Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2010

Course review: The Dunes Club rich in history, competition

The Myrtle Beach golf market is rich in diversity, with courses that vary greatly in style, difficulty and price.

It's a little light in championship courses, however.

No other Grand Strand course has the rich tournament history of The Dunes Golf and Beach Club, and a review foursome that played the course in late November found few have a layout to match the one at the storied semi-private club.

"I think this is one of the harder golf courses down here," said Zack Byrd of Murrells Inlet, a touring pro and former All-American at Coastal Carolina University. "I think it's probably the only one that could host a tour event; this and the TPC [of Myrtle Beach] if you make it a par-70.

"If they got the rough up it's definitely a tour course. It's long enough and it has all the shots. I hit every club in my bag today and hit all sorts of shots, and you don't get that too often. It has all the specs for a tour event."

Joining me and Zack in the review foursome were Frank Starace of Murrells Inlet, Byrd's caddie and a waiter who carries a 2 handicap, and Nicolle Gainey of Myrtle Beach, a commercial real estate broker with a 16 handicap.

The Dunes Club is the second-oldest course on the Strand. The 7,195-yard Robert Trent Jones design opened in 1948 and features greens elevated to varying degrees that put an emphasis on approach shots.

It has maintained its traditional tree-lined style, with several holes turning at least slightly left or right and a minimum of three bunkers on all but one hole protecting greens and key areas of fairways.

"The Dunes Club was a treat to play," said Frank, who played nine holes at the club in a match while at North Myrtle Beach High. "It was my first time playing the full 18 and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Based on its rich history and great layout, the Dunes is now one of my favorite courses that I have played."

The Dunes Club has hosted the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament finals, an LPGA major championship and the Champions Tour Championship from 1994-99, when it was known as the Senior Tour Championship.

The strength of the layout is reflected in the selection of three Dunes Club holes to The Sun News' Dream 18, a collection of the best 18 holes out of more than 100 courses on the Grand Strand selected by a knowledgeable panel.

"There are no holes that I didn't enjoy playing," Nicolle said. "Each hole has its own character as described in each individual hole's name."

The course's difficulty is reflected in course and slope ratings of 75.7 and 144 from the tips. Greens featuring significant undulation and quick A1 bentgrass add to the difficulty. "These greens are tough," Frank said.

The group found the course in excellent condition from tee to green. "The fairways are pristine and the greens are in great shape," Nicolle said. "They're so true once you get the feel for them."

Even the club's bunker sand was tour-quality. "It doesn't plug and it has a good base," Zack said.

Adding to The Dunes Club's allure is its oceanfront location. Only dunes separate the clubhouse from the beach and the ocean is visible from the ninth hole and 10th tee.

"To have a course that is oceanfront and has ocean views is priceless," Nicolle said. "You get your money's worth."

Likes

The entire group enjoyed the conditioning of the course.

Zack thought the facilities were top-notch and the staff was friendly and helpful.

Frank enjoyed the opportunity to play a layout that has hosted numerous pro and amateur championships. "The history and past of the course with the tournaments it has hosted like the Senior Tour Championship adds to its value," Frank said.

Nicolle enjoyed the prime location of the club and amenities including member and guest lockers for men and women that give The Dunes "the feel of a traditional full-service country club."

Dislikes

The group had very few complaints, among them the lack of a beverage cart on the afternoon we played.

Zack thought the driving range was a little too dop-dressed and wished there was more accessibility to the course for locals. The Dunes Club allows access to golfers staying at numerous affiliated hotels, but the club's exclusivity for its members is protected by making it difficult for locals to get on.

Par-3's

"There's great variety and a good mix of yardage and wind direction on the par-3s," Zack said. "I hit everything from 8-iron to 3-iron on them."

The 205-yard fifth hole measures 165 from the white tee and has an elevated green sloping to the back left that is protected by large and deep bunkers front right and front left. Facing the ocean, the 200-yard ninth hole measures 140 from the white. Its wide and shallow green is protected by four front bunkers and one back bunker.

