TheSunNews.com: Myrtle Beach Golf

Local Golf Course Spotlight | King's North Course at Myrtle Beach National

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:13 EST

Holes 18

Opened 1973

Architects Frank Duane, Arnold Palmer

New to the Market

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:13 EST

ECCO debuts hybrid golf shoe

Danish shoemaker ECCO announces the arrival of its men's Golf Street Premier shoe, a versatile, trend-setting hybrid sport-casual golf shoe designed specifically for wear both on and off the course. Golf Street Premier is in tune with modern men's fashion. It comes in base colors of moonless black and concrete white with funky color pops of cactus green, fanta orange and chili red, in addition to metal-rivet accents. The shoe combines style and function with full-grain distressed leather uppers, a sleek PU midsole and pre-molded traction bars that are extremely durable.

ECCO says the shoe is made using a proprietary direct-injection process that creates a one-piece construction that won't break down over time.

Godwin gets best of friends a Mayor's Cup

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:46 EST

Jeannette Godwin of Pawleys Island knew who and what she was up against this past weekend in the fourth annual Mayor's Cup women's tournament at Whispering Pines Golf Club.

The favorites in the 92-player tournament were all her friends, including two-time defending Mayor's Cup champion Cecelia Barksdale of Murrells Inlet, and Dianne Belair and Karen Zeip of Myrtle Beach. They regularly play together at their home courses.

Godwin will have bragging rights for the next year after shooting a 9-over-par 81 in the final round to claim a two-shot victory over Barksdale with a 31-over 248 total.

Truett, Foster win title at Wachesaw

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:00 EST

Sammy Truett of Surfside Beach and Linwood Foster of Pawleys Island won the inaugural Wachesaw Four-Ball Invitational mid-amateur at Wachesaw Plantation by five strokes with a 15-under-par 201.

Terry Ball and Warren Glover of Murrells Inlet were second in the mid-amateur, which was open to players 25 and older. Both of the top two teams shot 70 in Sunday's final round on the 6,853-yard par-72 layout.

Craig Coleman and John Lavin of Myrtle Beach were third at 213, Benton Montgomery of Murrells Inlet and Jim Eskew of Charleston were fourth at 215, and Michael Trunzo of Niskayuna, N.Y., and partner Keith Gillespie of Scotia, N.Y., were fifth at 217.

Golf column: Strong fall has CCU teams looking forward to spring

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:14 EDT

The Coastal Carolina University men's and women's golf teams have reason for optimism next spring considering record-setting performances and impressive individual accomplishments in the fall season, which has concluded for both after four events each.

The CCU women got a team win and individual win by senior Aruka Felgueroso, and set both 18- and 36-hole team scoring records.

The men also earned a team win, had a pair of individual titles from seniors Sam Lyons and Dan Obremski, and set a team 54-hole scoring record.

Ask for a Ruling with Cory Armstrong

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:15 EDT

Q | Last week you showed us our options on what to do if we play a ball from inside a water hazard and fail to get it out. What should we do if we hit the ball out of bounds?

- Lucas (Myrtle Beach)

A | Lucas, this can also be a confusing situation for many golfers. Rule 26-2b Ball Played within Water Hazard; Ball Lost or Unplayable Outside Hazard or Out of Bounds gives us our options.

Mayor's Cup women's tournament nearly doubles participation

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:20 EDT

The fourth annual Mayor's Cup women's tournament at Whispering Pines Golf Club has nearly doubled its participation from last year.

The 54-hole tournament begins today with 92 players, up from a previous tournament high of 48 in 2008. "[The players] told me last year they were going to get more people, and they came through with what they said they would do," said tournament director Alan Chasteen. "It's going to be a great tournament for them."

The event has an Open division that is expected to play the 5,497-yard gold tees, and Senior and Super Senior divisions scheduled to play from the 5,176-yard red tees. Tee times are 8:30 a.m. through 10:06 a.m. today through Sunday off the first and 10th tees.

Local golf course spotlight

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:42 EDT

Meadowlands Golf Club

Opened | 1997

Architect | Willard Byrd

New golf products to the market

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:43 EDT

Nike Golf's Crush ball

Nike Golf has designed a new golf ball that the company says provides distance and precision. The Crush ball combines a softer compression core, optimized cover design and new DMC coating to reduce unwanted side-spin and maximize ball velocity for straighter, longer distance. The larger and softer, high energy core delivers high velocity and feel. The Directional Micro-Composite coating (DMC) is the first of its kind: a smart coating that is designed to lower spin for driver shots that would normally slice or hook.

The mid-tier price is optimized for driver head speeds of 80 to 95 mph with a compression of 63, and the newly designed thin, two-piece ionomer blend cover is designed to enhance greenside feel and playability while increasing ball speed and maximizing distance off the tee. The ball features a 312-dimple design that produces lift for longer carry and consistent ball flight. The ball becomes available Nov. 1 with a suggested retail price of $30.

Founder of local golf store dies at 78

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:27 EDT

Golf Dimensions, one of the two golf retail giants founded on the Grand Strand, has lost its patriarch.

Robert Smith Sr., co-founder, co-owner and Chairman of the Board of Golf Dimensions, died Sunday night at 78. He had been battling Pulmonary Fibrosis for three years that required constant oxygen assistance.

The first 6,300-square-foot Golf Dimensions store opened in Atlantic Beach in 1989, and the two current Grand Strand locations have a combined 75,000 square feet of merchandise. Smith's son, Bobby, is the company's president.

