By Mike Kern

Myrtle Beach. It’s become my home away from Philadelphia. Sort of like my second South Jersey Shore. I’ve been going to first Wildwood, then Strathmere and now Ocean City my whole life. I started going to Myrtle for the golf, many years ago. Later, I played in the Golf Writers Association of America championship the weekend before the Masters every year. It was one of the best times of the year. We had fun. We renewed friendships. We played golf. What else is there, really?

About two decades or so ago, when my two children were still relatively young, I started going back to Myrtle as a family. And a new tradition was born. We laughed. We went to the pool, and the beach. We ate lots of good food. And I played golf. Soon, my son was joining me. Over the years we created some great memories down there. And we continue to do so. Only these days they’re a little different. I have a 1-year-old grandson now. The world changes. Yet it remains in many ways the same. Just the way I like it.

About the only thing I don’t like about Myrtle is the drive, which has its inherent issues. Hey, nothing is perfect. You have to figure out ways to avoid the traffic around Washington, or learn to sit through it without complaining too much. I’m not a patient person. So we’ve learned through experience to leave at like 3 in the morning going down, which gets us to like southern Virginia without very much hassle in time for breakfast at the Waffle House. And no, don’t ask for pancakes, like a friend of mine once insisted on doing. It’s called the Waffle House for a reason. So keep it simple. Go for the pecan, maybe a double, with a side of sausage (it tastes different for whatever reason. Maybe it’s the sage) and an order of hash browns. They’re really good, and I’m particular about stuff like that. And they don’t have Waffle Houses around us. Down there they’re like McDonald’s golden arches. They’re everywhere. So enjoy them while you can. Anyway, that’s my first travel tip. I drink iced tea, but my wife insists the coffee is really good. The best thing about Waffle House is it’s the same place. You can go to 100 of them and nothing ever changes. And watching the cooks do their thing is a show in itself.

The trip back is trickier. I can never seen to avoid the jam that starts just north of Richmond and extends all the way past Fredericksburg. And I’ve asked. Nobody can explain why, just that it’s always that way. So I need to work on that one. I could fly, but then I’d have to rent a car and check my clubs and on and on. At least this way when I get there we are ready to go, even if we couldn’t check into our room this time until a little later than we would have liked. But once we were settled, the pool was a 3-wood shot away. OK, a drive and a wedge. But the water was refreshingly relaxing. Trust me I could go there and never play golf and still have a really good time. But with so many courses there for the playing, why waste such an opportunity? I can always do the pool in the afternoon, when I need a good soaking anyway. Right? I’ve found that one of the attractions of Myrtle is that it’s not a one-trick pony. Not even close. You can go cheap, you can go expensive, you can go somewhere in between. And regardless of what you choose, you can have an equally wonderful time. And not every destination can say that.

We used to stay in Barefoot Landing, which is a nice spot where Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle meet. And we enjoyed our years there. But lately we’ve been staying in Cherry Grove, an area right near Little River and the North Carolina border. It’s even better. A little more peaceful, close to lots of things we like and yet still a little more off the beaten path. But there are plenty of areas along the Grand Strand that could work for you. I know people who prefer the southern end, and I can understand why. There are no shortage of options, depending upon any number of factors. But there is something for everyone, and all tastes. At least one of them has your name on it.

This time down there, as I do most summers, I played four courses. One year I played six in five days, and I was drained. But I would do it again. I try not to play my first day, or my last, in deference to my family. And maybe, as I get older, my health. Besides, I like the pool and beach too much not to give them enough time on my schedule. I need a day or two to do mostly nothing. It comes with the territory. This year I even went in the ocean for hours at a time, something I haven’t done in way too long. Felt great. I plan on doing it again every year. The one problem I have with the Jersey shore is the water sometimes is too cold. And I’m a wimp when it comes to that. Down Myrtle I just run right in. It’s the only way to go, trust me.

My annual golf journey started at Arcadian Shores, located not far from Barefoot next to an outlet mall. So in a perfect world I could drop my wife off and pick her up four hours later and hope she hasn’t bought too much from her favorite stores. Fortunately I try to play early, in part to avoid the heat and leave my afternoons free. Seems like a valid defense.

I hadn’t played Arcadian in awhile, but I’d heard it had undergone some much-needed improvements, including a new clubhouse. I heard right. The thing you have to understand about Myrtle is that not every course is going to be the Dunes Club. Or even Tidewater or Caledonia. But that doesn’t mean a course that might not be in your top 10 can’t be worthy of a visit. Quite the contrary. There are a lot of courses that are very playable and user-friendly and even more affordable. Which is never a bad thing. And many times I enjoy going to play them every bit as much as some of the “name” places. It’s what makes the world go round.

