Crow Creek Golf Club
Calabash, NC
Described as a course with true southern charm, Crow Creek Golf Club was originally a farm. Still family owned, the 18-hole course is just north of the Stateline and has what many golf courses don't. At the time of its development, many courses had begun to develop a corporate feel and focused more on getting the players in and out then they did on the hospitality and quality of their service. Crow Creek rebelled against the corporate feel and developed a good product at a fair price, much like the farming mentality that its owner's ancestors possessed. The fact that it's not as tricked up as many of the more modern courses is what makes it so great and it has been described as a "Myrtle Beach yesteryear."
This enjoyable and well-groomed layout features "airplane hanger" sized L93 Bentgrass greens and Bermuda fairways. The designer incorporated slight mounding and bunkering to call out landing areas and ideal shot positions.
Trying to keep its southern farming charm, the first nine is routed right through the old tobacco fields and vegetable gardens. Because of the terrain here, the fairways are very flat and wide open. Take caution here because when the coastal breeze kicks up, she may give you some trouble. One of the favorite features among many golfers is the hunting and fishing retreat on hole 8. The retreat is the actual hunting and fishing retreat used by the owners and their ancestors when they needed to take a break from farming in the hot Carolina sun. The par 4 1st hole is every golfers dream, with a friendly 330 yards, slightly downhill fairway, and a wide open front green. The par 5 hole 7, which plays to 574 yards, is the number one handicap hole, while the par 3 8th requires a poke over the water.
In contrast, the back nine features tree lined fairways and rolling fairways. The closing four holes are the strongest holes and uniquely the course ends in a 3,4,5 par. This distinctly sets Crow Creek apart from almost all over the other beach courses.
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