Golf tip with Brad Redding

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:27 EDT

TIP OF THE WEEK

Essentials in Putting
In studying the best putters through the history of golf I have found that they all have some common denominators. I call these the Essentials In Putting.

1. Eyes are over the ball or slightly inside the ball. Never outside the ball.

Cyndi Evans Graham: Local golf tour offers unique opportunity for juniors

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:33 EDT

I spent another great Sunday afternoon watching a golf tournament at Black Bear in Longs. It was a beautiful day and a proud day for me as a large group of my junior players were competing. There were three girls in the 18-hole division and only two girls in the modified division.

Pendleton Bogache and Lia Farrar are two of my students and I was equally proud of both of these young women. Pendleton has a bit more playing experience than Lia, but both were out there doing their very best. Lia and I had a great lesson on Saturday and with that, she hit some very good shots during the tournament. The entire Farrar family plays golf and giving Lia the skills she needs to enjoy the game for her lifetime is my major goal. With more experience and confidence, she will become more tournament savvy. Right now, I want her to enjoy the game.

I would love to see more girls and boys from our area participate in this organization. The National Junior Golf Tour (NJGT) was started in 1999 and now has nearly 1,000 members. Many of the tournaments offer state rankings for players 14 and older (25 players needed in that age group) and two-day events can also earn rankings on National Junior Scoreboard. All these links are on the NJGT Web site: nationaljuniorgolftour.com.

Bluffton leads state Class AAA golf tourney

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:33 EDT

McKenzie Talbert of Strom Thurmond shot a 4-under-par 68 Monday and is the leading individual at the Class AAA S.C. High School Girls Golf Championship, while Bluffton has the team lead after a balanced first-round effort.

North Myrtle Beach senior Tara Lyons is 14th after shooting an 80 at Quail Creek Golf Club at Coastal Carolina, Mallory Thompkins of Georgetown is tied for 30th at 86, and the host NMB Chiefs are last among the 13 schools fielding at least four-person teams.

Talbert leads Seneca's Austin Ernst by a shot and third-place Chelsey Couch of Ware Shoals by four. Bluffton received four scores between 77 and 82, led by Kendra Collins' 77, and leads both Strom Thurmond and Riverside by six strokes each at 30-over 318.

How area touring pros fared

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:33 EDT

Katie Allison
Residence | Little River

Tour | Duramed Futures Tour

Last event | Tied for 20th at the Duramed Championship

North Myrtle Beach golfer Tara Lyons doesn't rest on laurels

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:13 EDT

Five continuous hours of practice, regardless of the activity, sure sounds monotonous and inane.

Yet to hear Tara Lyons explain it, the toiling seems reasonable, maybe even enjoyable.

It all has to do with an iPod and goals.

Every's first Nationwide Tour win a doozy

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:11 EDT

The $180,000 first-place check was nice.

But that wasn't the most coveted reward for Matt Every's victory Sunday in the $1 million Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island Club's Ralston Creek Course.

Every's first professional victory in the season-ending event catapulted the former Florida Gator from 49th on the Nationwide 2009 money list to 10th, making him one of 25 players to graduate to the 2010 PGA Tour based on earnings.

Gillis delivering under pressure

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:05 EDT

Tom Gillis knows desperation.

He's lived it in his career and on the golf course for many years since leaving Coastal Carolina University in 1990.

He may never experience that distress in the game again.

Byrd, Pope advance at Q-School; Lundy exits

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:10 EDT

Two area golfers secured spots in the second round of the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament on Saturday.

Murrells Inlet's Zack Byrd shot a 1-under 71 in the final round of the first phase of Q-School to finish eighth with a four-round total of 9-under 279 at St. Johns Golf & C.C. in St. Augustine, Fla., where the top 22 scores advanced to the second of three stages. Jeremy Pope of Pawleys Island shot 1-over 73 to finish tied for 18th and advance after a 5-under-283 total at PGA Golf Club's Wanamaker Course in Port St. Lucie, Fla., where the top 22 advanced.

Meanwhile, Little River's Patrick Lundy failed to advance. Lundy shot 2-under 70 on Saturday to finish tied for 39th (5-over 293) at Auburn Golf Club in Alabama, where the top 21 and ties advanced from one of 13 first-stage sites.

Golf column: Premier Resorts' exit leaves many out in cold

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:03 EDT

Golf course owners and management companies up and down the Grand Strand are among the individuals and businesses that have been left out in the cold by Premier Resorts' abrupt exit from the area.

The company, which managed several entities out of its Barefoot Resort offices, including rental properties, a conference center and golf package business, locked the office doors and laid off all of its employees on Oct. 13.

Though it's difficult to calculate a total with so many courses involved, the more than 90 public golf courses stretching from Georgetown to Southport, N.C., are easily owed at least hundreds of thousands of dollars collectively for unpaid golf rounds booked through packages.

Byrd, Pope keeping pace at PGA Q-School

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:52 EDT

Three area golfers are through three rounds in the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament.

Zack Byrd of Murrells Inlet is tied for seventh with a 8-under par 68-72-68208 at St. Johns Golf & C.C. in St. Augustine, Fla., where the top 22 scores and ties advance to the second of three Q-School stages.

Jermey Pope of Pawleys Island is tied for 12th with a 6-under 66-73-71210 at PGA Golf Club's Wanamaker Course in Port St. Lucie, Fla., where the top 22 and ties advance.