It’s always been kind of amazing to me that Myrtle Beach can be the golf epicenter of the East Coast while being so difficult to get to. It’s an hour or more from Interstate-95, depending on traffic, and the area is very dependent on air travel. That’s why it was bad news when officials finally found out, a month after the fact according to the Sun News, that Delta subsidiary Comair has pulled its direct flights from New York and Boston, two of the Grand Strand’s hotspots, citing declining passengers and high fuel costs. Remember, Air Tran dropped its Atlanta service last year ... full post »

I’m always on the lookout for good barbecue joints and down home cookin,’ since I’m essentially a hillbilly, and I found some good eats today in Myrtle Beach. There are more than a few restaurants along the Grand Strand that advertise themselves as “family restaurants,” but many of them are more concerned with their marketing than their country fried steak. Note: Skip Friendly’s Family Restaurant unless you want grilled fish that tastees like goo. The Spring House Family Restaurant ain’t one of them. It’s got country dinners with THREE side dishes instead of your standard two, including black eye peas, turnip greens, ... full post »

Most average golfers will tell you they want a “challenge,” but when asked to name their favorite courses, they usually end up naming layouts wider than Oprah. Such is the case with the newest course at the Ocean Ridge Plantation, Leopard’s Chase. Leopard’s Chase is an excellent design by Tim Cate, but at least three other golfers told me they liked the plantation’s other star course, Tiger’s Eye better. Tiger’s Eye, you see, has wide fairways, where you can bomb away to your heart’s content. Not that I don’t like that. In fact, I love it. But, there are times when you want ... full post »

Sometimes after a round, by god, a man wants a shot of rum and a big, fat cheeseburger, to hell with calories, cholesterol or good sense. Cheeseburger in Paradise in Myrtle Beach is where that man should go. Yes, it’s a little cheesy – sorry – with its cabana-style bar inside, all the Jimmy Buffett décor and the sea shells inlaid in the floor, but this is good cheesy. The cheesburgers are thick as a hind end of a bison and the sweet potato chips are excellent – just be sure to eat them while they’re hot. They tend to congeal into something ... full post »

Jack Nicklaus, who’s taking his design business outside the U.S. more and more these days, is designing a course in Nicaragua. The course is supposed to be the centerpiece of the Seaside Marina Spa and Golf Resort, located on 923 acres along a pristine stretch of the Pacific coast, about 45 miles southwest of Managua. Maybe Donald Trump should forget Scotland and consider Nicaragua. It would be Nicklaus’ first course in Latin America. He told the media he was impressed with the terrain, after making a site visit November 20. At least 10 holes would have either ocean or river views. “There are some ... full post »

I agree with monster driver J.B. Holmes, who says the PGA Tour may be taking some of the fun out of the game by setting up golf courses that favor the dinkers of the world. “A lot of fans go out there to watch somebody hit it a long way,” Holmes told the Sydney Morning Herald. “You get on some golf courses and it just takes the driver out of your hands. You don’t want to disappoint anybody, but then again you’re playing a golf tournament and can’t just whale away on the driver every time…Fans want to see big, great ... full post »

Just kidding. Augusta National Golf Club Chairman Billy Payne said Thursday they’d let kids between the ages of 8-16 attend The Masters free when accompanied by am accredited patron. “We want to inspire the next generation of golfers now,” Payne said in a statement released to the media. “We’re serious about exposing youngsters to golf and The Masters.” I guess the old fellas are finally waking up to the fact they might be considered a little too stodgy for the younger generations, and are trying to change that, Also, the par-3 tournament at The Masters will be televised for the first time next ... full post »

You didn’t really think Donald Trump would accept any ruling against him, even if it were correct, did you? Trump has undoubtedly pulled some strings since his mega-golf development in Balmedie, north of Aberdeenshire was rejected by the local council. Now, we hear the Scottish Parliament has called in the rejected application to consider it. Don’t be surprised if Trump, in the end, gets to build his course, which he typically boasts will be the best in the world. The best PR Trump managed in the whole sordid episode is to get the talk centered primarily around his golf course. If it were ... full post »