1998 and for several years after.

Not sure what the issue is. My review said Willbrook was opened in the 1980s (specified the decade).

[bkuehn1952]

17 hours ago, WUTiger said:

Not sure what the issue is. My review said Willbrook was opened in the 1980s (specified the decade).

I must have misread the original post.  I apologize for questioning the date.

[WUTiger]

No need to apologize! I'm just glad you took time to ready my review.