Lights, music, swing: A unique golf facility opens in Myrtle Beach
Continuous music, lights, drink holders on tees and greens. and frequent flyovers are all part of The Aero Club Short Course, a new par 3 golf facility in Myrtle Beach.
It opened Friday on U.S. 17 Business near Myrtle Beach International Airport on the site of the former Midway Par 3, which closed in 2017.
Music plays from speakers on light poles throughout the course. The tunes will generally be set to 70s and 80s rock, but can be adjusted according to the preference of customers, particularly for special events. “We’ll cater to the crowd,” general manager Keith Stanzel said.
The course is lighted and was open until 10 p.m. this past weekend, but the lighting is being worked on this week and the hours are 9 a.m. to sunset until the lights are operational, when hours will be adjusted.
The Aero Club is being operated by Atlantic Golf Management through a lease agreement with Horry County and the airport. The company also runs nearby Whispering Pines Golf Club through an agreement with the city of Myrtle Beach.
Planes routinely fly overhead -- both larger commercial passenger planes and smaller private aircraft.
Craft beer is available, and If you buy a six pack you get a free cooler. The porch has rocking chairs, and a beach sand lounge area includes two tables with umbrellas.
“We’re just trying to make it a fun atmosphere that people want to come hang at,” Stanzel said. “I feel like this is a bowling alley disguised as a golf course. You can have birthday parties, leagues, it’s just a fun entertainment place.”
Holes range in distance from 58 to 95 yards, and players must walk. “The average round is about an hour and a half,” Stanzel said. “For those golfers who say they don’t have enough time to play golf, we think we have an answer for that.”
The new elevated greens feature Sunday Bermudagrass, which is the putting surface at both Myrtlewood Golf Club and Rivers Edge Golf Club in the Myrtle Beach market, and more than 50 dump truck loads of dirt and material were delivered to build tee boxes.
“We feel we have a par-3 with championship golf conditions,” Stanzel said.
A walking bridge connects the property to the Holiday Inn Club Vacations South Beach Resort.
The course will cater to active and retired military. Green fees are $29 for 18 holes and $21 for active or retired military, and $17/$10 for nine holes, and local discounts are offered. The price includes use of rental clubs.
Call the course at 843-444-5442 for information.
This story was originally published October 6, 2020 at 1:58 AM.
