Sunday, Dec. 07, 2008

Rivers Edge Golf Club: Tantalizingly beautiful

Layouts' views attractive but hazards abound

SHALLOTTE, N.C.The name tells only part of the story.

Sure, Rivers Edge Golf Club butts up against the Shallotte River, and that creates some of the beauty and difficulty of the 6,909-yard Arnold Palmer layout.

But the river combines with creeks, lakes, marsh, wetlands, live oaks and other hardwoods, long wooden bridges over expanses of water, elevation changes and dramatic bunkering to establish aesthetics rivaled by few courses.

"The views set it apart," said Tony Parrish, a pro golfer and golf shop owner from North Myrtle Beach who took part in a review of the course in late October. "I can only think of a couple other courses on the Grand Strand that have marsh views that can compare."

Joining me and Tony in the review foursome were Bobby Peterson of Newton Grove, N.C., a 10 handicap and former long drive competitor who now owns Sprint telecommunications stores and a chicken farm, and Ben Onley of Pawleys Island, a retired high school teacher and coach who carries a 9 handicap. "It's worth the trip," Ben said.

The nearly 10-year-old course features diverse par-4s, a few unique par-5s and three par-3s with shots over wetlands, including one uphill and one significantly downhill. "Some courses, the holes are all similar. They're all flat or straight," Bobby said. "There are a lot of interesting holes out here, especially the par-5s."

Marsh and water lurk on one side or the other of many fairways and greens, and sparse tree lines on most holes allow wind off the marsh to be a factor.

Some sort of hazard comes into play on every fairway. The design generally takes away a portion of each fairway, especially off the tee, and on some holes it is difficult to determine ideal landing areas.

"Every hole has something in the fairway, which makes it difficult for the average golfer," Ben said. "It makes you think about every shot. A yardage book is important here and the [available] GPS is helpful for the first time on the course. Some people play Caveman Golf where you step up and whack it. You can't do that here. This requires excellent course management."

For good players, the perpetual presence of hazards keeps it interesting. "I love playing this course any time," Tony said. "Every golf hole is demanding on my game and keeps me in focus."

Parrish said the course plays short from the tips when it's dry in the summer, but it can be difficult any time of year if the wind is blowing.

Rough is not overseeded this winter and the course was generally in good shape, though greens containing mild undulations were inconsistent, as they often are along salt marshes because of the presence of salt in the air and struggles with water quality. "The overall condition of the course is pretty good," Tony said, "with the exception of the greens, which aren't bad but aren't what we're used to."

Likes

The entire group enjoyed the availability of a hand-held GPS system for an affordable $5. On a day that was cart path-only for seven holes, it allowed us to take the device with us to attain yardage to greens, landing areas and hazards.

"These are better than the ones on carts because if you have cart path-only you can take it out to the ball, so that's an advantage," Bobby said.

Bobby also appreciated the friendliness of the staff and demands of the course, considering he used every club in his bag. Tony also enjoyed spacious Yamaha carts that have more room and a longer roof than most carts, and also have a center console with several holes for drinks and other possessions.

Dislikes

Bobby and Tony believe the greens should be in better shape. "I'm not crazy about the greens at this time," Tony said. "I found it hard to make the short putts you need to keep a round going."

Ben wasn't fond of some tight fairway landing areas and small near-island greens, and didn't really have a senior tee to play considering the white tees measure more than 6,000 yards and the green and blue are geared for women at about 5,300 and 4,700 yards. Ben played the white. "I didn't play the blue tees because they were too short," Ben said. "The [senior tee] should be 5,800 yards or so."

Par-3s

The par-3s measure between 143 and 200 yards from the tips. "It's a good mix of long and short par-3s," Tony said. "I used four different clubs."

The 134-yard fifth has a downhill tee shot to a green fronted by bulkheaded marsh and shaped in the back by tall pines. The 200-yard eighth is slightly downhill with the river as a backdrop to the green protected by a long, fingered bunker front left.

