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May 22nd, 2012 | Article by Craig Chinn

Best Time of the Year to Golf in Myrtle Beach, SC

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is home to over 90 golf courses, making it the favorite golf vacation destination for many. If you're interested in making the trip, but you're wondering what exactly the best time of the year to golf in Myrtle Beach is - we've got you covered! I'm going to layout the advantages and disadvantages of each season to help you better understand which season is the right one for you. Let's jump right in and get started.

Fall & Winter Golf in Myrtle Beach (September thru February)

I've decided to go ahead and group Fall and Winter together because in all honesty, the weather conditions in coastal South Carolina during both seasons are very similar.

The temperature from September all the way until mid December is any golfers dream. Why? You won't find that shirt-soaking kind of weather at that time, like you would during July or August. Instead, you'll be pleasantly greeted by cool ocean breezes and temperatures ranging anywhere from 85 to 60 degrees. Also, the majority of family vacation groups begin to gradually leak out, and the stream of golfers begin to pour back in.

Aside from weather and crowd size, let's talk about the major reason I love golfing in the Fall and Winter here in Myrtle Beach; the lower prices. You'll find that vacation rentals, restaurants, local attractions and tee-times are more reasonably priced and significantly lower than the Spring.

However, you should be aware of the caveats that the Fall and Winter golf season have.

1. Frost Delays: Depending on the weather, you might incur a frost delay. These type of delays force the golf courses to allow groups to tee-off a little later than normal.

2. Limited Daylight: Shorter hours of daylight equate to less hours of golf that are able to be played within a single day. This can affect you for two reasons. Shorter days lead to a shorter supply of tee-times that are available to be booked, as well as limiting the amount of "free replays" you're able to take advantage of.

3. Overseeding: The most common type of grass used on golf courses in Myrtle Beach is Bermuda. Due to the drop in temperature in the Fall and Winter, Bermuda grass becomes dormant and golf courses will normally coat the freshly oversewn areas with cool weather grass. During this time, most golf courses allow cart path only so as not to disturb the growth of new grass.

With that being said, Fall and Winter golfing season in Myrtle Beach is one you have to experience for yourself to truly appreciate. I mean, who doesn't like to golf in December?!

: Spring Golf at Barefoot Fazio Golf Course - North Myrtle Beach, SC

Spring Golfing in Myrtle Beach (March, April, May)

It's show time boys and girls! Known as the season of all seasons to hit the links in the "Golf Capital of the World". This time of the year is spectacular to not only golf in Myrtle Beach, but to actually be at the beach in general. The temperatures begin to rise, the flowers begin to bloom, the ocean begins to warm up and most importantly; the days become longer allowing for more tee-times to be had.

SPRING TIME PLANNING TIP: The early bird gets the worm, tee-times and prime vacation rentals! Plan ahead to secure your groups spot on the courses you plan on playing! Also, most of the area golf package providers will cut you a deal on your accommodations if you play and stay with them. This can prove to crucial when you are trying to lock-up a decent oceanfront rental while staying within your budget.

As always, you have to be able to take the good with the bad. Here are a few of the downsides to Spring golf season:

1. Traffic & Crowds: This is the time of the year where golfers from all around the world flock to the Grand Strand.

2. Golf Course Rates Peak: The Springtime is when golf courses understand basic economic principles and charge the most due to supply and demand.

3. Vacation Rental Rates On The Rise: The same as the golf courses, Myrtle Beach vacation rental companies also know that this is prime time for golfers, so they begin to increase their rental rates as well.

4. Tee-Time Availability Becomes Sparse: If you wait too long to book your golf vacation, you'll be upset to see that the majority of the tee-times for area golf courses are already spoken for.

: The Dunes Club Golf Course - Myrtle Beach, SC

Summer Golfers in Myrtle Beach (June, July, August)

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina has been awarded Trip Advisor's "Travelers' Choice Award" for being the #1 beach destination for the United States in 2011 and secured the #3 spot for 2012. The summertime is when things really start to heat up along the Grand Strand, figuratively and literally. Family vacations are in full swing, the nightlife is sizzling, the temperatures are reaching their yearly peak and the ocean is warm enough to take a bath in. This can prove to be beneficial and detrimental to golfers looking to head South for the Summer. Since the temperatures are reaching the 90's with high levels of humidity, golf may not be a top priority for a lot of people who are vacationing here.

