Gator Hole -- Myrtle Beach

[Allan Long]

For those of you with knowledge of the MB golf scene, I am trying to find out what happened to Gator Hole, a Rees Jones course in MB that no longer exists. I can't find if they plowed up the course and put another on the site, or if it just became housing. Any help would be appreciated.

[Rick_Noyes]

The land Gator Hole was sitting on became too valuable to operate a golf course.  It was sold and since been engulfed (for the lack of a better term) by MB development.

[Bob_Farrell]

Allan:

I really don't know, but that's disturbing news. I always loved playing there. Short but a really fun track.

The only place I ever saw the cart guy drive two at a time too!!

I'll be interested to hear this one.

BF

[John_Conley]

Never having been to Myrtle Beach to play golf, I can't imagine this one will be missed much when I consider everything I've heard about how many courses up there are hurting for play.

[Bob_Farrell]

Sounds like Rick knew what happened. What a shame!!

BF

[Scott_Burroughs]

Rick is correct.  The land Gator Hole sat on became too valuable, and they sold it for development.  A shopping center now sits there, with a Home Depot in it and an IHOP.  In fact, I ate at the IHOP my last time down there 2 months ago.  I alway knew where Gator Hole was located, right where the northbound lanes of route 17 went from 3 lanes down to 2 in N. Myrtle Beach.  I played GH a few years back.


This situation makes me think of a new thread to post:  "How many 'NLE' courses have you played?"

Off the top of my head, I can think of 4 1/2, though I'd bet there were more:  

-Gator Hole
-Font Hill (exec course outside Baltimore)
-Sing Sing (par 3 course in Horseheads, NY)
-the 'old' Finley (UNC's former course, before Fazio came in a built a completely new course, with a different routing)
-Virginia Tech GC's front nine, which was closed to build a conference center.

[A.G._Crockett]

As I understand it, the Gator Hole situation had nothing to do with lack of play or financial difficulties--strictly a business transaction.  Such is not the case with several other situations at MB.  Links Group, which owned/managed a group of about a half dozen courses went Chap. 11 about 18 months ago.  Several other courses have changed hands as well.  (e.g. Myrtle West is now Black Bear)  
Additionally, construction at MB of new courses seems to finally have slowed (not stopped.)

[Rick_Noyes]

I believe there was an article in a recent Golf Journal about this very phenomenon.  Golf courses, particularly in metro areas, were sitting on valuable land.  The was one recently in Charlotte, the name escapes me right now.  Designs that stand the test of time takes on an entirely new meaning in these areas.  Not just from the pencil of the remodel but the sharp pencil of accountants.

[Rick_Noyes]

You are correct A.G.
I ws down there during the 4th of July.  There are now 120 courses in the MB area.  i had a saleman tell me recently this was the first time that he can remember that nothing (golf course wise) was being built in MB.

[Bob_Farrell]

Rick:

well we all know that the economy will do that. And if corporate greed gets involved, i.e., transforming assets into cash, it will. It's a shame that it has to happen.


Scott:

I take it NLE is "No Longer Exists"? That would be an interesting post. We have lost a number here in NJ, and it would be interesting to hear from others in a separate post.


BF

[Allan Long]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the information. There are a lot of worthy courses to play in MB, and Gator Hole may or may not have been one of them, but with Rees Jones' name on it, you would think that it would have had some appeal.

Courses that NLE thread would be a great topic.

Thanks again for the help.

Allan

[Ken_Cotner]

Rick,

The NLE course in Charlotte was Eastwood; now has houses or apartments.  Public, not a great course, but apparently had a lot of characters and terrific stories.  Was owned by Clayton Heafner and family.

KC