MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Long Bay Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus design that is one of the Myrtle Beach area’s most popular layouts, reopened Aug. 14 following a comprehensive greens restoration project.
Founders Group International (FGI), Long Bay’s parent company, closed the course May 17 for an effort highlighted by the installation of TifEagle bermudagrass and the restoration of the layout’s greens to their original specifications. Prior to the project, Long Bay, which opened in 1988, had approximately 70,000-square-feet of putting surface, a number that now stands at nearly 110,000-square-feet.
“We are so excited to welcome golfers back to Long Bay,” said Brandon Mensinger, Long Bay’s head pro. “Our new greens are in outstanding condition, and we have reclaimed more than 30,000-square-feet of putting surface, dramatically increasing the number of pinnable areas on each green. We are ready to go and golfers can look forward to a smooth, fast roll this fall.”
TifEagle, due to its resistance to mutation and ability to produce an outstanding putting surface, has emerged as the grass of choice for many of Myrtle Beach’s premier courses, including the Grande Dunes Resort Course and Pawleys Plantation, the area’s other Nicklaus design.
In addition to the greens work, Long Bay also removed all the grass on the surrounding collars and resodded them with Tahoma 419, a hearty variety of bermudagrass that can withstand close mowing and is resistant to mutation.
The expansion of Long Bay’s greens increased the number of pinnable areas, maximizing the creativity of the Nicklaus design, and it will enhance course conditions over time, allowing the staff to distribute traffic across the entirety of each green complex.
Located along the North Strand, Long Bay has long been a favorite of traveling golfers. Nicklaus used fairway bunkers and mounding to frame a course that rewards both power and precision. At the heart of Long Bay’s appeal is a back nine that is among the area’s best.
The short par 4 10th, featuring a fairway ringed by a waste bunker, the island green, par 3 13th, and No. 18, a dramatic dogleg right that plays around a lake, were all ranked among Myrtle Beach’s top 100 holes, underscoring Long Bay’s appeal.
For more information on the course, visit www.LongBayGolfClub.com.