But, if you play your cards right and ensure that you get early AM tee-times to beat the heat, golfing in the Summer can be you and your wallet's best friend. The golf rates are significantly cheaper in the Summer than the other seasons, making the Summer an excellent time of the year to golf in Myrtle Beach.

SUMMER GOLF WEAR TIP: Make sure you wear breathable clothing and always make sure to stay hydrated (beer doesn't count, even though we wish it did).

Some of the cons this time of year you need to be aware of:

1. High Humidity: The humidity levels in the Carolinas during summertime can be troubling for some of the older folks and even the younger ones.

2. AM Tee-Times Can Be A Challenge: Everyone's trying to beat the heat and scoop up the early tee-times. Get your game face on and force yourself to book in advance.

3. Bugs: These guys can be an issue on golf courses that have marshes.

4. Crowds: The beach, local attractions and restaurants are super busy.

5. Vacation Rental Rates Peak: Millions of people rush to Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach for their annual family vacation. And you know what? We can't blame them!

6. Golf Course Maintenance: Courses are starting the aerification process.

The most important thing when deciding which golf season is right for you is determining what you'd like to do aside from just golf, how much you're willing to spend and how far in advance you're able to book your golf vacation. Don't forget that Golf Directors do exist, and their mission is to help you through the golf vacation planning process.

AUTHOR OVERVIEW:
Craig Chinn is the Director of Golf at NorthMyrtleBeachGolf.com. He is able to utilize his vast local knowledge of and experience with the golf industry in Myrtle Beach to benefit and guide potential visitors with their planning needs. NorthMyrtleBeachGolf.com is the golf packages division of CondoLux Vacation Rentals, which allows golfers to tap into its inventory of 500+ luxurious oceanfront and ocean view accommodations. They currently have offices in North Myrtle Beach and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

You can follow Craig Chinn on Twitter @MBGolfPro.

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May 21st, 2012 | Article by GuestPost

How Golf GPS Systems & Rangefinders are Shaping the Game

Recent years have seen an explosion in golf-related technology and while the object of the sport has not changed, the methods by which we accomplish the overall objective is constantly evolving.

I for one believe it’s having a particularly positive impact on the game. GPS devices in particular have certainly improved the sport and finally give golfing enthusiasts the opportunity to have their own personal caddy right in their pocket.

Professionals

Since golfing organizations including the United States Golfing Association (USGA) made it legal for golf GPS devices to be used in professional tournaments, the technology has come a long way. Not only is it now recognized as an essential golfing accessory by both amateurs and semi-professionals while on the green but is considered as an absolute by some of the sports elite.

Bubba Watson

Bubba Watson for example showed off his new golf GPS system during his successful 2012 Masters Tournament in Augusta earlier this year. Not only did he suddenly turn into an overnight sensation but his interest in golf technology also grabbed worldwide attention with Bubba even attaching his name to a special edition of a famous brand.

Even the most reluctant professionals who have eventually tried modern golfing technology such as a golf rangefinder or GPS device must have enjoyed the host of features available at your fingertips on the fairway. Most golf systems give you a panoramic walk-through of nearly every course in the world and with only a glance at the screen you are able to instantly learn the distance to the front, centre and back of the green, how far you’ve hit a shot and even see a birds-eye overhead view.

Amateurs

For amateurs I think it’s simply a blessing to enjoy knowing the correct distances on the local golf course close to home. Others have found their game vastly improve simply by understanding which golf club is recommended for each shot as well as being aware of potential hazards along the freeway. This has really helped me on courses which have been unfamiliar or those holes where the green is so often out of sight.

Benefits

Finally new devices have encouraged a faster game play, especially for those just beginning. No moreover markers or overshooting, adding pointless strokes to the game. Just think a faster game can only mean one thing, more golf.

The Sat Nav Company in the UK offers a range of golfing products to help make your game easier. Click here for their GPS-based systems, or here for their range finders.

