Tuesday, Jan. 06, 2009

Dream 18: A look back at the best Myrtle Beach area golf masterpiece

The created gem known as the Dream 18 plays to a par of 73 and a length of 7,151 yards from the back tees, and includes a variety of design styles from many of the top golf course architects in the country.

The masterpiece contains some of the best design features from Robert Trent Jones, Pete Dye, P.B. Dye, Tom Fazio, Dan Maples, Mike Strantz, Arnold Palmer, George Cobb, Roger Rulewich and Ken Tomlinson.

It was chosen by a panel assembled by The Sun News to choose the best 18 holes on more than 100 public, private and semi-private courses stretching the coastline from Georgetown to Southport, N.C.

The panel is comprised of 22 men and women who are current or former touring pros, club pros, teaching pros, superintendents, college players, competing amateurs, golf writers, course owners, golf packagers, avid golfers, and golf organization and tour administrators. All panel members have played most if not all of the courses in the area.

Each panelist submitted a private ballot with their favorite 18 holes in order. The first nine holes each received two votes, while the second nine received one vote apiece. Panelists were required to select six par-3s, six par-4s and six par-5s. As it turned out, nine votes were needed to make the Dream 18. Only The Dunes Golf and Beach Club and Tidewater Golf and Plantation _ with three each _ had more than one hole on the Dream 18 scorecard. Twelve other courses were represented.

The fact that 162 holes on 59 courses received votes reflects the varying tastes of the panelists. New and old design styles received similar recognition, as 10 holes on the scorecard were designed before 1990 and eight in 1990 or after, and holes opened as early as 1948 and as recently as 2001. The par-3 17th hole at Glen Dornoch Waterway Links came within one vote of making the Dream 18. Holes within two votes were the par-3 11th at Caledonia Golf & Fish Club and third hole at True Blue Plantation, the par-4 16th at Glen Dornoch and 18th at True Blue, and the par-5 18th hole at the TPC of Myrtle Beach.

Those within three included the par-3 ninth hole at The Dunes Club and 17th at Oyster Bay, the par-4 16th at the Legends Moorland course and 10th at Long Bay Club, and the par-5 17th at Prestwick Country Club and 13th at Tidewater.

Prestwick showed its balance with nine holes receiving votes, and eight holes at The Dunes Club were named.

Six holes received votes at Caledonia, True Blue, Oyster Bay, the Surf Golf and Beach Club, Tidewater and the TPC, and five holes received votes at Pawleys Plantation, Glen Dornoch and Wachesaw Plantation.

Barefoot Resort was the facility that fared the best. Eighteen holes at Barefoot’s four courses received votes, led by an impressive nine at the Dye Club. Accessibility isn't necessarily a strength of the created layout. Three holes are on private courses DeBordieu Colony, Wachesaw Plantation and the Surf Club, and three are on the semi-private Dunes Club.

The Dunes Club's famed par-5 13th hole known as ``Waterloo'' received the most votes with 29, followed by Tidewater's devilish and beautiful par-3 third hole with 24.

The Sun News last orchestrated the selection of a Dream 18 in 2004. Since then, 22 courses have closed and four have opened. There are five different holes on the new Dream 18 compared to the 2004 version.