Sunset Beach

Accommodations:

Sea Trail Plantation

Location:

The Jones Course
Designed by Rees Jones in 1989, this course is rated 4 Star by Golf Digest.  It has water hazards coming into play on eleven holes, but only occasionally is it big water; most of it comes in the form of small ponds and lakes, though a handful of holes have serious water the length of the fairway. Perhaps a bigger obstacle are the pot and large expanse bunkers Jones placed cagily through the layout. Like most Jones courses, it's imaginatively laid-out, with no parallel holes as you rarely see other golfers and there's a nice mix of yardages. Most of the more difficult holes come in bunches: Nos. 6 and 7 on the front, a 400-yard par 4 with water the length of the left fairway and a 440-yarder with a tight landing area, respectively.  The fairway on hole #10 is bordered entirely by a freshwater lake.  Hole #17 is a fun Par 3: if you have any balls left you may lose them here with a full carry over water.  It’s only 157 yards, but if you hook the ball, then you will hear a splash.  In fact, all of the par 3s, are great.

The Maples Course
Dan Maples created this masterpiece and Golf Digest nominated it as one of the most outstanding new resort courses in the country for 1986 and also gives it a 4 Star rating.  Twisted ancient oaks, tall Carolina pines and tifdwarf greens define each hole on the beautiful par 72 course, still regarded as one of Maples finest. This one-of-a-kind course has newly renovated A1/A4 blended Bent grass greens and boasts five holes that wind along the scenic Calabash Creek, home to nesting ospreys and other native wildlife. The course is also peppered with numerous waste bunkers, one of which extends the full length of a fairway. The course plays to 6700 yards from the tips, but is narrow and surrounded by homes.  The greens are undulating and medium sizes.  Water hazards (lakes) come into play at least twelve times.  The signature hole is #7, a 410-yard, Par 4, requiring shots past trees and over water.

The Byrd Course
The architect for this course is Willard Byrd and he gave you large undulating greens and plush fairways. This course can be quite a challenge.  Director of Golf Eddie Pratt likes to call  it "a parkland-style golf course with a little target golf." He continues, "You hate to tell people to keep it in the fairway - that's pretty much true everywhere - but it's really true here. If you're playing from the member tees, and your short-iron game is good, play to the 150-marker and you'll play all day."  Of course, there are water hazards to deal with on this course, but only nine of them.  The first three holes will give you enough water to deal with that you’ll wish you had a fishing rod.  And hole #4 is a dogleg left with a huge beach on the left.  Make it to the green and you have bunkers protecting both sides.  The enjoyment is in the challenge, I think.  All of the par 5s on this 4 Star rated track are interesting and give you some eagle possibilities.
 

Oyster Bay Golf Links                                                                                                         Since you are north of the border, you ought to play Oyster Bay Golf Links Through the years, the course designed by Dan Maples and Larry Young has matured into a solid test of golf with multiple signature holes. To see the stunning marsh in the golden light of late afternoon at the Oyster Bay golf course is worth the difficulties of playing around the traps that define the double-dogleg fifth hole. It follows the uniqueness of the fourth hole, which features alternating greens. Depending on the day, the hole can play as a long straight-ahead or a 90-degree dogleg-left par 4.  For many courses, the 13th would be a signature hole, but at Oyster Bay the green that sits on top of a concrete wall is preparation for the main course. The 17th hole is a tantalizing island green that is built on a mountain of oyster shells. Just pick your club and take your chance.