Golf World Magazine Honors Local Golf Resorts

The readers of Golf World Magazine have chosen the 50 best public, private and resort facilities in the country for 2009. Three Myrtle Beach area courses – Shaftesbury Glen, Pawleys Plantation, and Sea Trail – were selected as part of the “Resort” list. These local courses share list with other resort courses like Pebble Beach, Pinehurst, Harbour Town, Innisbrook, and Doral. There is a condensed version of the list at the end of this article, and you can read Golf World’s entire article here.

According to Ryan Herrington, the article’s author,

“Golf World spent nearly six months gathering data on golf establishments throughout the country, evaluating them across multiple criteria to identify the nation's premier facilities. When all was said and done, we received more than 21,000 individual golf course ratings and more than 252,000 criteria evaluations.”

This is more than just another ranking of golf courses. The Readers' Choice Awards considers the quality of the golf, but also considers more of the overall “golf experience.” Some of the criteria evaluated were the quality and condition of the course, the clubhouse, the speed of play, the service, and, for resort courses, the lodging accommodations. Both Sea Trail and Pawleys Plantation offer on-site condominium rentals, while Shaftesbury Glen features five luxurious suites right on the top floor of the golf course clubhouse.

Golf World plans to make the Readers' Choice Awards an annual event.

The Striking Viking Ewa Mataya Laurance

Since her early teens, Ewa Mataya Laurance has been relentlessly pursuing the act of hitting a ball with a stick. First in billiards, and now in golf, that pursuit has brought the woman known around the world as “The Striking Viking” from a small town in Sweden to Myrtle Beach, and a life that for her, becomes more perfect with every passing day. For more than two decades, much has been written about the Hall of Fame billiards career of Ewa Mataya Laurance, a career that started in the city of Gavle, about 2 hours north of Stockholm, on a day when then 14 year-old Ewa Svensson followed her older brother Mats into a poolroom. Always a good athlete, she had excelled in soccer, basketball and skiing, but after a second trip to the poolroom, a different game grabbed her heart. “All other sports paled by comparison,” she once told the Swedish Scanorama Magazine, adding that she was “fascinated by the mystique surrounding the game, and the silent intensity with which players tried to solve the layout of the rack.” With a new focus, she dreamt big dreams, of becoming the best in the world at billiards. Though her family was supportive, many others laughed at the idea of a small-town female player, in a man’s game, who thought she could compete on the world stage. Those who did could not have known the fire that lived inside the schoolgirl who did her homework between racks for hours on end.

The combination of world-class talent and relentless work started to pay off quickly, and Ewa’s goal began looking like a real possibility when she won the Swedish National 9-Ball title at 16 and the European 9-Ball Championship the following year. That victory brought with it a chance to compete at the prestigious World 9-Ball Championship in New York, and in accepting that invitation, at 17 years of age, Ewa’s world would change forever.

A move to Lansing, Michigan, a short-lived first marriage to pool pro Jim Mataya, a daughter Nikki, all within a few years of moving to the States. The difficult work of pursuing her passion in an intensely competitive sport, rigorous hours of practice and long spells of life on the road, all while trying to single-handedly raise a daughter, in a sport that at the time offered almost no monetary reward, especially to women, for such a drive to excellence. All of it forging a determination and inner drive that characterize all great champions.

“Back when I started,” she says, “no one was really making any money. Only a couple of the guys, like Minnesota Fats and Steve Mizerak, made any kind of a living at pool, unless you gambled or hustled, which I wasn’t into. Then slowly but surely I found a way to turn my passion for the game into a way to make a living.”

That “way” began with an increasingly stunning tournament record, an undeniable certification of her talent and of her steady rise to the top of her sport. Two World Open 9-Ball titles and numerous tournament championships led Laurance, in 1988, to a sponsorship agreement with Brunswick Billiards, then as now the preeminent name in the sport, and to a level of stability for herself and for Nikki. For the first time she had a more stress-free opportunity to chase the world’s top spot.

