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Avocet #1
Moguls
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A simple opening hole, the Moguls derives its name from the hazards
surrounding the green. In place of the typical flanking sand hazards,
we have created grass depressions with very dramatic humps in the
bottom. While these yield the chance of a very difficult chip shot
should one miss the green, we feel the average golfer is better
served by these than playing out of sand on the first hole. |
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Avocet #2
Shadows
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On the approach, the green sets low and is receptive to a runup
approach. The golfer's main problem is directional. A large bunker
waits left and a steep face grass hollow that creates dramatic shadows
awaits to the right. A chip off the vertical bank could be very
difficult. |
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Avocet #3
Narrows
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This is a long and difficult par four. Perhaps it only seems
narrow because of its extensive length! The best tee shot favors
the light side because it offers better visibility to the green.
The approach shot does not get any easier. The double tiered green
requires precise accuracy. |
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Avocet #4
Double Cross
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This hole crosses two separate wetlands on the journey from tee
to green. Aim the tee shot at the target bunker on the left with
a slight fade to set the best angle up to the green. To have any
chance of reaching the green in two, the ball must be far enough
to reach the narrow neck along side the fairway bunker. The approach
shot, from whatever distance, is easier when the pin is on the right.
The left side of the green is an upper tier, guarded by the frontal
bunker. Reaching this pin position requires the utmost in concentration. |
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Avocet #5
Bend of the Lake
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This hole is a straight-forward par three with lateral water
on the left hand side of the green. Four pot bunkers and a hidden
grass bunker may catch the golfer who plays too conservatively.
The ideal shot won't get too far right of the pin because of this. |
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Avocet #6
Water's Edge
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Another long par four that golfers will remember because of its
difficulty. It stretches to the maximum length allowed by the rules
of golf. It actually exceeds the maximum length if the very back
pin position is used. The green is triple decked so gauging exact
distance to the pin is important. |
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Avocet #7
Pork Chop
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This hole is named for the large bunker on the front left of
the green which, we are told, resembles a pork chop when seen from
the air. After two long wood shots, the golfer faces the approach.
The green is an elevated tabletop style green with a large bunker
on the left. However, a little collector swale could catch the shot
played too conservatively to the right. |
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Avocet #8
Ledge
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Several tee and pin positions will make this short par 3 play
to a slightly different length every day. Despite the surrounding
challenge, the main focus of the golfer should be getting the short
approach shot to the correct deck. This a two level green with a
multitude of tricky pin positions. |
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Avocet #9
Valley of Sin
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Considered by some as the course's signature hole, this hole
contains many design features. The double fairway is bisected by
a line of grassy and sand pot bunkers. Depending on pin position,
you may wish to place your ball on either fairway, both of which
are a shade under 30 yards wide. The green features no bunkers and
may appear deceptively easy. However, the front left features a
re-creation of the famed "Valley of Sin" at St Andrews.
Golfers who choose to hit a longer tee shot to the left fairway
must come directly over this, and the penalty for coming up short
or spinning back off the deck is a rather unusual putt that is probably
seldom faced. |
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Avocet #10
Jigsaw
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A rather unusual hole for Myrtle Beach because of the man-made
elevation changes. The astute golfer will note that the fairway
has a severe cross slope that will bring a tee shot hit to the left
side of the fairway back down to the middle. From the preferred
landing area near the edge of the bunkers, the green opens up, particularly
the back left pin position. There are bunkers short of the green,
but don't allow these to fool your depth perception. The green drops
off steeply to the back, so be careful not to be long. |
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Avocet #11
Woodland
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The back nine's first par 5 is a definite candidate to reach
in two, just at the point of the round where it is important to
make your move. The only hazard is to miss it right as this hole
runs on the edge of the woodlands. With a sufficiently long tee
shot, the golfer can go for the green in two. The front is open,
but a pond lurks to the left and a large backing bunker lurks to
the right The green is highly contoured and sloping to the water,
so birdies are not assured. |
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Avocet #12
Redan
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This hole is a modernized and reversed version of one of the
most famous holes in Scotland. It has extreme length for a par 3,
calling for a wood off the tee. However, the golfer has the option
of using the grassy bank above the green to ricochet the ball onto
the putting surface. This is more prudent than challenging the deep
sand bunker on the right directly. |
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Avocet #13
Tides
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The golfer should aim at the complex of large green side bunkers
on his tee shot, taking care to place the ball as close to the fairway
bunker on the right as possible. From here, the green opens up.
Several things combine to alter your depth perception, including
the large mound complex behind the green and the false front that
may make the green appear to be closer than it really is. Also,
the golfers should be aware that the green is slightly elevated
on the approach. Taken all together, this requires the most careful
club selection on the back nine. |
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Avocet #14
Double Dare
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This hole offers two tee shot options. The safe shot should yield
an easy par with an iron off the tee and a short iron approach.
For the daring, a long drive over the water and pot bunkers could
reach the green. With a variety of wind conditions, it is impossible
to predict in advance what the better line of play for the hole
is. The green is bisected by a large ridge running parallel to the
line of play. Generally, if the pin is left, it is better to be
left on the tee shot and if the pin is right, it is better to be
to the right. |
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Avocet #15
Cusp
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The back nine's second par 5 really begins after the tee shot
is placed between the three flanking bunkers in the first landing
area. From here, the golfer has a choice of two fairways, and even
trying to reach the green in two. A safe shot to the short left
fairway opens up the length of the green for the third shot. By
playing across the shelf to the right hand fairway, the golfer risks
the water on the left, but provides a much shorter third shot. Its
primary feature is a collector cusp on the left edge which will
suck any ball left of center on the approach off the green. |
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Avocet #16
Mesa
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This hole begins the strong finish. Birdies from here on in will
be more difficult to attain. Aim at the target bunkers and large
mound to define the right side of the fairway. Be careful of trying
to hit too hard, and over hitting a pull hook into the forest on
the left. The good size green is open in front and receptive to
the long runup shot. Golfers who miss left will find the mesa grass
bunker, which is a depression with a sharp mound in the center.
The right is guarded by a more traditional sand bunker which offers
some hope of recovery. |
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Avocet #17
Avocet
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This medium long par 3 plays into the prevailing breeze. The wetlands
front the green, so coming up short is disaster. The three lobed
green has a deck at the back right. The safe play is to take one
extra club and aim for this deck. While putting down the deck is
not desirable, it is more comfortable than dropping from the wetlands! |
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Avocet #18
Cape
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Modeled after the famed C.B. McDonald hole at Midocean, this hole
dares the golfer to bite off as much as he can chew on his tee shot
to shorten the length of this long par 4. The four fairway bunkers
are intended as targets only - it's unlikely that you can reach
them. The second shot may be the most difficult approach shot on
the course. The large green is two-tiered and angled to the golfer.
It is at least two clubs front to back, so a combination of distance
and direction is essential to get close to the pin. Water and a
horrendous bunker (the bulldozer operator misread the plan, but
we liked it!) are obviously not the place to miss. |