Heather Glen ( Byrd 18, Johnson 9-1987) in Myrtle Beach, SC

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Sold for development. Golf Digest's Best New in 1987


http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/sports/golf/article186798193.html

[MCirba]

Bummer.


Links-like or not, my friends and I had a lot of fun playing there.

[Tom_Doak]

Another 0 bites the dust.


I know some people liked it and they are free to have a differing opinion; I don't wish to rehash that argument here.

[MCirba]

Friends, GCA-ers, other American faux-links lovers;

I come not to praise Heather Glen, but to bury it.   

The evil that golf course designs do lives after them, the good is oft interred with the new homes. 

https://youtu.be/yPW2AUaSv-E

https://youtu.be/fncK9cnUydI

[Bill_McBride]

Another 0 bites the dust.


I know some people liked it and they are free to have a differing opinion; I don't wish to rehash that argument here.

All I remember from 25 years ago is the heinous sleepers

[Eric Strulowitz]

Another 0 bites the dust.


I know some people liked it and they are free to have a differing opinion; I don't wish to rehash that argument here.

The club was everything but a zero.  It was a lot of fun to play and the course received numerous awards and accolades.  Sadly, Heather Glen is among a number of decent  courses in the MB area that have closed. It will be missed.  I don't recall this course poisoning my mind as the "Scale "relates.  I wonder if anyone elses mind has been poisoned?  How the heck could a course ever poison your mind anyway? 

Definition of a "zero":

A course so contrived and unnatural that it may poison your mind, one I cannot recommend under any circumstances. Reserved for courses that waste ridiculous sums of money in their construction, and probably shouldn't have been built in the first place.

[Eric Strulowitz]

Sold for development. Golf Digest's Best New in 1987


http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/sports/golf/article186798193.html

I certainly wish any developer luck, but you gotta wonder what the appeal of the Strand is these days.   The place has become beyond crowded in the peak season,  endless waiting at places to eat, and traffic that rivals downtown Atlanta. It was once a very quiet, appealing area, the locals gotta feel squeezed out.  It has more of a Disneyland feel, it is everything but a relaxing economical vacation. Can think of better places to retire or buy a vacation property, but to each his own.  There has been much written of late of crime becoming a real problem.  It is not the same place anymore.

[MCirba]

Eric,

Some would argue that my mind is poisoned but most of those folks don't post here any longer.   

I'm just pretty sure I wouldn't blame Heather Glen for my mental health issues, in either case.   

I do very much understand the point Tom was making in the CG, particularly if folks took the "plays like a Scottish Links" marketing and with pot bunkers cut into mounds and sleepers on downslopes and water hazards on many holes and trees coming into play and overseeding the whole course in the winter and soft, green conditioning at face value.   Then, laddie...a mind could have been poisoned! 

[Tom_Doak]

People who have been poisoned usually do not realize it until too late, if they realize it at all.

[Phil Carlucci]

Friends, GCA-ers, other American faux-links lovers;

I come not to praise Heather Glen, but to bury it.   

The evil that golf course designs do lives after them, the good is oft interred with the new homes. 

https://youtu.be/yPW2AUaSv-E

https://youtu.be/fncK9cnUydI

Those Mitch Laurence promo videos give me flashbacks to me and 3 buddies sitting in our Myrtle Beach hotel room chomping at the bit to start our four-course tour of the Grand Strand. 

Personally I don't remember much of Heather Glen other than playing a miserable round, but I'm sad to hear of its closing.  Four of us made an annual June trip to MB from 2005 to 2008 before real life started to horn in on the fun, and it turns out we played among the final rounds ever at Bay Tree.  A few others that we played have closed or changed hands, I believe.  Never like to hear it.

[Jeff_Brauer]

I will never forget flying down to MB on my first trip to see Wild Wing.  It was sort of last minute, so I connected through Charlotte on US Air (never a good start to a trip) and had a middle coach seat near the back of the plane, among a group of already drunkish golfers heading down to play.


I ask where they are playing (knowing there are nearly 100 courses there, but never having been there myself) so I was curious. The most repeated answer was "anything designed by Rees Jones or Willard Byrd."


The MB resort model was never very "sincere" regarding golf architecture. More like the Disney version of recreating different kinds of courses.  So, Heather Glen and then hot designers were all the rage.


I won't forget my design brief for Avocet (which followed two Byrd courses, and preceded one Rees course) The client spoke limited Japanese, but I felt he thought the Byrd courses were too traditional, and wouldn't sell rounds.  The only words I understood of his statement were, "More fru fru."

