With the Summer heat rising higher and higher here in Golf Town, USA so does the popularity of  our Top 10 Myrtle Beach Golf Course Rankings. I have had tons of positive feedback via twitter, (you can follow me @mbgolfpro) on the rankings on the courses. The following is the Top 10 Golf Courses in Myrtle Beach for the Month of June 2011. These rankings are compiled from visitors voting on the northmyrtlebeachgolf.com website.

We have two new-comers to the Top 10! Pawley`s Plantation and Willbrook Plantation with a new #1 in Barefoot Dye and two courses back in the Top 10 after being knocked out, Barefoot Fazio and Pearl East are back. We lost four great courses out of the Top 10 but with out a doubt they will be back. Heritage Club, World Tour, Glen Dornoch and True Blue all dropped out of the Top 10.

1. Barefoot – Dye – The New #1

2. Caledonia – Moved up from #5

3. Bald Head Island – Still moving up, Moved from #4 last month.

4. Pawley`s Plantation – New to the list jumping all the way up to #4

5. Dunes Club – “Down Goes Frazier” after being #1 for three straight months, still my favorite course.

6. Thistle – Made its debut last month at #9 and moved up quickly to #6

7. TPC of Myrtle Beach – dropped down one spot from #6

8. Pearl East – Back in the Top 10 after being bumped out in May. Welcome Back.

9. Willbrook Plantation – Making its Top 10 debut in the Top 10

10. Barefoot Fazio – Back in Top 10 after being knocked out for two months.

Lions Paw Golf Club is the first BIG CAT course to open at the famed Ocean Ridge Plantation, Home of the Big Cats. Designed my Golf Course Architect Willard Byrd, Lions Paw, which opened in 1990, will become the 7th golf course in the Myrtle Beach area to close for a new hybrid of Bermuda Grass. Lions Paw will be switching from Bent Grass to the new Mini Verde. The course will close on July 4th, 2011 and reopen 8-weeks after just in time for the  Golf.com World Amateur Handicap Championship. Lions Paw features multiple tee boxes and elevation changes on both nines of the golf course. With lakes and creeks on 15 of the holes, water comes into play making the golf course truly challenge every level of player.

Lions Paw has been awarded: “Top 100 Fairways” Golf For Woman Magazine, “Top 50 Courses in Myrtle Beach” Golf Digest

You can book Lion’s Paw as part of NorthMyrtleBeachGolf.com’s Big Cats golf package.

I had a chance to play Arrowhead Country Club yesterday and was amazed right from the start. From the cart staff to sinking the final putt on the 18th hole, my group definitely had a great time out there.

There are at least 5 different holes that have a view of the Intracoastal Waterway. The switch from bent grass to the new mini verde hybrid was a great choice for the greens too! It’s much more tolerant for our Myrtle Beach climate and is an excellent putting surface. The staff kept the course in great shape too, with the bunkers edged and the fairways nice and plush.

World Golf Hall of Fame inductee and Carolina native Ray Floyd teamed with Golf Course Architect Tom Jackson in 1994 to design Arrowhead Country Club in “Golf Town, USA”  Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  Arrowhead Country Club is one of eleven 27-hole faciltes on the Grand Strand with the Cypress, Lakes and Waterway nines. The course features Bermuda fairways and newly renovated hybrid Mini Verde Bermuda Grass Greens, practice facilty and Intracoastal Waterway Views on the Cypress and Waterway nines.

Arrowhead Country Club is centrally located in Myrtle Beach and one of the closest courses to the Myrtle Beach International Airport. With four sets of tees, wide fairways and undulating greens, Arrowhead Country is a “must play golf course in Myrtle Beach.” It was even voted “Golf Course of the Year” in 1998.  Being so close to the airport is great for the businessman who wants to play a round too.  Plus, Arrowhead has showers on the facility, so you can clean up before your flight home.

The course is located just off Hwy 501 before you get to Myrtle Beach.

The picture above shows the actual foot print patters of ONE foursome playing the hole like normal. The grass is damaged beyond repair now.

The fall golf season in Myrtle Beach is here, with that comes the cooler weather. With the cooler weather, also comes those chilly mornings were the golf course could experience FROST.

What is frost? Where does it come from? Why cant we play while frost is present? Hopefully I can answer some of these questions for you.

Frost is frozen due that has crystallized on the grass. Since grass blades are about 90% water, when a frost occurs, the blades of grass also freeze. Since all golfers like to hit off of carpet like fairways and putt on good greens, golf course turf is cut lower than the grass in your yard, walking on frost covered grass can cause SERIOUS damage to the golf course. In fact, you would not know how much damage it has done, because it typically takes 48-72 hours when the grass blades start turning brown and die. You are already done playing that course. One person takes approximately 60 paces on a green. Multiply that by 18 holes with an average of 200 rounds per day and the result is 216,000 footprints on greens in a day or 6,480,000 in a month or 77,760,000 footprints in a year.

Frost delays can last 10 minutes to over 2 hours. For more Myrtle Beach golf tweets and retweets follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/mbgolfpro

I was invited to play the Long Bay Club by the Myrtle Beach National Company to play last week. My first visit since I played there in July. The golf course was again in excellent shape and the greens were lighting fast.

I was also taken on a tour, of former PGA Tour player, Mr. Hugh Royer III, Champions Golf Academy.

The Academy which opened in 2006, is fully operational with a state-of-the-art learning center that includes three private teaching bays equipped with the V-1 Digital Coaching System, short and long game areas, relaxing lounge, extensive club fitting technology and its own fitness center and driving range.

I did happen to find my web album from when I played the Long Bay Club in February for the North Myrtle Beach High School Band Fundraiser Golf Tournament, that also help raise $5000 for the local high school band scholarships.

I would like to send a special thanks to the Myrtle Beach National Company, to the staff at The Long Bay Club, and to The Champions Golf Academy @ Long Bay Club.

I was able to squeeze in an emergency 18 at Long Bay Club this week. A true test of golf at one of three, Jack Nicklaus designs on the Grand Strand. Measuring over 7,000 yards from the back, Long Bay is a Semi Private golf club with a slope of 140!

The golf course from tee to green was in excellent condition! Long Bay is one of the most famous courses in Myrtle Beach, staking its claim with the HUGE man made mounds boarding Highway 9, that everyone has passed one time or another on their way to North Myrtle Beach since its opening in 1988.

The Golden Bear, started designing this course after his 1986 Masters win. However, thats not the main reason Long Bay is one of the most famous courses in Myrtle Beach. This Nicklaus design has hosted tournaments like the Carolinas Open, the Myrtle Beach Open, NCAA regional championships and the U.S. Senior Open qualifying just to name a few.

Long Bay also has four holes that have been voted as the “The 100 Greatest Holes along the Grand Strand”. No. 7, 10 (Pictured below) , 13 and 18

The Par 3 #13, which features an Island Green could be another one of many signature holes at Long Bay. The scenic Par 3 has a huge green. Depending on pin placement and wind will determine your club selection. That seems to be the trend at the Par 72 Layout, which features big undulating Tiff Dwarf greens, fairways guarded by waste areas which double as carts path and a well conditioned facility with a fully stocked Pro Shop.

The Golden Bear has designed 265 courses open for play worldwide. The Long Bay Club in North Myrtle Beach, SC is one of his best.

LONG BAY CLUB

350 Fox Tail Dr

Longs, SC 29568

Phone: (800) 344-5590