Laurance did not let the chance pass her by, and with animal-like intensity, began a run that included two US Open 9-Ball titles, the US National 9-Ball title, two Player-of-the-Year seasons, a world high-run record set at the US Open Straight Pool Championship, and a case full of tournament trophies. More importantly, she had finally reached the much-coveted and long dreamt of ranking of World #1. The Best Player in the World.

With a record among the best in the game’s history and consecutive years with the #1 ranking, the stage was set for Laurance to truly become the face of billiards on an international level.

An articulate and passionate spokeswoman for the game, with head-turning good looks and a down-to-earth, good-natured sense of humor, The Striking Viking, in one quick strike, was all over the media. In 1992 she became, and still remains, the only pool player to ever appear as the feature cover story in the prestigious “New York Times Magazine,” in which she talked about cleaning up a much-maligned sport and her desire to have people see the beauty of the game in the same way she did. That article, and an ability to entertain a national audience by doing captivating trick shots, led to appearances on a broad range of national TV shows, including “The David Letterman Show,” “Live with Regis and Cathy Lee,” “The Today Show,” and many others.

Profiles in Sports Illustrated, People, Glamour Magazine and other national publications added to Laurance’s expanding presence, as did the 1994 WPA World 9 Ball title. All of it bringing as well an increasing demand for her corporate trick shot exhibitions (which continues stronger than ever), and a client list that now includes JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Pepsi, Sony, and automobile software giant OEConnections.

It was at one such corporate outing, at the Vantage Golf Championship in Winston-Salem, NC, that she met actor and golfer Mitch Laurance. It was the beginning of a relationship that has turned into 11 years of a storybook marriage, and a life on the Grand Strand that includes, for Ewa, an adventurous combination of pool and of golf, of frenetic business travel and tranquil home life with family and animals.

“Mitch and I got married in Charlotte, NC in 1994, and golf was not only responsible for our meeting, but for our move to Myrtle Beach,” Laurance says. When she began to do a lot more corporate trick shot exhibitions, she realized that golf was a good way to tie into that world. The fact that Mitch was an avid player and could offer his celebrity event connections the chance to invite Ewa to events, allowed Ewa not only the ability to enjoy the game with her husband, but the opportunity to pursue golf with almost the same zeal as she had her pool game, and to expand her ties to the golfing world in her own right.

As with pool, she has found a way to turn another passion into an interesting and rewarding part of life, in what she considers golfing heaven. “Mitch was already the host of ‘On The Green Golf Video Showcase’ in Myrtle Beach, and we had come down to the Grand Strand so many times while we lived in Charlotte that we both decided to make the move to a place we love. It’s the best of all worlds, with an incredible variety of courses, fantastic people and entertainment, and a wonderful quality of life,” Laurance says.

Ewa was just featured in “Golf For Women” Magazine, and plays in a multitude of celebrity Pro Am and charity events, including the ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic in Los Angeles, the Jimmy V Celebrity Classic in Raleigh, NC, and The Crosby in Winston-Salem, NC. She has competed in the LPGA Skins Game Pro Am (paired with Laura Davies), and this fall will participate in the PGA Tour Skins Game Pro Am in La Quinta, CA, with a couple of golfers named Tiger Woods and Fred Couples, among others.

And after hiring Ewa to perform trick shots and play pool as a way to draw golfers to their booth at the World Amateur Handicap Championship in 2004, Grand Strand developer Burroughs & Chapin recently hired Ewa to be the spokesperson for their “MyrtleBeachGolfTrips.com” brand and its golf courses. It is a relationship, and an opportunity, that Ewa takes seriously. “I think America is the only country in the world where you can have a dream and then create a way to truly live it,” she says, adding that she relishes the chance to help increase awareness for Myrtle Beach golf.

“Myrtle Beach, for a golfer, is a dream, a golf mecca. Where else can you play a different, great course every weekend for two years, and not play the same course twice?”