[MCirba]

I used to bring my late Dad down to Myrtle Beach with a group of guys from Northeast Philly that grew to over 60 participants over the years.   It was insane, but great fun.

Over time I grew a bit more jaded regarding golf course architectural worthiness but my dad used to tell me that if heaven wasn't like Myrtle Beach he wasn't going.   

He also loved to eat after our rounds at Olive Garden, but he grew up very poor and simply and going to Myrtle was a big, big deal for him that he'd look forward to all year long and tell stories about all year afterwards.

[Anton]

The design is not / was not a links course.... this is a fact - adding 'links' to the name was purely a marketing ploy.  Perhaps the design was a "0" according to one's opinion of what defines a great course or not.  So be it.  What cannot be measured on a scale is the enjoyment an individual has on any course given the company they are with or the shots they pull off.  For myself, Heather Glen's design was very basic without much variety and really no holes stand out in my memory.  I had & have played far better courses in the MB area.  BUT with that said, the company I was with when playing HG, made for an unforgettable golfing experience. 

[Edward Glidewell]

I've played almost every course on the Grand Strand due to having a family beach house at Ocean Isle Beach, NC. I never minded playing Heather Glen; I actually played it just a couple of months before it shut down. With that said, it wasn't one of my favorite courses, and probably wouldn't have made my top 25 list for courses on the Grand Strand.

But I live in Atlanta, and if you dropped Heather Glen here it would at least have an argument to be the best public access course within 45 minutes of me. And I think that's something people forget about the Myrtle Beach area in general -- there may only be a couple of really excellent courses there, but there's a LOT of pretty good places to play, and there are dozens of courses there that would easily be the best public option in a significant part of the United States.

[A.G._Crockett]

I've played almost every course on the Grand Strand due to having a family beach house at Ocean Isle Beach, NC. I never minded playing Heather Glen; I actually played it just a couple of months before it shut down. With that said, it wasn't one of my favorite courses, and probably wouldn't have made my top 25 list for courses on the Grand Strand.

But I live in Atlanta, and if you dropped Heather Glen here it would at least have an argument to be the best public access course within 45 minutes of me. And I think that's something people forget about the Myrtle Beach area in general -- there may only be a couple of really excellent courses there, but there's a LOT of pretty good places to play, and there are dozens of courses there that would easily be the best public option in a significant part of the United States.

Edward,
Thank you for this post; it is a perspective that I share with you.

I've never had any trouble separating the marketing hype for products, including golf courses, from the characteristics and qualities of the product itself, and Heather Glen is a good example.  In that particular market, the Scottish links thing is prevalent, and the fact that it isn't accurate in GCA terms is much more of an issue among the grumpy old men that populate this website than among the masses of people that play golf at Myrtle Beach or anywhere else.  And it's possible that is more our problem than theirs.  Anybody that shows up at a course on the east coast of the U.S. in a humid subtropical climate with bermuda grasses and is upset that the course is not an actual links course is just looking for something to be upset about.

I've thought the same thing as you about many of the courses at Myrtle that are subject to disdain here; were they located elsewhere, away from a golf destination, they would be viewed much differently, and Heather Glen certainly fits that bill.  I didn't play Heather Glen much in recent years, despite staying on that end of the Strand when I'm there, but it was because of conditioning rather than the GCA of the place.   

Heather Glen won't really be missed in the Myrtle Beach scene; there are too many other good options nearby on the north end of the strand now, unlike 30 years ago when Heather Glen opened.  I'd suspect that Ocean Ridge probably killed Heather Glen more than demand in the housing market did, in fact.  And even in it's day, Heather Glen was never a course that people headed to Myrtle Beach planned their golf trip around, as they might with Caledonia, or Barefoot Landing, or any number of others.  But Heather Glen was NEVER a zero, even when the conditions deteriorated.

[A.G._Crockett]

One other note concerning the GCA involved at Heather Glen:

I like Willard Byrd golf courses; always have.  I'd put them in a category with George Cobb and Joe Lee courses of being able to say I've never played one I didn't like, and never played one I wasn't willing to come back to play again.  Each of those gentlemen built courses that were playable for all levels of players, and just fun.  Whether or not any were Top 100 material is immaterial.