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April 4th, 2012 | Article by Christian

Augusta National Still Doesn’t Like the Ladies

It's back as a hot topic of discussion again at the Masters this year; Should Augusta National allow women to become members? It's been the board's policy to this point that the club remain exclusively male. Hell they only allowed the first black member to join back in 1990, so it looks like the possibility of seeing the ladies playing Augusta National is a ways off. However, because IBM's title sponsorship of the the Masters guarantees club membership for it's corporate officers, and one of the top exec's at IBM, Ginni Rometty, is a woman, this put's the good ol' boys in Georgia in quite a pinch. Do they amend their policy and grand Rometty a membership, while forever changing the history of their beloved country club? Or do they stand firm and risk losing IBM as the Masters major sponsor, as well as the top male executives at IBM who already have been given membership? Oh this puts Billy Payne and the AN board in quite a difficult position.
Then there's the question of why does the PGA tour sanction an event at a venue which discriminates against women? This certainly isn't the image that the PGA tour wants to be associated with, but it's kind of like the elephant in the room that everyone just tries to ignore. Well unfortunately this year, the elephant is making a lot of noise and starting to break things, so it's going to be difficult to sweep this issue under the rug much longer. Personally, I like the traditions of the Masters. I'm fine with it being a "Male Only Club", but when there's a policy that sponsor exec's get memberships, and you've got women in top spots, it's hard to have two sets of rules.

What do you think, should Augusta National make an exception and allow Ms. Rometty to become a member? Will this set an unwanted precedent and open the flood gates to having more women join? And will the LPGA be knocking on the door next to hold the Women's Masters at the hallowed course?

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March 29th, 2012 | Article by Christian

You Need to Try the New Titleist Velocity Golf Ball

By now you've probably seen the ad's on T.V. or the new boxes in your favorite golf store and have been wondering what's up with the new balls from Titleist. The all new Titleist Velocity Golf Ball was released about a month ago, along with the new Titleist NXT and NXT Tour S balls. I had an opportunity to try this ball out a few weeks prior to it's public release and at the time I didn't really take it too seriously. It was a cold, windy day on the course, which made for really poor playing conditions, let alone trying to test out a new golf ball for the first time. The next opportunity I had to play I took a sleeve out and played it side by side with my old, trusty friend the ProV1x.

The Sound

The first thing I noticed with the Velocity is that the cover is very similar to that of the ProV1 line. While the Velocity doesn't have a urethane cover, it's new NaZ2 outer skin is extremely soft and it doesn't have that 'clicky' sound you associate with a hard, lower end golf ball. Just knocking two balls together in your hands, you can tell that it's going to have a good feel off the club face. If a ball doesn't sound right to me, no matter how well it performs, I'm probably not going to play it. Sounds strange, but I don't need any other distractions out there. I want it to feel and sound right when I hit it. The Velocity definitely sounds good off irons and metal woods.

Off the Tee

Ok, this is where the rubber meets the road as far as most players are concerned. "How much more distance will I get from the Velocity"? I can hear you saying it now. Well don't worry, you won't be disappointed. Every ball that hits the market is undoubtedly going to claim that you will see huge increases in distance. I can't remember the last ball that came out touting, "Same Distance That You Got From Our Previous Model". Because of this, it's easy to be skeptical about any major distance gains. Folks the Titleist Velocity IS LONGER OFF THE TEE THAN A ProV1x! There, I said it. Through the course of the round, I played at minimum 2 tee shots with both Velocity & ProV1x. I saw an average of 8-10 yards more distance with the Velocity. Now that's HUGE. I realize that this can come down to good swings and bad swings, but I'm measuring this statistic on drives where I felt I hit both balls as well as I possibly could. The Velocity was designed to reduce spin, which is really good for you guys who tend to have higher launching drives. Not only will this help get your more distance, but for the slicers, the side spin will be reduced greatly as well, helping to keep your errant shots closer to the fairway. I hit the ball fairly high off the tee and I could visibly notice that the ball had a more penetrating flight than the ProV1x. I liked this immediately. Players with lower swing speeds will still be able to get this ball out there because of the new core design of the Velocity.

The Irons

Getting the extra distance off the tee is great, but if the ball doesn't play well with irons and wedges, then it's a failure in my opinion. Like I said before, the Velocity has a great sound and feel off the club face. This is consistent with iron shots as well. On low to mid iron shots, the ball jumps off the club face and feels good. With wedges, you will really feel how soft the cover is, nearly identical to a ProV1x in my opinion. Again, I noticed myself hitting too much club with this ball, which really surprised me on a few occasions. One hole, a 165 yard slightly downhill par 3, normally plays as an 8 iron for me. I hit the Velocity over the green by about 15 yards O.B. Yeah, I wasn't quite expecting that. I definitely do not don't see myself hitting 165 yard 9 irons, but with this ball it just may be in the cards from now on.

