Why Myrtle Beach’s restrictive coronavirus ordinance was amended to reopen golf courses
As it turns out, Myrtle Beach’s golf courses don’t have to close after all.
The City of Myrtle Beach early Friday night amended its ordinance issued Thursday that called for, among other things, the closing of the city’s four golf courses through April because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The order took effect at the close of business Friday, but the amendment allows golf courses to remain open, so they were never required to close.
The amendment requires them to accept local players only, however.
Thursday’s ordinance also banned reservations at hotels and short-term lodging rental businesses such as Airbnb and VRBO, and closed campsites and several amusements and recreation activities.
The hotel restrictions were amended to now allow for emergency and medical workers, government employees, persons in emergency situations such as residents displaced by fire or domestic violence and placed by authorities or the American Red Cross, and persons with a valid reservation who would otherwise be rendered homeless.
Banned in the amendment Friday were businesses that rent jet skis, beach umbrellas, beach chairs, parasailing and banana boats, and all other forms of commercial activity on the beach.
Because many of Myrtle Beach’s hotels are condotels with rooms independently owned by individuals – often from out of state – the question of allowing the owners to live in their units was broached. Myrtle Beach city manager John Pedersen said only owners of units that aren’t part of a rental or reservation program will be permitted.
“We knew this was going to happen because it was impossible to forecast every situation, so we knew we were going to have to make some adjustments,” Pedersen said Friday night. “Those are the ones we made based on the calls we’ve received since [Thursday].”
Pedersen said the ordinance was largely meant to deter visitors to Myrtle Beach, and the amendments were made after city officials received constructive feedback from community members on Friday.
The four golf courses within Myrtle Beach city limits are Whispering Pines Golf Club, which is owned and operated by Atlantic Golf Management; Pine Lakes Country Club and the Grande Dunes Resort Course, which are owned and operated by Founders Group International; and the Members Club at Grande Dunes, which is owned by LStar Ventures. Members Club was closed by the company on March 16 to all but resident members who walk.
Pedersen said he spoke to both Atlantic Golf Management managing partner Chip Smith and FGI president Steve Mays, and the courses will be relied upon to self-police the locals-only provision.
“The reason why we recommended closing them was because golf courses, particularly this time of year, are the reason people come here,” Pedersen said. “The whole idea of this is to keep people away and to minimize the number of people in town.
“. . . And it is possible to maintain social distancing [while playing golf.]”
None of the similar restrictive ordinances enacted Thursday or Friday by Horry and Georgetown counties, or cities and towns within those counties, forced golf courses to close.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper’s “Stay At Home” order on Friday also excludes golf and allows golf courses to remain open.
So all approximate 75 golf courses in the Myrtle Beach market stretching from Georgetown to Bolivia, N.C., can be open, and are with the exception of 11 that have been closed by their owners.
Violation of the city’s ordinance is punishable by a fine of $500 or less, 30 days imprisonment, or both.
This story was originally published March 28, 2020 at 12:41 AM.