The 178-yard 12th requires an uphill tee shot that crosses a thin area of marsh to the green most protected by bunkers on the course. There are a total of six bunkers to the left, front and back right of the putting surface.

The 200-yard 15th measures 190 from the black tee and 165 from the white with a full carry over marsh to the green. Ben thought the par-3s were short from the white tees, measuring between 118 and 165 yards.

Par-4s

The par-4s are challenging because of ever-present hazards, but they're fair, and hole lengths and routing encourage fairway woods or irons off at least a couple tees.

The 425-yard first hole features trouble left, a plethora of bunkers throughout the hole and a creek crossing the fairway 100 yards from the green. The 410-yard second is uphill until it slopes down from the 150-yard marker to a green protected front and left by water.

The 390-yard fifth has a green perched above wetlands to its front left, the 460-yard sixth has water on the right at the back of the landing area and a large bunker guarding the front left of the green, and the 440-yard, dogleg-right seventh has a long bunker lining wetlands on the right side of the fairway beginning 150 yards from the green.

The 331-yard 14th is only 275 from the white but narrow, the 412-yard 16th turns left and has a bunker in the middle of the fairway and marsh down the entire right side, and the 390-yard 18th turns left around marsh and features a downhill approach to a well-bunkered green.

Par-5s

"All the par-5s are great out here," Tony said. "They're not your typical par-5s. They're fun, that's what I like about them, and there's a lot of risk-reward."

The 550-yard third hole measures 510 from the white tee, with wetlands on the left reachable for many off the tee and trees a little farther up the fairway on the right partially blocking second shots from the right side. The second shot can set up a wedge from the left or cross marsh to the green. "This is a quirky little par-5," Tony said. "There isn't much room to land your drive."

The 570-yard ninth hole is the most talked about on the course. A big drive sets up a shot of 195 yards or more across marsh to a narrow bulkheaded peninsula green that angles to the left into the marsh. The green is 48 yards wide but shallow from the angle across the marsh, and is difficult to hit even if you lay up to a thin and rolling fairway to the right of the green.

The 530-yard 11th is 490 from the white and has a waste bunker down the left side of the fairway until it reaches marsh. The green angles to the left and is tucked behind the marsh, and is largely hidden on second shots by high vegetation. A large bunker about 60 yards from the green collects bailout shots.

The 490-yard 17th measures 440 from the white and turns right around marsh that cuts across the fairway 70 yards from the green. Daring drives can set up an iron second-shot approach, but an oak tree protects pins on the right side of the green.

Favorite holes

Ben enjoyed the short par-4 10th hole - measuring 328 yards from the white tee with a fairway that slopes down to a creek and a green that rises above it - because of the strategy it allows, and the par-5 17th for its risk-reward possibilities.

Bobby also liked the 17th. "I would have loved it to be the finishing hole because I think a par-5 adds drama to the final hole," Bobby said. "I like the risk-reward that the hole offers."

Tony's favorite hole was the ninth. He said he can usually get close enough to the marsh on the drive to reach the green with a long iron, though he won't go at a pin to the narrow front right side. "I love the idea of trying to knock the ball on that small green and making birdie or eagle," Tony said. "I don't think it's unfair. It's challenging."

Least favorite holes

Ben's least favorite hole was the par-5 ninth. "It doesn't give you an easy shot into the green from anywhere," he said. "It's too narrow from the layup area."

The least favorite hole of both Tony and Bobby was the 143-yard, par-3 fifth, playing downhill over marsh. The maintenance staff has struggled with that green for several years, which is predominantly why they're down on the hole. "The hole was not exciting and the green was in bad shape," Bobby said.

ONLINE: To view Blondin's blog, 'Green Reading', or Q&A Forum, 'Ask Al,' go to MyrtleBeachOnline.com.

TO PARTICIPATE

To take part in a future course review, e-mail ablondin@thesunnews.com with a name, phone number, handicap and estimate on which tee you would play.