Arcadian is one of those places. It’s an older layout, so in ways it reminds me of what I play in the northeast. The fairways are tree-lined, but the landing areas are generous. And it’s an interesting routing. You will be tested. And the changes they’ve made since I was there last have only made it better. I played with a father and son, Les and Ron. They were from western Pennsylvania, and Les was actually a pretty good golfer. They were a blast to play with. As were what turned out to be all the other people I was paired up with. And that’s an underrated thing about being a single. You meet a wide-ranging group of mid-handicappers who only want the same as you: to play some golf and hopefully share some stories and have a few laughs along the way. Nothing wrong with that. Actually, I look forward to it.

Arcadian has water, it has bunkers and it has some forced carries. And the Tif-Eagle Bermuda greens rolled true. Renowned designer Rees Jones certainly did a nice job way back when. After an opening par 5, there’s a par 3 of about 150 over water. I barely cleared the hazard and got up and down for my 3 from the short rough. It’s the No. 4 handicap hole. And with that I was off. Three is another par 5, followed by four straight par 4s, three of them measuring in the 375 range. It’s pretty much straightaway. The doglegs are more on the back nine. The eighth was another par 3 of about 150. I have to tell you I didn’t make too many pars. And the ones I did were mostly on up and downs.

I played better coming home, although a few 3-putts didn’t help. The 13th is probably the signature hole, a par 4 of about 370. But your second shot is all carry over a lake. And it seems to play longer. But it’s a good one, maybe one of the better ones along The Strand. For reasons that I somehow cannot always make sense of, I saved my best for last. On 18 I I hit a really good drive and put a 7 wood on from about 160 and rolled in a semi-lengthy putt. Maybe it doesn’t have to compute. But it’s those things that keep me coming back.

Tidewater was up next. I was there when it was being built in the early 90s. I consider it to be one of the best down there. And I’m not alone. Especially when it’s in good shape, which it usually is. It’s situated along the Intercoastal Waterway, which means you’re going to have some great views of the natural terrain. Try not to get too caught up in that. It can be distracting. They do have done some extension renovations in recent years, which is all part of keeping up with the competition. And it shows. For my money Tidewater is about as good as it gets. I played with Chris King, who does a lot of good work publicizing Myrtle, and another father-son team. This time it was Dave and Lucas, who was just starting out. They’d come down from Toronto, and it was their first trip. And you have to love a guy who buys you a cold drink at the turn even though the Canadian dollar wasn’t helping him out any.

We started on 10, a par 4 dogleg right with water. I almost got up and down, after my approach managed to find a way to bounce off the edge of the wet stuff onto dry land. Imagine that. Tidewater was tougher than Arcadian, but I did make a few pars. And two double bogeys. It happens. The 18th is some finish. You have to hit a good drive to have a chance, then you’re going over water to a large green. I got on in two, barely, hitting a 3 wood about as good as I can, and made a 4. Which, I have to say, I haven’t done much on that hole.

The third and fourth are a stretch that’s hard to top. Anywhere. First you have a par 3 of about 150 to a tricky green with all kinds of bad stuff to the left and bunkers all over. Then it’s one of the best par 4s you’ll ever play. I don’t think I’ve ever been on in two, and this was no different. But I got close. It bends left off the tee, and I almost saved par from just off the green. But it’s a bear. The eighth is a par 5 that doesn’t look too hard until you have to hit to the green, which is small and sits next to junk, with a bunker in front. You’ll find out what kind of nerve you have. And nine is a really nice par 3 back to the clubhouse, of about 160, with a green that moves severely from right to left. In other words, towards all the trouble. Again, I almost saved par. And once more, I have a terrific time at Tidewater. As if I had any doubts.

I’d been to Shaftesbury Glen, which is a bit out of the way, once before. Back then I’d played the day after a heavy rain, so it was wet. And it’s amazing how far you find out you don’t hit the ball when conditions are like that. They’d done some things since then. It doesn’t look like a Myrtle course. The greens are mostly elevated. But they did tone down some of the bunkering around them, to make them more accessible. They also added some waste traps along the fairways to give them more definition. Nice touch. And while it might take you a little longer to get there, it’s well worth the effort. And it’s really not as far as you think, due to some of the new highways they’ve put in. The neatest thing is, you can actually stay there. They have suites that can accommodate groups. And they have a pool. And the rates are downright cheap. Check out the package deals before you book anywhere else. And you’re not that far from Myrtle, yet you’re far enough away that you don’t have to go to Myrtle if you don’t want to. Options are good.

