And the 18th, another dogleg par 4, plays into a semi-island green. The 17th is a 180-yard par 3 with an island green.
The 16th is a difficult dogleg right around water that plays 424 yards. The finishing stretch is especially intriguing. Running the ball up, like you get in Scotland, isn't the play on most of the holes, but it definitely has a links look on many holes, especially the opening hole, a difficult par 5 that wraps around a lake. The Wizard gives off a Scottish Highlands-like vibe, enhanced recently by the addition of fescue and bunkers that have been converted into pot bunkers. While both courses have much in common - water on many holes, for example - they are appreciably different. Add to that the general excellent conditions on the rest of the golf courses, and you have a consistent enjoyable product. Not only are the greens in terrific shape year-round, including Myrtle Beach's hot summers, but they're also perfect in the fall when other courses are dormant or have overseeded their Bermuda greens. The result has been anything but disappointing. Pardue said he consulted with one of the top university agronomists in the country when the courses were built back in 1996. If what's underneath is wrong, it doesn't matter." "It doesn't matter what type of grass you have on top. "Each green was designed individually according to their location," Pardue said. The greens are not USGA spec, which was done intentionally, Pardue said. There's plenty of water and bunkering on both courses and the trees are strategic, never suffocating any part of the golf course.
Both courses, which are right next to each other but operated out of separate clubhouses, are wide open. One of the obvious reasons is air circulation. Not only are The Wizard and Man O' War two of only a handful of courses on the Grand Strand to offer bentgrass, but also they are arguably some of the best bentgrass greens in the state. According to Mystical Golf owner Claude Pardue, the other two courses were designed specifically to accommodate bentgrass greens. (Maples designed all three courses.) An added bonus is that the course serves as a wildlife refuge, home to many species, including quite a few alligators.īut average golfers might prefer Man O' War Golf Club or The Wizard Golf Club, and here's why:įirst off, while The Witch certainly has terrific greens, they are Bermuda (by necessity). This terrific Dan Maples design, built over 500 acres, has many memorable holes, including a dynamite finishing stretch.
Better players can appreciate its 133 slope (6,796-yard par 71). Many golfers might pick The Witch Golf Club because of its beautiful wetlands-forest combination and difficulty. But if you had to pick only one, which one would it be? Mystical Golf in Myrtle Beach has three courses that rarely disappoint. It also attracts plenty of visitors, especially ones who fly into town and spot all that water from overhead.MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. Located in the Carolina Forest area of the Grand Strand, Man O’ War is just off U.S. And that’s just the seventh-hardest hole on the course. Most consider this another par 5 for the course because of its propensity for bogeys. Of course, it wouldn’t be Man O ‘War without more water coming into play.
The approach then requires a near-perfect shot to stay out of sand. From the tee box, players must hit a straight shot onto a secondary island, connected to the first only by an elevated cart path. The 433-yard par 4 is an island hole, not simply a green. Before golfers reach that unique double, though, they also have to contend with No. If you’re lucky enough to stay dry, you still have to worry about the very fast bentgrass greens. 14 and 15 – said by Sports Illustrated to possibly be the game’s only such occurrence. That includes back-to-back island greens on Nos. Opened in 1996, Man O’ War includes water on 16 of its 18 holes. But for the most part, the prepared and patient can maneuver it while enjoying its originality. But it’s Man O’ War’s originality that offers an experience that no visiting golfer will ever forget.īuilt around a 100-pluss acre lake, this Dan Maples design has swallowed plenty of golf balls in its time. Man O’ War Golf Club has remained in the upper echelon of local courses, and earned a prestigious four-star rating from Golf Digest. Water, water everywhere on this dynamically designed Myrtle Beach golf course.