2013 WORLD AM DAY 1 RECAP: TPC MYRTLE BEACH

By mustang6560 on 8/26/13

Seeing my name on the cart always makes me smile!

There are only a few things in life that get me as excited as the seven- or eight-year-old version of myself on Christmas morning — and day one of the World Am is one of them! I felt like the Nathan of yesteryear this morning. I was filled with exuberance as I woke up to my alarm clock knowing it was time once again to compete in the Golf.com World Amateur Handicap Championship.

As I noted in my World Am preview yesterday, I played TPC Myrtle Beach today. It was my first TPC course to play, so I pumped to play it. The 'fun facts' about TPC Myrtle Beach are: 1) it is Dustin Johnson's home course, 2) it hosted the 2000 Senior PGA Tour Championship, which was won by Tom Watson, and 3) it is the only golf course on the Grand Strand to receive five stars from Golf Digest.



Welcome to the Tournament Players Club of Myrtle Beach!



The front of the clubhouse.



There are quite a few TPC courses in the United States.


As the website says, TPC courses are designed to give golfers of all skill levels an opportunity to experience what it's like to play a PGA Tour caliber golf course. From the moment I stepped out of my car, I could tell I wasn't on a regular golf course. The practice facilities were unlike anything I've ever seen. There was a huge driving range with two separate putting greens -- one for chipping (with a large bunker) and one for putting.



A view of the chipping green.



The driving range was definitely PGA Tour-esque.


Like the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, the 17th hole of TPC Myrtle Beach is the signature hole. It's less of an "island" hole but longer, so it provides a proper challenge. Want to guess which hole was the site of the closest to the hole contest? You guessed it — the 17th. I was fortunate to make par; I was about six inches from rolling off of the back of the green into the water. Needless to say, I wasn't in the running for closest to the hole!



The 17th, the signature hole at TPC Myrtle Beach.


Overall, the Tom Fazio design was a lot of fun. It was the perfect mix of short and long holes, so you don't have to hit driver every hole. I will say, you could tell the course isn't what it used to be. It seemed a little out of shape. A few of the fairways were under repair and a few of the tee boxes were burned out, but the greens were pristine! If you put your putt on the right line with the right speed, it was going in. I managed to card an 83 with two birdies (but no skins) which, rumor on the street has it, leaves me near the top of my flight.

I'm headed to the 19th Hole now, the largest in the world! I'll post an update later with pictures from the 19th Hole and how everyone did in their respective flights. Ciao!



A view of the challenging finishing hole from the tee box.


A view of the 18th green from the clubhouse.


All photos by Nathan J. Trifone