If this were closer to Myrtle, I think it would get more love. But that’s the way it works. You won’t be disappointed if you give it a shot, trust me. I played with an older woman who plays there a bunch. And she was a trip. We played from the red tees, because I wanted her to be comfortable. And you know what? It’s a lot more fun hitting 9 irons into greens instead of 5 woods. Hey, it’s not like I’m going to tell the pro I just broke the course record. The idea is to have fun, right? Thought so. Wish more people would get that message. Anyhow, we had a blast. And as the first group out, we played in less than three hours. I love that.

There’s not too much water, but enough to get your attention. It meanders through forests and farmlands along the Waccamaw River. It doesn’t beat you up too much, although maybe I should try the back tees before I say that. I did make like a half-dozen bogeys, even playing from around 5,000 yards, so that must tell you something. But mostly we had a good time. Nothing too stressful. And maybe you just need that every now and again. Next time I promise to move back to the whites. Or at least the golds. Unless, of course, I’m paired with my girl Bev again.

The following day at Pearl West I concluded my 72-hole tournament. I had never played there, and I’m always looking to add new courses to my list. Cut through coastal marshlands along the Calabash River, the first thing I noticed was the immaculate condition. The greens had recently been aerated, because they have too at some point, but the greens still were fine. If you missed it was your fault. I played with Jim and Felix, two good old boys who were a complete hoot. They told me Roy Williams stories, I told them Tiger Woods stories. We laughed a lot, even after bad shots. And there were moments both ways. They could play a little. The West had a links feel to it. We started on 10. I quickly found out that you didn’t want to be in the rough. It didn’t look like much, but your ball tended to sit down in it. So the short grass became a priority. If you’ve seen me hit, good luck with that. But I tried. The 14th was a really good par 4 where you had to carry water on your third. Again I hit a 7 wood that hit the edge of the water and bounced up onto the grass. Don’t ask. But the highlight had come two holes earlier, when a gator walked from one pond to another about 30 feet from us as we were on the green. He didn’t seem to care at all that I was trying to save par, which I didn’t. At least I got a picture to send my daughter back at the condo. She was impressed. As I always contend, the wildlife was there first. Just don’t let me see any snakes any time soon, or all bets are off.

I parred the two par 3s on the front, including No. 8, which measures 190 and where I had to use driver. Nobody cares. The No. 1 handicap, 5, is a long par 4 that I was happy to make a 5 on. My opinion? I would go back in a second, maybe even to give the East a try. I just wish I could take Jim and Felix with me. You never know.

As everyone realizes by this point, I judge my trip as much by what I eat as what I shoot. Maybe even more so. That’s how I roll. So here’s a few suggestions. I would not steer you wrong.

Start with The Shack, in Cherry Grove, which is like a local southern version of a Cracker Barrel. I love the Cracker Barrel. Especially the grilled catfish. Well they do a grilled fish here, that comes with three sides and a drink and hush puppies and a roll, for ten bucks. I can’t make that up. You will not leave hungry. Just more to work off at the pool. Speaking of which, for another $10 you can go to the Simply Southern Smokehouse, near Broadway at the Beach just off the Highway 17 bypass. It’s the best buffet there, especially for the price. Mr. King recommended it to me, and he was right on. It’s all southern food, like chicken bog and okra with tomatoes and meat loaf wrapped in bacon and BBQ sauce. I’m usually good for three or four plates. They also have a salad bar with banana pudding and a daily cobbler. And the folks who run it are about the most hospitable you’ll come across, which is saying something in those parts. This might be my favorite stop for lunch. If not then it’s surely in the conversation.

Chianti South, in Little River, could stand on its own in South Philly. I order the same thing every time. The stuffed banana peppers appetizer. They are tremendous. With the bread, which is off the charts, it’s a meal. But I’ve seen the lasagna, the chicken parm, the mussels, you name it. You can’t go wrong. Try the crepes with ice cream desert. Yum. And there’s always room for ice cream.

Greg Norman’s Australian Grille, in Barefoot, can be a little pricy. But it’s good, and for lunch it’s almost a bargain. Benito’s is one of the better pizza places down there, even though admittedly there isn’t a whole lot of competition. The BBQ House can get it done, and is real affordable. For something different there’s a German restaurant, Horst Gasthaus, just off 17 near Barefoot. They have all-you-can-eat pork chops for $15. Seriously. My son-in-law made it to five. I had the Hungarian goulash, and it was unreal. And I’m half German. It came with red cabbage, sauerkraut and German potato salad. I was in Heaven. Then there’s a French place, in Little River, called the Brentwood. I’d passed it 100 times before we tried it. They have a happy hour where you can get some of the best onion soup and she-crab soup for $5 apiece. A total bargain. But the best part is the chocolate soufflé, which we have found out can be shared by a table of four. Easily. And it’s decadent.

I could probably go on. But for now that will have to do. Maybe the next time I will get chance to play with one of my readers down there. It’s been known to happen.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy some of these suggestions. That’s what it’s all about.