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The eagle is gone from Eagle Nest.
Evicted from his home overlooking the eighth fairway
in 1989 by an overbearing bag of wind named Hurricane
Hugo. But although the great bird is gone, the pursuit
of birdies goes on at this exceedingly popular North
Myrtle Beach course. Eagle Nest provides all the beauty
you would expect at a South Carolina resort course.
Gently rolling terrain. Tall pines lining the fairways.
Cypress trees growing in ponds; willow trees gracing
their banks. But the real beauty lies in the way architect
Gene Hamm set up the course. Hamm starts you off easy,
giving you a virtually straight-away par five, handicap
14, stretching 492 yards from the whites. Then follows
that with a delightful little 332 yard par four, dogleg
right, handicap 16. By then you ought to be warmed
up. And by the time you make your way around the ponds
and pines through the next thirteen holes, you'll
be ready for Hamm's big finale, the three toughest
finishing holes on the Grand Strand. Individually,
they're known by locals as Tough, Almost As Tough,
and Lord Help Me Over The Water. The 16th, the number
one handicap hole, is a 416 yard par four that gives
you a choice. You can hit your second shot into the
water that cuts into the fairway from the left. Or
you can avoid the pond and fly it OB on the right.
Dress Code: No tank tops or cutoffs
Metal Spikes: Allowed
Earliest Tee Time: 7:00 AM
Greens: Bermuda Grass
Fairways: Bermuda Grass
Number of Sand Bunkers: 37
Water Hazards in Play: Yes
Greens Aerated: Varies
Overseeding Schedule: September/Open
Walking the Course: Allowed
Driving Range: Yes, Hitting balls from grass
Additional Facilities: Putting Green
Food Availability: Snack bar only
Bar: Bar with beer and wine
Year Built: 1972
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Or you can thread the
needle to the well guarded, undulating green. The 17th,
the number three handicap, is an ever so gentle double
dogleg that stretches a mere 576 yards. And unless your
name is Daly or Godzilla, you'll be laying up short
of the pond, and pitching to an elevated green. Don't
be short on that shot, though.....trap. Don't be long
either.....trees. The 18th, is only 164 yards, and only
a handicap seven. And if only you can get over the water
that starts just below the elevated tee, and ends just
below the elevated green, you'll do alright. Oh yes,
watch out for the four traps that guard the green. Eagle
Nest is a fun course, with just the right mixture of
easy and hard holes to make your round interesting and
entertaining. It would be even more entertaining if
the eagle were still there. But who knows, if you're
lucky you might find an eagle of your own at that 576
yard 17th. And wouldn't that be something to write home
about? |
