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Golf Link Travel: DEG: Myrtle Beach - Wild Wing's Avocet

Avocet, Wild Wing's Signature Layout
Also: Staybridge Suites

Myrtle Beach regulars more times than not will include Wild Wing Plantation in their list of favorite destinations, and for good reason. There are four good courses at the plantation, making Wild Wing a definite plus when it comes to outings. Also, for the amount of play these courses get, and it is tremendous, course conditions are pretty good to very good, a tribute to the owners, Hyakumata & Co., Ltd. Based in Osaka, Japan.

The double green at Avocet
serves the 11th and 17th holes

Avocet, designed by Larry Nelson and Jeff Brauer, is generally considered to be Wild Wing’s signature layout. At 7115 yards from the back, it is also Wild Wing’s longest and hardest track.

A good front nine that includes the straight-away 460-yard 2nd with a second-shot carry over a wetland and a terrific par 5 3rd requiring a tee shot to a landing area in a narrow chute defined by trees on both sides, is followed by a back 9 with some spectacular holes. The rolling wooded terrain, high mounds and the design of some of the holes on the back reminded me of Osprey Ridge, Tom Fazio’s magnificent Disney course in Orlando.

The 13th starts a terrific stretch of holes that doesn’t finish until #18. At a little over 400 yards from the tips, 13 is a slight dogleg right with bunkers right and a lake guarding the narrow landing area. The elevated green is well bunkered and is backed by Mt. Nelson, an absolutely immense mound that is so far back it doesn’t come into play. Perhaps, the designers had in mind a stadium course. The 14th is one of those teaser short par 4’s. At 300+ yards, it is drivable but you must negotiate a lake and a huge bunker that splits the fairway in two. The northern route requires a direct carry over the lake but the landing area between the bunker left and wetlands right is extremely tight. However, a safe drive there leaves you with a much shorter approach into this elevated green which is visible from the left. The route left of the bunker is safer, but you are left with a blind approach because of the high mound of the bunker. It’s a fabulous hole and really difficult.

The double dogleg 15th is as tricky as it is beautiful. The landing area is wide but is guarded left by a another huge fairway bunker. The best position off the tee is to the right side but the risk is to wind up in the environmental area. The landing area for the second shot is very narrow but if you safely navigate that, you have a short iron into a scenic, elevated and sloped green surrounded at some distance by woods.

After the very long par 4 16th, you have a terrific par 3 at the 17th. It starts from a quite elevated tee box and a long iron or wood must carry a wide wetland to the right half of a double green (shared with the 11th). The tee shot at the magnificent 18th must carry over a lake to a landing area that looks a lot tighter from the tee box than it is. Trees line this beauty all the way to the slightly elevated green that has a pronounced slope from back to front.

For its scenic surroundings (there are virtually no houses, at least at the moment), its variety of interesting holes and for the quality of golfing experience you get at service-conscious Wild Wing, Avocet gets a thumbs up. Before making your tee time, you should ask if there are a lot of outings on the day you want to play. Also, it always pays to ask if the greens are being aerated.

Wild Wing is located off 501 about 10 miles west of the Intracoastal Waterway. For tee times, call 800-736-9464.

Convenient to courses west of the
Waterway, Staybridge Suites offers
guests high speed Internet access.

Staybridge Suites

With so many good courses along the 501 corridor in Myrtle Beach, you may want to consider staying at Staybridge Suites, one of a new chain of hotels by Holiday Inn focusing on business travelers or any who are packing a laptop in addition to vacation gear. Located just around the corner from the older Holiday Inn West and within an easy walk, or short drive, to the popular Waccamaw Factory Shoppes, Staybridge Suites offers studio, one- and two-bedroom accommodations, all wired for high speed Internet access -- there's a small extra charge per stay if needed -- and variable stay rates. A business center with computer terminal access is also available, and this service is free. This is not a "high end" hotel, but the accent here is on comfort and convenience. A pool and Jacuzzi are right out the back door, and complimentary breakfast beginning at 6:30 a.m. allows you to eat well before an early tee time -- a welcome amenity. The hotel, the first Staybridge Suites in South Carolina and the only all-suite hotel in Myrtle Beach currently offering in-suite Internet connectivity (as of summer 2000), is located one minute’s drive west just after the waterway bridge. For reservations, call 800-238-8000.

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Alan B. Nichols is a professional golf-travel writer residing in Bethesda, MD.
He is the featured golf-travel writer for GolfLink. Alan appreciates your
comments on his features and the courses he has written about.
E-MAIL ALAN NICHOLS

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