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Three Best Holes: Waterway Hills Golf Course

By Vacation Myrtle Beach Friday, September 13th, 2013

Waterway Hills is a truly unique experience for the casual Myrtle Beach golfer. From taking the skytram from the parking lot over the Intracoastal Waterway to the clubhouse, you’re immediately immersed in beautiful golfing landscapes. From the right, you’ll see an aerial view of the daunting first hole that runs parallel to the Intracoastal Waterway.

However, Waterway Hills is an incredibly fun course to play with well-manicured greens and plenty of challenging shots that will help you grow as a player. Perhaps the best attribute of this Robert Trent Jones design is the tough second and third shots a player will endure on several of this courses par five holes.

With 27 holes to play on a given day, Waterway Hills offers plenty of life-long memories for every golfer who plays there. Below are three holes you’re guaranteed to remember on your way back to the 19th hole.

Par 4 1st Hole (Ravine Course)

From the view you receive on the tram to the view from the tee box, the 365-yard par four 1st hole is a great way to kick start a round. Playing a little more timid then it looks, this hole does reward accuracy with the Intracoastal Waterway running down the right side and plenty of foliage swallowing up anything that goes left. Keep the ball in the fairway off the tee and there’s not much stopping you from taking direct aim at the pin. The only trouble spot around the green is a deep bunker placed behind the green.

Par 5 3rd Hole (Ravine Course)

Known as the signature hole, the third hole is a difficult 483-yard par five that offers a high risk, high reward second shot for those who want to attempt to make an eagle. With a wide landing area off the tee, the fairway begins to narrow at the 250-yard mark off the back tees, which may cause longer hitters to lay-up by using a 3-wood or even a 3-iron off the tee. Those who hit driver bring both fairway bunkers into play. The second shot offers players a long fairway wood or iron into the green but laying up is clearly the smart play here. Laying up takes the ravine in front of the green out of play and will allow players to hit a wedge into the green and play for birdie.

Par 5 15th Hole (Oaks Course)

Another daunting par five, the 490-yard 15th hole on the Oaks Course brings several water hazards into play. The tee shot is fairly pedestrian for those who keep it straight. Otherwise, you’ll have to deal with trees on both side of the fairway, which will only add to the difficulty of the second shot on this hole. Players also have to navigate their way over a small pond in the middle of the fairway at the 330-yard mark. For most players, the pond won’t factor into their club selection much but the smaller pond hidden behind some trees to the right of the green might. There is a hidden bunker behind the green but depending on the pin placement that bunker isn’t a bad place to be after viewing the alternative if you hit your shot a little off-line to the right.