Acclaimed Myrtle Beach course also debuted complete clubhouse renovation
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Grande Dunes Resort Course, one Myrtle Beach’s most acclaimed layouts, reopened Sept. 15 following a comprehensive greens, bunkers and a clubhouse renovation project.
Architect John A. Harvey, who worked with Roger Rulewich on the design and construction of the course in 2001, was tapped to lead the four-month effort, which will ensure Grande Dunes maintains its spot among the best public layouts in golf-rich South Carolina.
At the heart of the work was the installation of new TifEagle ultradwarf bermudagrass greens and the restoration of the course’s putting surfaces to their original size. Harvey and his team surveyed every putting complex, finding the original rock foundation, which allowed them to restore the greens to their intended dimensions.
Grande Dunes reclaimed nearly 40,000-square feet of putting surface, an increase of 33 percent. The bunkers at Grande Dunes also had their original shape and contours restored, significantly improving their visual appeal.
Additionally, the installation of new Capillary Concrete bunker liners guarantees the conditioning and playability of the bunkers will be significantly improved. Grande Dunes collectively expanded its fairways be eight acres, giving players few excuses to miss some of Myrtle Beach’s largest fairways.
The improvements to the course are complemented by the overhaul of the Grande Dunes clubhouse, which now includes a new restaurant, dramatically expanded outdoor seating, and a larger pro shop.
“Grande Dunes will again play as it was originally intended, challenging golfers with bold greens complexes and the strategic decisions that make the game so enjoyable,” said Steve Mays, president of Founders Group International. “Watching the project come together over the last four months has been a treat. The course is in pristine condition, and we look forward to welcoming golfers back to Grande Dunes.”
Grande Dunes, which opened in 2001, has been ranked among America’s top 100 public courses and has long been regarded as one Myrtle Beach’s premier layouts. The course features five holes that play along the Intracoastal Waterway, including the unforgettable, par 3 14th.
Founders Group International owns 21 Myrtle Beach golf courses, making it one of the largest management companies in the Southeast, and FGI has aggressively reinvested in its courses in recent years. FGI has also undertaken significant capital improvement projects at Pine Lakes, Aberdeen Country Club, River Hills, Tradition Club and the PineHills and Palmetto courses at Myrtlewood over the last four years.
With additional capital projects on the horizon, FGI is reinforcing its commitment to providing golfers with the best golf vacation experience possible.
About Founders Group International
Founders Group International (FGI) is the foremost golf course owner-operator company in the Southeastern United States. Formed in 2014 through various purchases and the 2015 acquisition of National Golf Management, FGI owns and operates 21 golf courses (405 holes) in and around Myrtle Beach, S.C., America’s seaside golf capital.
Those courses include Pine Lakes Country Club, the “granddaddy” of Myrtle Beach area courses; TPC Myrtle Beach, host site of the 2019 NCAA Division I men’s golf regional and Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship; and Grande Dunes Resort Club, home of the Grande Dunes Golf Performance Center.
FGI administers www.MBN.com, a leader in online tee time bookings, as well as package outlet Myrtle Beach Golf Trips. With the help of Golf Insider’s 100 percent player-generated course ranking system, thousands of golfers plan and assemble their ideal golf itineraries through FGI’s assets, including “top-100 caliber” courses Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club, King’s North at Myrtle Beach National Golf Club, and more than 80 other Myrtle Beach area courses.
More information about Founders Group International is available at www.foundersgroupinternational.com.