[Edward Glidewell]

Yeah, there are many better options than Heather Glen in MB, even just in the North Carolina/Little River area of the Grand Strand (I prefer Thistle, Glen Dornoch, Tiger's Eye, Leopard's Chase, River's Edge, and Oyster Bay just off the top of my head). It's not somewhere I ever actively wanted to play; it was usually a fall back option when we couldn't get a tee time somewhere we preferred. But the fact remains that among courses I've played within an hour or so of Atlanta, I'd say only the Frog and Achasta are clearly better courses than Heather Glen, and neither of those courses are within 30 miles of the city.


As far as Ocean Ridge -- I think Leopard's Chase and Tiger's Eye are both really good golf courses, and Lion's Paw and Panther's Run are solid. But the last couple of times I've played there the conditions were really bad. Weeds growing in the fairways, dead areas on the greens, etc. Leopard's Chase and Tiger's Eye used to consistently be in excellent shape with the other two courses hit or miss, but recently it seems like they've significantly cut the maintenance budget on all four.

[A.G._Crockett]

Yeah, there are many better options than Heather Glen in MB, even just in the North Carolina/Little River area of the Grand Strand (I prefer Thistle, Glen Dornoch, Tiger's Eye, Leopard's Chase, River's Edge, and Oyster Bay just off the top of my head). It's not somewhere I ever actively wanted to play; it was usually a fall back option when we couldn't get a tee time somewhere we preferred. But the fact remains that among courses I've played within an hour or so of Atlanta, I'd say only the Frog and Achasta are clearly better courses than Heather Glen, and neither of those courses are within 30 miles of the city.


As far as Ocean Ridge -- I think Leopard's Chase and Tiger's Eye are both really good golf courses, and Lion's Paw and Panther's Run are solid. But the last couple of times I've played there the conditions were really bad. Weeds growing in the fairways, dead areas on the greens, etc. Leopard's Chase and Tiger's Eye used to consistently be in excellent shape with the other two courses hit or miss, but recently it seems like they've significantly cut the maintenance budget on all four.

I'm not sure what to make of the conditions at Ocean Ridge; I won't play Lion's Paw anymore, and even Tiger's Eye (my favorite of the four) was spotty last summer when I played there, with a lot of bermuda growing on the greens. 

I know that ANY course at Myrtle with bent grass greens is going to struggle on two fronts; keeping healthy grass thru the summer, and keeping bermuda out.  That said, Ocean Ridge gets a ton of play, and housing there seems to be selling, so you'd think revenue wouldn't be a problem.

[Edward Glidewell]

I'm not sure what to make of the conditions at Ocean Ridge; I won't play Lion's Paw anymore, and even Tiger's Eye (my favorite of the four) was spotty last summer when I played there, with a lot of bermuda growing on the greens. 

I know that ANY course at Myrtle with bent grass greens is going to struggle on two fronts; keeping healthy grass thru the summer, and keeping bermuda out.  That said, Ocean Ridge gets a ton of play, and housing there seems to be selling, so you'd think revenue wouldn't be a problem.

Crow Creek redid all their greens last year, but kept them bent grass. It's supposedly a more heat resistant strain. I'm surprised they didn't switch to bermuda like most other courses down there, but I guess the big golf season is spring and fall and so they're trying to have the best conditions possible then. And bent helps differentiate between them and other nearby courses.


I was there a couple of weeks ago and played the Thistle -- it's typically in great shape, but their greens were awful. Some of the greens were at least 50% dirt with no grass at all. I think it was mainly due to the abnormally harsh winter, but I also played King's North (a course I really like, and which was in perfect condition) and overheard one of the pros telling someone that a lot of MB courses had fungus invade their fairways and greens when they overseeded this winter, and that King's North was lucky they didn't have an issues. I'm curious to see conditions in the area when I'm back over Memorial Day.

[A.G._Crockett]

I'm not sure what to make of the conditions at Ocean Ridge; I won't play Lion's Paw anymore, and even Tiger's Eye (my favorite of the four) was spotty last summer when I played there, with a lot of bermuda growing on the greens. 

I know that ANY course at Myrtle with bent grass greens is going to struggle on two fronts; keeping healthy grass thru the summer, and keeping bermuda out.  That said, Ocean Ridge gets a ton of play, and housing there seems to be selling, so you'd think revenue wouldn't be a problem.

I just read an email from the CGA about winter kill on bermuda greens.  I've seen it in the Triangle even on courses that kept the greens covered; I wouldn't be surprised to find out that some courses at MB didn't even have covers.  I don't think there is any database for keeping those greens covered for nearly three weeks, as was the case in late December and the beginning of January.