Ewa still competes full time on the WPBA Classic Tour and does billiards Color Commentary for ESPN. She is the President of the Women’s Professional Billiards Association and the Co-Host of GSN’s “BallBreakers” TV show. In 2004 Ewa became only the fifth woman in the history of the sport to be inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame. You can find more information on Ewa Mataya Laurance at www.StrikingViking.com.

A Golfer in Ireland...

A golfer in Ireland hit a bad slice into the woods. Looking for His ball, he discovered a leprachaun flat on his back, a big bump on his head and the golfer's ball beside him.

Horrified, the golfer took his water bottle from his bag and helped the little fellow to drink, eventually reviving him.

"Arrgh! Wha Happen?" the leprachaun asked.

After the golfer's explanation, the little fellow continued, "Oh, I see. Waal, ye got me fair and square so ye gets three wishes. Whaddya want?"

"Thank God you're all right!" the golfer answers in relief. I don't want anything, I'm just glad you're okay and I apologise. I didn't mean to hit you." And the golfer walks off.

"What a nice man," the leprachaun says to himself. "But it was fair and square that he got me and I have to do something for him. I'll give him three things I suspect he would most likely covert, a great golf game, all the money he needs and a great sex life."

A year goes by and the golfer is back, hits another hideous slice into the same woods and finds the leprachaun waiting for him.

"Twas me that made ye slice in here. I wanted to ask ye, how's yer golf game?"

"That's the first bad ball I"ve hit in a year! I'm a famous international golfer now," the golfer replies. "By the way, it's good to see you're alright"

"Oh I"m fine, thankee. I did that fer yer golf game. Now tell me, how's yer money?"

"Why I win huge amounts playing golf but if I need cash, I just reach in my pocket and pull out $100 notes all day long."

I did that fer ye too. Now, how's yer sex life.?

The golfer blushes, turns his head away in embarrassment and says shyly,"Err, alright, I suppose."

"C'mon, c'mon now. I'm wanting to know if I did a good job with the third wish. How many times a day.?"

Blushing even more, the golfer whispers, "Once, sometimes twice a week."

"What!" exclaims the leprachaun, obviously shocked, "Is that all? Once or twice a week?"

"Well," says the golfer, " I thought that wasn't too bad for a Catholic priest in a small parish."

Play Where You Stay: Myrtle Beach is Four Golf Destinations in One

MYRTLE BEACH IS FOUR GOLF DESTINATIONS IN ONE

The Myrtle Beach area and The Grand Strand are synonyms for a 60-mile stretch of the Atlantic coast that straddles the state line between North and South Carolina. As a golfer, if you know only one thing about the region, it’s probably this: There are more than 100 golf courses in the Myrtle Beach area. That’s a lot of golf. In fact, that’s over 2,000 separate golf holes by the time you factor in the 27-hole layouts. If you’re lucky, that’s about 4,000 total putts, plus the roughly 4,000 swings that you’d need to reach all of those greens. If you played non-stop and finished every hole in 10 minutes, it would take you a little over 333 consecutive hours or just shy of 14 whole days and nights without a break. That’s a lot of golf. Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday is a non-profit organization formed in 1967 to promote golf vacations and golf events.

Our membership now includes 96 Grand Strand golf courses with the recent addition of Bald Bead Island Club. There are also 77 resorts in the Myrtle Beach area that are Golf Holiday members and more than 50 of those are located directly on the oceanfront. That’s a lot of rooms and a lot of views. When school’s out in the summertime, those rooms and suites and villas are full of vacationing families. During the other nine months of the year, they offer the same sweeping views of the Atlantic to golfers at big discounts. And since most golfers during the fall, winter and spring seasons in Myrtle Beach would rather spend their days on the golf course than actually swimming in the ocean, that deal works out pretty well for everyone. And since many of our resort members now have heated pools and hot tubs and lazy rivers, visiting golfers should pack their swimsuits for any Grand Strand trip - in any season.

