The Granddaddy of Myrtle Beach Golf
Has Been Given New Life
By Craig Distl


Pine Lakes Country Club, the oldest course on the Grand Strand and the birthplace of Sports Illustrated magazine, re-opened this spring after an extensive renovation by architect Craig Schreiner.

Craig Schreiner was architect for renovation of the Pine Lakes course.
Schreiner, who lives across the street from the historic club, took a special interest in the project because of his reverence for the course’s original architect, Robert White. White was a native of St. Andrews, Scotland, a charter member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects and the first president of the PGA of America. Therefore, it was important to Schreiner to reclaim as much of White’s design and intent from the original 1927 layout. 

The end result was a 50-50 blend of old and new, with Schreiner creating new holes on the front nine using existing corridors, while weaving together a back nine of authentic White holes. The new layout stretches to 6,709 yards and plays to a par of 70.

Schreiner said the new design’s greatness comes from taking several opening holes from the old layout and making them the finishing holes in the new design.

The Pine Lakes Clubhouse and 18th green.
“These were the better holes and you used to start on them. Now you’re going to finish on them,” said Schreiner. “Everything seems to get a little bit tighter and a little bit stronger as you proceed through the round. The second hole was the strongest par-4 on the entire layout, so it’s now the 18th.”

A bonus to this strategy is that it incorporates views of the famous white-brick clubhouse into the closing stretch. 

“We deliberately opened up views so you could see the clubhouse,” he said. “It’s a great frame of reference.”

Those who appreciate the history of golf will be pleased with the “new” course. Pine Lakes – originally named Ocean Forest Country Club – was the area’s first course, built way back in 1927. It had a certain old-school charm to it, from the plantation-style clubhouse to the blooming dogwoods and azaleas to the ritual of serving clam chowder on the tee of the par-3 seventh hole (now the 11th).

Much of that charm was retained in the $15 million renovation. In fact, Schreiner’s crews carefully excavated and transplanted the azaleas, crepe myrtles, dogwoods, wax myrtles and palmettos with a success rate of 95 percent.

“The intent,” said Schreiner, “was to preserve that beautiful vegetation and maintain the character of the old golf course.”

First hole of the Pine Lakes course.
Golfers visiting this Grand Strand legend will no doubt notice the beautiful vegetation, as well as something else beautiful: a minimal number of sand traps. When it comes to bunkering, Schreiner believes less is more. So, he reduced the number of bunkers from 50 to 27. However, the ones that remain are much larger and noticeable.

Also larger are the greens, both the new and the existing ones. Schreiner estimated that 40 percent of the putting surfaces had been lost over the years, so he carefully worked to restore the size of the greens. For example, the 18th green is now 6,300 square feet. It was about 3,600 before.

One of the open fairways on the Pine Lakes course.
The greens, and the entire course, are comprised of an environmentally friendly strand of grass known as SeaDwarf paspalum. Paspalum has a high tolerance for salt water, which allows the course to use reclaimed water for irrigation. It also allows the grounds crew to apply salt to eradicate weeds, instead of chemicals.

The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island uses paspalum on its greens. The use of it at Pine Lakes makes it the northern-most course in the United States to install the turf.

To the general public, the best thing about Pine Lakes is that it provides a country club experience for the daily-fee golfer. Although Pine Lakes has members, its tee sheet is open to all golfers. And, its traditional feel provides a welcome respite in a Grand Strand market full of modern-day courses.

“I did about 14 different routing concepts over two years for (owners) Burroughs & Chapin to determine which way they wanted to go with this particular golf course,” Schreiner said. “They made the right decision, which was to preserve the old and replicate on the new area similar concepts of the old golf course.”


For Further Information:
Pine Lakes Country Club
Phone: (800) 446-6817
Website: www.pinelakes.com 

SIDEBAR - - - Further Reading:
 
 
During the March grand re-opening of Pine Lakes Country Club, the club also unveiled the inaugural class for the Myrtle Beach Golf Hall of Fame.  (More....)