Crow Creek redid all their greens last year, but kept them bent grass. It's supposedly a more heat resistant strain. I'm surprised they didn't switch to bermuda like most other courses down there, but I guess the big golf season is spring and fall and so they're trying to have the best conditions possible then. And bent helps differentiate between them and other nearby courses.


I was there a couple of weeks ago and played the Thistle -- it's typically in great shape, but their greens were awful. Some of the greens were at least 50% dirt with no grass at all. I think it was mainly due to the abnormally harsh winter, but I also played King's North (a course I really like, and which was in perfect condition) and overheard one of the pros telling someone that a lot of MB courses had fungus invade their fairways and greens when they overseeded this winter, and that King's North was lucky they didn't have an issues. I'm curious to see conditions in the area when I'm back over Memorial Day.

[Edward Glidewell]

This is an old thread, but it seemed fitting to post this here rather than a new topic:

Heather Glen's sister course, Glen Dornoch, is apparently slated to close next year for a new housing development. This isn't confirmed, but I've heard it from multiple sources. It has some funky holes (and a couple of incredibly difficult ones), but I've always enjoyed playing there, and it's one of the few courses that has holes running along the Intracoastal Waterway.

I'm also a bit confused by the proliferation of housing developments replacing golf courses there. I would think the major appeal for retirees is the overall number of public access golf courses; if you don't care about having a wide variety of public golf available, why would you move to Myrtle Beach? There are far better options for coastal communities. It seems like the demand would go down along with the number of courses, especially since it will make tee times that much harder to get.

[Peter Sayegh]

This is an old thread, but it seemed fitting to post this here rather than a new topic:

Heather Glen's sister course, Glen Dornoch, is apparently slated to close next year for a new housing development.

I'm also a bit confused by the proliferation of housing developments replacing golf courses there. I would think the major appeal for retirees is the overall number of public access golf courses; if you don't care about having a wide variety of public golf available, why would you move to Myrtle Beach? There are far better options for coastal communities. It seems like the demand would go down along with the number of courses, especially since it will make tee times that much harder to get.

Spot on!

Edward, as I'm sure you know, Glen Dornoch's closing has been rumored for many years now...but the locals are starting to believe the end is finally here for GD.
In the last 12 months:
Farmstead closed for development. The Witch is closing in two weeks. Nine holes at River Oaks were sold for housing. The buyer stated he is in talks to acquire another course for development next year. The Wizard is probably doomed as well;zoning hearings have begun on that property. Even Cane Patch's par three is no longer and plans are for a 300 unit apt. complex there. Maybe not "GCA" courses but places to bring beginners and friends alike.
We are at the point where no course's closure would surprise us. If I owned a residence that offered golf course views, I'd be scared as hell.

[Edward Glidewell]

Spot on!

Edward, as I'm sure you know, Glen Dornoch's closing has been rumored for many years now...but the locals are starting to believe the end is finally here for GD.
In the last 12 months:
Farmstead closed for development. The Witch is closing in two weeks. Nine holes at River Oaks were sold for housing. The buyer stated he is in talks to acquire another course for development next year. The Wizard is probably doomed as well;zoning hearings have begun on that property. Even Cane Patch's par three is no longer and plans are for a 300 unit apt. complex there. Maybe not "GCA" courses but places to bring beginners and friends alike.
We are at the point where no course's closure would surprise us. If I owned a residence that offered golf course views, I'd be scared as hell.

Most of the closings have been courses I've either never played or didn't really like -- Farmstead was near my family beach house at Ocean Isle and was always had excellent conditions, but I thought the holes were mostly bland; Glen Dornoch and Heather Glen will be the two closings I've played most -- but it still creates a trickle down effect that will make it harder to get tee times anywhere else.


I do think a few courses are safe (I don't think they could put houses on most of Tidewater even if they wanted to), but I also won't be surprised to see more closed. You also forgot to mention the Pearl closing 9 holes for development. Perhaps outside your 12 month window but fairly recent.

[Jonathan Cummings]

Seems like the baby boomers are on an epic migration south, which may account for the increased housing demands in Myrtle.  Quite the fact in the Clearwater Beach area - can't find a place for sale and the country clubs are commanding high prices and waiting lists.  Sure wasn't true just a few years ago.

[MCirba]

The irony is that the things that made Myrtle Beach attractive in the first place...uncluttered, tons of golf courses, affordable, quick car rides up and down the strip, quiet beaches, in-and-out dining, etc., are all slipping away with the mass migration Jonathan mentioned.