Legendary Holes, Right Here in Myrtle Beach: Meet World Tour Golf Links
For many golf fans who watched U.S. golfer Brian Harman claim the 2023 Open Championship title in mid-July, it’s a common desire to play an Open Championship-quality course for themselves. And when golfers visit the Grand Strand, this dream can come true … with no need for an over-the-ocean flight or even a passport.
That’s because at International World Tour Golf Links in Myrtle Beach, there are a number of holes inspired by courses on the Open Championship rotation — as well as courses that host The Masters, the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship. Further, the layout sports holes inspired by some of the most renowned courses in the world, including St. Andrews, Pinehurst, Sawgrass and Pine Valley.
Today, we’ll take a look at the World Tour holes inspired by courses famed for hosting the Open Championship:
The Championship Course #3
Inspired by the 8th hole at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland — which owns the distinction of being the shortest hole on any of the Open Championship courses — this 116-yard, par-3 hole known as the “Postage Stamp” is best known for its tiny green. Adding to the challenge of the green’s lack of real estate, the putting surface features a downhill slope and is guarded by a pair of bunkers on its left side, and a trio on its right.
The Open Course #1
Inspired by the 1st hole at St. Andrews (Old Course) in Fife, Scotland, this 360-yard, par-4 hole features an extremely broad fairway — a tribute to the Old Course original that, at 100-plus yards wide, is one of the widest fairways in the game. Also like its Old Course counterpart, a small waterway (similar to the original’s Swilican Burn) runs across the front of the green, ready to capture second shots that fall short or hit the front of the green and spin backwards.
The Open Course #9
Another tribute to a famed hole at St. Andrews, this 329-yard, par-4 hole is inspired by the closing hole at the birthplace of golf. Sharing its wide fairway with the above-described Open Course hole #1, this final hole on the Open Course features a replica of the easily recognizable stone bridge over Swilican Burn found on St. Andrews’ 18th, as well as a green with a steep right to left slope and a deep depression known as the “Valley of Sin” guarding the left-front portion of the putting surface.
Myrtle Beach Golf
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