Pawleys Plantation Golf Club is designed by golf’s greatest champion – Jack Nicklaus – and is one of the Myrtle Beach area’s most photographed courses. Yet Pawleys is only on the periphery of any discussion of the Grand Strand’s best layouts.
In a survey of Myrtle Beach area PGA professionals, Pawleys was ranked the area’s 11th best course, which, in fairness, is hardly an insult, but should it be higher?
As we assess Pawleys Plantation’s place in the market, here is a game of Fact or Fiction:
FACT: Pawleys is one of the prettiest courses in Myrtle Beach and all of South Carolina. Six back nine holes bring a tidal marsh into play and they offer stunning beauty. The views on 13, 16 and 17 are unforgettable, complementing Nicklaus’ design work with the type of scenery that can’t be recreated by man. It’s a winning combination.
FICTION: The back nine overshadows the front. The home nine is prettier, but that doesn’t make it “better.” The first nine holes at Pawleys Plantation are the course’s most challenging, highlighted by the 401-yard, par 4 second hole (all yardages from the redtail hawk tees) and the 392-yard No. 8 (pictured right). This course delivers from beginning to end.
FACT: The 13th hole (pictured below) is unforgettable. The pint-sized par 3 typically plays less than 100 yards and it’s full of drama. The peninsula green, surrounded on three sides by a tidal marsh and exposed to the wind off the nearby Atlantic, makes even the best of players antsy as they step to the tee. This is on the short list of Myrtle Beach’s most recognizable holes.
FICTION: You are going to shoot a career low round at Pawleys. This is a tough track but since when did the idea of a challenge start deterring golfers? Some of the game’s most revered layouts are renowned for their difficulty, and players run to those courses. You should do the same with Pawleys. Just don’t expect to shoot a career round!
FACT of FICTION? Pawleys Plantation Golf Club is a top 10 Myrtle Beach golf course. That’s a decision for you to render, but for my money, there aren’t 10 layouts I’d rather play than Pawleys Plantation.
What do you think?