If you think that sounds like a lot of fun, you’re going to like the golf-package part a lot more. A Myrtle Beach golf package usually includes at least three accommodations nights and three or more rounds of golf. All of the 77 Golf Holiday resort members offer complete vacation-package deals that include multiple room nights and golf rounds. Some have special super-savings offers with particular courses, but all will book you on any Grand Strand layout that you request, including all of the Golf Holiday member courses. That’s 77 resorts and 96 golf courses. You do the math. (OK, it’s 7,392.)

That’s a lot of choices. Actually, if you’ve never been to the Myrtle Beach area or haven’t been back to visit us in a while, that might even seem like too many choices. Like getting a whole pie when you really just wanted a healthy slice. At Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, it’s our job to get you the information you need to plan a successful Grand Strand golf vacation, but we recognize that we’re serving up a lot for you to digest. So we’ve gotten together with our friends here at On The Green magazine to break it all down and let you know something about the Myrtle Beach area that you probably didn’t know: The Grand Strand is actually four major golf destination in one. At just about any other major American golf destination, you might have 15 or 20 courses from which to choose and those might be pretty spread out. In the Myrtle Beach area, we have four distinct regions that each have 22 or more courses usually located within a 15 minute drive of one another. Pick the adjacent places you want to play in a long weekend or full week of golf and then book your rooms nearby. Or decide on your accommodations first, then schedule tee times at you choice of layouts located in the immediate area. And don’t think that you have to compromise golf quality for vacation efficiency.

In each of the four Grand Strand regions, you’ll find one or more courses on Golf Digest’s list of “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses 2003-2004” and at least seven rated at an “outstanding” four stars or above in Best Places to Play 2004-2005. All of the remainder that are listed earned a “very good” rating of three stars or more. That’s a lot of quality golf where your only short drives are to the next clubhouse. Every one of the four regional destinations on The Grand Strand has its own unique character and featured attractions. Pick the one that appeals the most to you and your golfing companions. Select an accommodations host and golf courses that are in the same general area and you won’t spend that part of your vacation on the road. At the same time, all four regions are easily accessible if you want to make a special trip to play a particular layout or visit an inviting attraction. And that makes a lot of good sense.

THE SOUTH STRAND

Pawleys Island, Litchfield Beach, Murrells Inlet, Garden City and Surfside Beach are resort communities located on the South Strand, along with 22 golf courses that include some of the Myrtle Beach area’s best. Pawleys and Litchfield are part of the historic Waccamaw Neck, a peninsula between the Atlantic Ocean and the Waccamaw River that was known as America’s “Rice Empire” in the 18th and 19th centuries. Murrells Inlet has its own unique history that’s still tied to the bountiful sea, while Garden City and Surfside Beach are oceanfront communities with scores of low-rise condominium properties that are spacious favorites for golf groups. The pace of life is a bit slower on the South Strand and the golf courses reflect that laid-back ambiance. Most could fairly be called “Lowcountry-style” layouts, a label that suggests generally flat, sea-level terrain with marshlands often in play and fairways lined with moss-draped hardwoods. Quite a few South Strand courses are actually located on the sites of those former rice plantations and provide rich winter habitats for migrating waterfowl. Brookgreen Gardens is just such a site and home to America’s largest collection of outdoor sculpture in an awesomely beautiful setting with thousands of flowering plants. Murrells Inlet bills itself as “The Seafood Capitol of South Carolina” because of the fresh catch that arrives on its docks every day to be served up in the many local eateries every night. Scores of additional fine and casual restaurants are located from Pawleys to Surfside along Highway 17 South and Business 17. You’ll also find quaint specialty shops, big golf stores, fun miniature-golf centers, small arcades, full-service marinas and seaside fishing piers.

