Numerous Myrtle Beach area golf courses are planning to close for possibly several days due to upcoming weather conditions, marking the second straight January with mass closures due to weather.
A winter storm that might bring freezing rain, sleet and snow is threatening to hit the Grand Strand this weekend, followed by several days of freezing temperatures, with a full week of lows forecast to be in the 20s and highs below 50 – some well below 50.
The primary safety concern is ice accumulation, which is expected to be at its worst late Saturday into Sunday if it arrives, but the cold temperatures that follow will likely be more damaging to courses.
This time last year, some courses closed due to cold temperatures before every Strand course was forced to shut down for up to a week after as much as 6 inches of snow fell on layouts.
Many golf course owners have purchased green covers since 2018, when a number of courses were forced to close in the spring or summer to repair damage from a condition known as winterkill on their greens.
The covers are meant to protect greens from freezing temperatures in the hopes of avoiding damage and preserving their conditions for the busy spring golf season.
Some courses have already formulated plans to close, some are assessing closures, and others will attempt to remain open.
Closing and opening information will be updated as it becomes available.
Planned closures
Sea Trail Golf Resort will be covering greens on its three courses – Jones, Byrd and Maples – following play Friday and will be closed Saturday and Sunday with a reevaluation for Monday.
Legends Golf’s three resort courses – Heathland, Moorland, Parkland – and Oyster Bay will be closed from Saturday to Wednesday, and possibly be closed from Saturday to Saturday. Heritage Club in Pawleys Island, which is also operated by the Legends group, is planning to remain open.
International Club of Myrtle Beach in Murrells Inlet is closing Saturday and Sunday with a reevaluation for Monday and thereafter.
Prestwick Country Club will be closing Friday afternoon and will remain closed at least through Monday, with a reevaluation to come likely Sunday.
The Dunes Golf and Beach Club, host of the PGA Tour’s ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic in May, anticipates remaining open through the weekend and covering greens Monday to close for a few days.
“We need to err on the side of caution with the tour event,” Dunes Club general manager Dennis Nicholl said.
Tidewater Golf Club will cover greens Friday following morning rounds and will remain closed Saturday through at least Monday morning, with a reassessment coming likely on Sunday.
Diamondback Golf Club at Woodland Valley in Loris will be closing at 1 p.m. Friday to tarp greens and expects to remain closed at least through Wednesday.
Barefoot Golf Resort’s four courses – the Dye, Fazio, Norman and Love – will be closing to cover greens, but a decision on when and possibly for how long is expected to be made Friday afternoon.
Carolina National Golf Club in Bolivia, N.C., keeps a general ’40-degree rule” and anticipates covering greens on Monday afternoon, remaininging closed Tuesday and reevaluating for Wednesday.
Wachesaw Plantation East will be closed Sunday and Monday, and a decision on Tuesday and thereafter will be made on Monday. The pro shop will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday.
Meadowlands Golf Club will be closed Sunday and Monday and will reassess thereafter.
Shaftesbury Glen Golf & Fish Club is planning to make a decision Friday on any closure.
Holding out
Several courses intend to remain open and close only if conditions warrant or require it.
They include:
The Wizard Golf Links and Man O’War Golf Club, which are adjacent sister courses that both feature cool-weather bentgrass greens rather than the area’s predominant dormant Bermudagrass – with or without a winter overseed – this time of year both hope to remain open.
Eagle Nest Golf Club, Beachwood Golf Club and Azalea Sands Golf Club, which all have some common ownership and management, also hope to remain open.
Brunswick Plantation plans to remain open any day with temperatures in the mid-40s, according to head pro Brett Thomaswick.
The four Big Cats courses at Ocean Ridge Plantation – Leopard’s Chase, Tiger’s Eye, Panthers’ Run and Lion’s Paw – have not yet announced plans to close.
Sandpiper Bay Golf Club had yet to make a decision on closing as of Thursday morning.
This is a fluid story and Information will be regularly updated as it becomes available.
