Myrtle Beach & Santee Road trip

[faldo]

Hey all. Here's a recap of my 10 days golfing in the Carolinas.

We had 16 guys for the week of Nov. 25th to Dec. 3rd, but the deal at SANTEE S.C. was impossible for 4 of us to pass up! Four rounds/carts/hotel/buffet brekkies for $160US..... Basically what an overnight golf stay at Calabogie costs..It's about 90 minutes inland from the Myrtle area.

It's a 15 hour drive for our van with 4 drivers sharing/sleeping & just stopping for gas. Hit some big rains from Virginia on down so figured our first day was a wash. Yep, no go but the course said we could come back the next two afternoons to get in our round or take a $25 credit for the pro-shop. GOLF Please..

Quality Inn was fine with an excellent buffet each morning. 75% of the guests were from Ontario! We had the putting green outside our door with the hot tub right behind it. They had an awesome Thanksgiving Buffet.

Three very fine courses in mint condition & one weak one (Foxboro). All four encouraged us to bring our own beverages. Lots of elevation changes with very, very fast greens.

The 1/2 hour trip to Foxboro was interesting as we passed a stretch of 5 pick-ups spread out over the big long side-road. A bunch of local lads trying to hide their shotguns behind their backs. Three of the pickups had granpa in a rocker with a shotgun across the lap. Sure glad the guys/dogs driving the deer didn't arrive at the same time as us. Very surreal!!

We found a back road way to Myrtle Beach with lots of local culture. Cotton fields everywhere. We counted 47 Churches in 90 minutes. Almost all were Baptist, even two at the same intersection!!! Definitely this is the Bible-Belt.

The first thing we saw in the South end of MB was a DICK'S Sporting Goods. We bumped into another bunch of our main gang so they all made it down OK.

It was the start of the Massive Thanksgiving 4-Day Weekend Shopping which is much bigger than our Boxing Week. Also, they introduced a State-wide no-tax bonus for the 24th & 25th. (On everything!) Found Nike balls, reg $25/doz on for $18 for Two Doz. All 6 kinds of Ben Hogan Bettinardi Putters went from $249 to $49. They had all their Maxfli Woods reduced from $299 to $199. That was OK but it was Buy-One-Get-Two-Free . We talked the guy into 5 of them so we all got a new 460CC for $65. Was good advertising as the rest bought another 11 during the week.

Ok, new balls/putter/driver...Am I ready or what??

Caravelle Hotel right on the Ocean with a tasty buffet each morning. The Hot-Tub seated 30 big golfers. One night we'all soaked with a NC couple who were visiting for some dirt racing. She had the most amazing chest I've ever seen. The 10 of us on top of her would not have submerged her. They were so happy that their son's 14 year old girlfriend had just run in her first car race. They were even more proud that he had run his girlfriend off the track so she wouldn't win her first race. Very interesting soak we had that night.......

Most of the course are within 30 minutes. We had splurged on a $40 Surcharge to play the TPC at MB course where the PGA Seniors have a regular stop. SIGH...imagine playing the greens at Champlain in April. Just Frigging horrible.

On the other end of the scale, the guys at Possum Trot were so apologetic because they were aerating 4 greens. They promised a discount & when we checked out everybody had a $13 refund waiting for them. Impressive!

Wal-mart had their 24 packs of Bud Premium on for $8.95. Cans too! Almost enough to get me thru the week. Each course had a cooler with ice on the side of all the carts. Nice touch. Most places only wanted $2.00 for beers anyway but the cart girls were "not" attractive.

Our top two courses were Shaftesbury Glen (18 elevated greens with 160 ugly bunkers) & Carolina National (Couples design that plays thru protected marshlands). Possum Trot, Lion's Paw, Arcadian Shores & Heather Glen rounded out our visit. TEN more Logo Balls.

Every Thursday the hotel owners host a thank-you party for all the guests at a big club. Free food & open bar from 6-9.30. All the wings, egg-rolls, BBQ Pork sandwiches, cheese & veggies you could eat. The Miller Lite Honies were hosting........YUUMMM. Seven of us went & 5 won prizes. I won the putting contest ($75 pair of Footjoys) & Guy won the chipping contest (Nike Wedge).

After the first day, we had low 70's sunny weather for 9 days. Shorts all the way. Even the locals were surprised by the weather.

If you've never been GO, GO, GO

[big mac]

Well it sure beat the hell out of what we had here---glad you went.

[EDSGOLF]

Thanks for the trip report Faldo.

[Weirfan]

great sounding trip

how was the Carravelle? we stayed there not last may but the previous and it was run down, but starting renos

will have to look into Santee ,,,what a bargain

[Colby]

That's a shame about TPC, it's usually in great shape. And I remember the big hot tub at the Carravelle. I was sitting with two Hooters stewardesses last November, mmmmm

[EDSGOLF]

And I remember the big hot tub at the Carravelle. I was sitting with two Hooters stewardesses last November, mmmmm

Ok.......so lets see the pics

[Colby]

No pictures. What happens on the road, stays on the road...

[EDSGOLF]

No pictures. What happens on the road, stays on the road...

Gotcha.......this post will self-destruct in 5 seconds

[faldo]

great sounding trip

how was the Carravelle? we stayed there not last may but the previous and it was run down, but starting renos

will have to look into Santee ,,,what a bargain

########

Renovations were still going on in a couple of their 4 (5?) buildings. One of our 4 elevators was being replaced around us with the others due soon.
They are selling some units into time-shares after tune-ups, then renting them out so may be an occasional surcharge on a few of the nicer ones.

We meet two different couples form Ontario while "tubbing". They (unaware of each other) rented a suite (2-bedroom with kitchen) for the whole month of Nov.!! One was ocean front for $800, and $600 for non-ocean front. Allowed 6 in the room at any time so they both had relatives coming down to visit. Included weekly maid-service.
Neither couple golfed which surprised us big time!! One was in their 12th year in the same suite.

Quite the deal, if you ask me....

[Colby]

Faldo,

At TPC, it was just a few greens, including 16 which was almost gone, that were bad, correct?

[faldo]

Sorry nope. I don't remember even one that wasn't at least 1/3 crapped out. Some had huge areas with turf down that was sortof getting growing.

Not a bad layout but only one memory is going to stay. And I even had 13 pars!!!

[EDSGOLF]

TPC had some serious green issues last September and had to close their course a couple of weeks to do some repairs and appears there are still having issues.

[Colby]

That's a shame. A guy I know who played it Rememberance Day week said it was only a few greens. When I played it a couple of years ago, it was in tremendous shape. It's a shame, because the service we got there was second to none.

[ClubFoot]

Great trip report!!!

It is too bad about TPC.
Hopefully the TPC greens will be back up to their usual outstanding condition by this March when we play it on our annual journey to MB.