The 12th has a 245-yard back tee jutting into the marsh that is seldom used. It also has a 190-yard tee and measures 150 from the white, with a tee shot over tidal marsh to a wide green surrounded by four bunkers. The 185-yard 17th is 155 from the white and has a slightly elevated green with bunkers front right, front left and back.

"All of them require very good golf shots with at least mid irons and precise shots to the undulating greens," Frank said. "You can easily be short-sided on all of them."

Nicolle enjoyed the red tee yardages ranging from 115 to 150 yards. "The par-3s are a nice challenge from the red tees," she said. "They are not too short as some forward tees are."

Par-4's

The course begins with a straightforward 425-yard par-4 with an elevated green. The 435-yard third hole plays uphill to an elevated green. The 465-yard sixth hole shortens to 370 from the white tee and turns left after a tee shot over a valley, and the green slopes sharply to the right while shots to the left of the green fall down a steep bank. The 400-yard seventh is tight and has a deep bunker to the front center of the green.

"There are some great driving holes," Zack said. "They range from 365 to 465 yards so you have to think off the majority of tees. Some elevated greens add a great challenge on your second shot."

The 380-yard 10th hole has a downhill drive and uphill second shot over water to a green well-protected by four bunkers and a steep slope in front of the green. The 11th turns to the right around marsh and a tree line inside of the marsh, and requires a second shot to a deep peninsula green.

The 450-yard 14th turns to the left and has a downhill second shot. The 365-yard 16th has a downhill second shot to a green that slopes sharply to the left and front and is surrounded by seven bunkers. The 430-yard 18th has teeing areas that make the hole turn either slightly left or right, and an approach shot to a green sloping to the front and protected by water in the front and bunkers to the right, left and back.

"Some of the par-4s are quite long when hitting in the wind," Frank said. "All of them require good drives to set up a good chance of scoring."

Par-5's

The 505-yard fifth hole doglegs left off the tee and a green fronted by water can by reached by flying a bunker at the left corner of the fairway that requires a carry of nearly 260 yards from the tips and nearly 200 from the white tee. The 525-yard eighth hole features nine bunkers but is a straightforward and birdieable par-5.

The 590-yard 13th hole dubbed "Waterloo" takes a big turn right around Lake Singleton. Driver isn't needed off the tee, and a second shot across the lake determines what distance is left for an uphill approach to a green featuring a ridge running from front left to back right. The 535-yard 15th features a downhill tee shot between two small ponds and right-side bunkers, and an elevated green that falls off to all sides and has a deep front-right bunker.

"The front side has two par-5s that are very reachable and offer a great chance of making birdie," Frank said. "The tee shot sets that up. However, on the back side both of the par-5s are very long and are three-shot holes, making the wedge shots more demanding."

Favorite holes

Both Nicolle and Frank were partial to the par-3 ninth hole. "Your tee shots oversee the clubhouse and the great beach setting in the background," he said.

Zack enjoyed the stretch of holes from the ninth through the 12th. "In my opinion you have the two best par-3s and two best par-4s on the course to play," Zack said. "The views on that stretch of holes are gorgeous and the wind makes them play very tough."

Nicolle also appreciated the par-3 12th, which played about 150 yards from the white, green and red tees despite them being in different positions. "It's surrounded by a beautiful scenic view of the marsh filled with various types of wildlife," she said.

Least favorite holes

Frank's least favorite hole was the par-5 13th hole. "It takes driver out of play and a mid-iron is the club choice on the tee shot,'' Frank said.

" . . . I had to hit a 6-iron on my tee shot, followed by a 3-wood to the green where I was still 50 yards short," he joked.

Zack's least favorite hole was the 425-yard par-4 second, a sharp dogleg left that measures 370 yards from the white tee. A driver is only needed off the tee if you try to clear the trees to cut off the dogleg, setting up a shorter second shot over a valley to the green. "The tee shot is a little weird because the longer players have to go over the trees and can't see their target," Zack said. "You have to pick a tree branch or cloud or something."

Nicolle struggled to identify a hole she didn't enjoy, though she thought the course was stronger at the finish compared to the start.

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