On the Greens

Now here's the biggest difference I saw with the Velocity in comparison to the ProV1x. When I hit a well struck iron shot, the Velocity would hit the green and take a forward bounce, landing around 3-5 feet from it's initial pitch mark. This was consistent nearly every green hit. For me, with a ProV1x, it would generally spin back anywhere from a foot to 10 feet, depending on the green. The fact that the Velocity was that predictable on where it would end up on the green is a really big deal. Again, my launch angles are generally high spin producing, so playing a ball which can help control the spin is a must. The ProV1x almost spins too much for my swing conditions and it can be difficult to control where it ends up on the greens. The Velocity takes out this variable. Hit it just short of pin high and it should release enough to be right up even with the flag.

Click Here to Check Pricing & Availability of Titleist Velocity

Putting

I had considered playing the NXT Tour years ago, because it was also longer off the tee for me than a ProV1, however on and around the greens it felt like a 1987 Top Flite XL. Hard as a frickin rock. Initially I was worried that the Velocity would just be a replay of that scenario. A little extra distance, but nearly unplayable for chip shots and putting. WRONG!. The Velocity has the exact same feel as a ProV. Soft, nice sound off the putter face. Rolls great. Nearly no difference on the green whatsoever. The Velocity has the alignment line that the ProV's have, so you're not giving that up either. Overall, it performed equally as well as the ProV1x on the putting surface.

Conclusions

Well if you read this entire review, you probably already know my conclusions. The Titleist Velocity is a huge winner and I'm going to be replacing the ProV1's with it from now on. The crazy thing is that this ball, which is a 100% new design from the ground up, is that it wasn't meant to be a ProV1 replacement by any means. It's actually not even supposed to be on the same level as Titleist's new NXT line. The Velocity is one step above the lousy DT SoLo, which is a piece of junk if you ask me. So how can it perform this well? I'm still asking myself the same thing. I think the Titleist engineers seriously underestimated how good of a ball they created. I'm worried that once they figure out that this ball really performs better than it's supposed to, that we'll be paying $48.00 a dozen instead of the $25.00 a dozen you will pay in most golf shops. If you play a ProV1 or ProV1x currently, you really owe it to yourself to try out the Velocity. I can almost guarantee you will get a distance gain and more consistent results from iron shots. Everyone has different swings and playing conditions, so this should be considered, but for the price, it's definitely worth trying a dozen and testing them for yourself. It's easy to get caught up in the ego thing of "I have to play the ball the pro's play". Hell, I've been guilty of that myself. But let's face it, most of us aren't anywhere close to that level. So finding a ball that fits your swing and game is so very important. Even lower handicap golfers will find this ball a great fit. If you like to have a super duper mega spinning golf ball, the Velocity isn't for you. But if you want a ball that goes a long ways, feels good on the greens and is very controllable, the Velocity is right up your alley. Oh and another cool feature I almost forgot, you can get the bitchin double digit numbers on the Velocity. Now that should put you over the top.

Golfsmith has a great deal on the Titleist Velocity Golf Ball and Titleist Velocity Double-Digit Golf Ball plus you can get Free Shipping On Orders $75 Or More. Click here to pick up a dozen!

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March 26th, 2012 | Article by Christian

Tiger Wins the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Haters Still Gonna Hate?

We watched TW play golf reminiscent of the Tiger of old yesterday on his way to a nice win over Graeme McDowell in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Tiger was a green and fairway hitting machine, plus his putter cooperated all week as well which is the reason we saw him pull away from the strong field that was nipping at his heels all weekend. Some of the popular golf media outlets have been touting that "Tiger is Back" and that he might be on his way to the form of the 2000 season in which he dominated the game like no one we've ever seen. While I'll admit that his form is definitely looking good, and I think this win will open the floodgates for the rest of the season, I'm not sure we can start drawing comparisons to the Tiger Slam era just yet. It's going to take a solid year, with multiple wins to begin regaining that type of mystique, but I do think he's well on his way. Plus, we will definitely need to see at least one, if not two, major wins this year if we want to make comparisons to his game from 12 years ago.

So with Tiger getting back in the winners circle at Bay Hill, I'm wondering what all of the "Haters" are going to find to hate on now. They can't say it was a crappy field. They can't say that anyone handed TW the win. They can't say that it was an un-official PGA event. So to all the Tiger haters..what's your beef now? What have you got to hate on? Oh, and do you think Tiger is the favorite at Augusta? Seems like a pretty good pick to me.