THE CENTRAL STRAND

The Central Strand region includes the famous oceanfront heart of the City of Myrtle Beach and the Highway 501 corridor west towards Conway. The majority of the Golf Holiday resort members are found here along the beach, including high-rise hotels that feature sweeping ocean views and complete vacation hosts that have on-site dining and other great amenities. As a result, golfers who visit in the “off-season” between September and April find an astounding variety of lodging choices at prices to satisfy every taste and budget. The Central Strand golf courses offer their own distinct variety. Dunes Club and Pine Lakes are the most historic sites in Myrtle Beach golf history, but along nearby Highway 501 and Bypass 17 are a collection of more than 20 modern classics. Most have been built during the “modern era” of Grand Strand golf that began in the early 1980s and many boast big-name architects who were given plenty of land to create their roomy designs. Some are “links-style” layouts with few trees and frequent mounding, while others could be called “parkland” courses because of the abundance of trees along the fairways. In addition to the wonderfully old-fashioned pavilions, arcades and novelty shops on Ocean Boulevard, the Central Strand region includes Broadway at the Beach, a complete entertainment complex that includes restaurants, nightclubs, retail stores, the SC Aquarium and an IMAX movie theater. There are also dozens of superb restaurants along Kings Highway, great shopping at the new Coastal Grand Mall and unbeatable deals at name-brand discount outlets and golf superstores. And the big oceanfront fishing piers can hook you up with all the equipment you need to rent for the day.

THE NORTH STRAND

The growing city of North Myrtle Beach, which incorporates several seaside communities, plus the towns of Little River and Longs, make up The North Strand area. The variety of available accommodations here ranges from oceanfront resorts and hotels to fully furnished and equipped high-rise condos by the sea to spacious golf villas and townhomes. The two dozen North Strand golf courses are an inviting mix of old and new, including a number of classic resort layouts built in the 1970s that have been lovingly maintained ever since. You’ll also find several courses located right along the Intracoastal Waterway and a number of others with water-and-woodland settings that defy singular classification. Some are Scottish-style links, while others bear the signatures of the game’s most respected designers. Restaurant Row is a highlight of any North Strand vacation, with miles of sit-down and buffet-style restaurants that serve up hearty meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Nearby Barefoot Landing has additional eateries, plus shops, nightclubs and entertainment theaters. There are also designer outlets and big golf shops on the North Strand, plus a host of after-hours attractions and a year-round calendar of themed events. There are also several full-service North Strand marinas where you can charter a boat for deep-sea fishing or coastal sightseeing.

BRUNSWICK COUNTY

Just north of the state line between the two Carolinas is Brunswick County, the “youngest” of the four Grand Strand golf regions, but by no means the least. The friendly towns of Calabash and Shallotte are part of Brunswick County, as well as the oceanfront communities of Sunset Beach, Ocean Isle, Holden Beach and Bald Head Island. The quiet accommodations here include full-service golf resorts and large single-family homes on the barrier islands. Many of the best new Grand Strand golf courses are located in Brunswick County. Some feature countryside settings with a rural character, while a number of others are set in maritime forests that open up to spectacular waterfront views. Famous designers have left their marks in Brunswick, in addition to some of golf’s best young architects. Their natural styles are as varied as the terrain itself. Calabash is Brunswick County’s “Seafood Town,” with a tempting host of restaurants lined up for your dining pleasure. But while there has been some commercial development in recent years, including new movie theaters, restaurants and retail stores, Brunswick’s main attraction is the small-town lifestyle that the locals have worked hard to retain. So if you want a choice of 24 great golf courses without the arcades, nightclubs and neon lights, then a stay-and-play Brunswick vacation might be a good choice. Besides, the multitude of attractions and entertainments found in the Central and North Strand regions are just a short drive south if you want to enjoy a little day trip or a big night on the town.

DISCOVER IT ALL

Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday publishes a complete guide to our 96 golf course and 77 resort members. Call us at 1-800-845-4653 and we’ll put your complimentary copy in the mail today. Or visit our website at www.golfholiday.com for more information and links to all of our member’s websites. A call or a click is all you have to do. And that’s really not a lot to

Comments