OYSTER BAY GOLF COURSE SUNSET BEACH NC Oyster Bay which opened in 1983, was voted the 1983 Golf Digest "Resort Course of the Year" and ranked by the same publication among the top 50 public courses in the country in 1990. is a rare blend of the various philosophies of golf course architecture. This course is one of the most beautiful and diversified courses to be found anywhere. It is located in Sunset Beach, NC just minutes North of its predecessor, Marsh Harbour. From Myrtle Beach Airport:Take Harrelson Boulevard to Highway 17 Bypass, Make a Right onto Highway 17 Bypass and head North until Route 501, Merge onto Route 501 North towards Conway, Take 501 N. until you get to Highway 31 (Carolina Bays Parkway), Take Highway 31 North until the end, At the end merge Right and take Highway 9 East towards Wilmington, Take Highway 9 until it meets with Highway 17, Make a Left onto 17 North towards Little River, Follow 17 N. through to Route 179, Make a Right onto 179 towards Calabash, At your 2nd traffic light make a Right and follow 179, The course will be 3 miles on the left. Oyster Bay and Marsh Harbour got in while the getting was good, just before the explosion of new courses went off in earnest in 1987. Fast-forward to 2004, and the times are decidedly less heady. Marsh Harbour closed in December 2003 after owner LaDane Williamson and Larry Young couldn't agree on the terms for a new lease for the Legends Group to operate the course. When and if the course will reopen remains a mystery. As for the Bay, it remains open, albeit with a bit of a chip on its shoulder. Seems the course has fallen out of favor with the magazines that once sung its praises.Save Up to 50% on GRIP Golf's Famous Clubs Bundles and Deals GolfWeek's latest ratings of the best courses in North Carolina include Rivers Edge (1999) in Shallotte, but no sign of courses named for shellfish. Those close to the course believe a lack of advertising dollars spent in national golf magazines has led to Oyster Bay's fall from grace. This theory smacks of sour grapes, but it raises valid point -- the older courses of Myrtle Beach -- other than the Dunes Club -- are often ignored in favor of bright, shiny new courses like Tiger's Eye, Rivers Edge, and more recently, Grande Dunes. As for Myrtle Beach bound patrons, ratings and rankings should take a backseat to reality. The haunting layout on the shores of Twin Lakes has a collection of holes that are as well-conceived and scenery-soaked as any in the Grand Strand. Oyster Bay is an innovative course that offers superb conditioning and requires precision golf. The landscape is both exquisite and demanding. From island green Par 3 holes to holes that barely circumvent the marsh, Oyster Bay is not lacking in challenges. Enjoy short holes and tackle long holes at this Par 70 course that is located just north of Myrtle Beach, within easy driving distance for your Myrtle Beach golf vacation. Golf Course Address: Golf Course Architect: Dan MaplesLake Shore Drive Year Opened: 1983Sunset Beach Golf Course Rating: 74.2North Carolina, 28468 Holes: 18 Slope: 134
|
The par-70 course plays to just under 6,700 yards with two island green par threes.
The settings and designs of each were good enough to warrant numerous accolades from Golf Digest, GOLF Magazine and other well respected, highly circulated golf glossies. As late as the mid 90s, the North Strand duo was still rated among the state's best.
