GOLF LINK TIGERS EYE OCEAN RIDGE
GOLF LINK SUNSET BEACH, NC - Wet, warped plywood. That is how designer Tim Cate describes the putting surfaces at Tiger's Eye Golf Links. Cate ought to know - he designed this $10 million golf course that sits just over the border at Ocean Ridge Plantation in North Carolina's Brunswick islands.Austad's Golf is your golf equipment headquarters. We've got all the major name brands for less. Cate's assessment of his greens, however, is only a starting point in sizing up this North Strand golf link. There may not be a flat putt at Tiger's Eye - not even from gimmie range - but the greens are in excellent condition, and hold the lines if you can find them. The golf link layout is one of the best in the North Strand, and the course is regularly recognized as one of the ten best at the beach. Cate's cleverly, yet traditionally designed golf links were patched together through an amazing piece of coastal property that contains over 60 feet of elevation change. Not a big number if you're from Colorado, or even the mountains of North Carolina. But for those of us that are used to hitting knock down shots through sea mist, it's time to prepare for nosebleeds. Tiger's Eye is what the Ocean Ridge Plantation folks call their "crown jewel," and without a doubt, it's the best of the three courses on site. Lion's Paw, OCP's first golf link, is a strange mix of Willard Byrd and Cate - a mentor and pupil that never quite saw eye to eye on course design. The front nine at Lion's Paw is a densely forested, shotmakers course. The back nine is wide open, brutally windy, and unabashedly linksy. Panther's Run OCP's second track, is all Cate, and if it weren't for the Tiger around the corner, this fascinating jungle of a layout would be considered one of the best courses in Brunswick County. The entire course plays through a nature preserve, and the challenge, simply put by OCP Director of Golf Tom Plankers, is to stay out of it. But Tiger's Eye is the one they have come to see, and let it be known that the giant beast is ready for them. At 7014 yards from the back tees and a slope of 144, Tiger's Eye will challenge low handicappers, but five sets of tees enable the average golfer to manage the course without any major disasters. Water is in play on 13 holes, and Cate has almost invariably placed the hazards to the right of the fairways and greens. A few holes, like par four fourth, and the par five 15th, bring water into play for golfers with right to left shot shapes. But if you are like most average golfers, and hit a weak fade, the Tiger golf link will be on your heels the entire round. Tiger's Eye backs off of its predatory nature on the opening hole - a par four that plays only 313 yards from the white "Bengal" tees. The safe tee shot should favor the right side, but a nicely drawn five wood will put you in the money position with a wide open look at the green. The par three second hole, however, is the toughest one-shotter on the course and the No. 9 handicap hole overall. Forty-five feet of uphill elevation change, two deep greenside bunkers and a small pond to the left ensure that golfers don't get too cocksure about conquering the beast from the get-go. Whether its one of Cate's more manageable par fours, or one of his knee-knocking par threes, the theme remains the same at Tiger's Eye: Fire accurately with your approach shots, or don't fire at all.Medicus Dual Hinge Driver Chosen by golf pros as top swing trainer club in the world. Try now! "The difficulty at Tiger's Eye is truly in the greens. "There are no flat spots, but they are not ridiculously undulating or tricked up. You have to pay close attention to the pin placement sheet, or it will cost you stokes." Unlike the quintessential resort course, Tiger's Eye was not designed for players to go out and shoot the best round of their life. To shoot your handicap you need to experience the course two or three times. Cate takes most of the guesswork out of the fairways by providing huge landing areas that are almost always visible from the tee box. Other time, however, he employs some visual deceptions that force players to contemplate their next shots like chess moves. On the par five 15th, a flared up fairway bunker appears to be much further away than it really is, making the green look almost unreachable in two shots. In reality, the hole plays just 467 yards from the white tees, and 531-yards from the tips, and getting home in two is plausible for players who draw the ball. The par three 11th hole plays just 165 yards from the back tees to an island green fronted by a deep finger bunker. Normally the third easiest hole on the course, the No. 11 can play two clubs longer with the coastal breeze in your face. Nothing is more humbling that crunching a solid iron shot on this hole, watching it rise majestically above the tree line, having it pause momentarily at its apex, and then drop like a rock into the water below. A lot of players think of this course as the Caledonia of the north. We have people out here that just stop and look at all the flowers, or sit in tranquility on the 18th and listen to the waterfall." Listen too closely and the Tiger will lull you to sleep … just before it pounces. Designer: Tim CateYear Opened: 2000Turf: Greens - bentgrass, Fairways - Bermuda with rye overseed. Slope/Ratings: Saber Tooth 73.5/144, Amur 71.4/139, Bengal 68.1/124, Caspian (Men) -66/108, Caspian (Women) 70.1/128, Tigress 66.6/108Yardage:Saber Tooth 7014, Amur 6628, Bengal 6120, Caspian (Men) - 5136, Caspian (Women) 5136, Tigress 4502. Address:360 Ocean Ridge Parkway SW, Sunset Beach, NC 28469 Head Professional: Tom PlankersGolf Digest recently ranked Tiger's Eye as the third best golf link in Myrtle Beach. That ranking included both public and private courses, and its hard for me to say that Tiger's Eye is better than the Barefoot Resort courses, Tidewater, Pawleys Plantation, the Wild Wing Courses, and Rivers Edge. But it is top ten in my book, and a must-play for anyone searching out some of the better surcharge courses. Book with confidence thanks to the Best Price Guarantee from Expedia.com Tom Cate designed this untamed masterpiece with it’s unforgettable 18 holes and alluring design. 60 foot elevation changes, undulating fairways and shimmering lakes all come together to make a truly challenging course. A stunning par 3 island green defies even the most skilled golfers. Enjoy the clubhouse veranda that completes this perfect course with a stunning panoramic view.
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