Finishing Up Where It All Started: “Breaking Par with Charlie Rymer” Series Finale at Pine Lakes

It is our final stop, and it’s at nowhere better than “The Granddaddy of Myrtle Beach Golf.” The finishing hole at Pine Lakes steers you to play to the left center of the fairway to leave the best angle for your approach. But let’s not rush it today, and make sure to enjoy the view of that historic clubhouse on our way in.

So today, we’re going to end this series of visiting 66 golf courses here at Myrtle Beach right where it all began. This is Pine Lakes. This is the first golf course in Myrtle Beach. It opened in 1927. It was designed by Robert White of St. Andrews, who just happened to be the first president of the PGA of America. It’s a classic old-school golf course, and I’ll tell you what they over-deliver on here is hospitality and service. You really get treated in a very special manner when you come to Pine Lakes.

This is the 18th hole, straightaway par four. I like that we got a lot of movement in the fairway here. I’m going to go ahead and see if I can get this driver to find a fairway somewhere. That’s a little butter cut right center. Might be the best tee shot I’ve hit in this entire 66 course series. Whoo!

Tell you what, it’s been a lot of fun shooting this series and I actually have started to move a little better, feel a little better, swing a little better. Enjoy golf again. And the guys on the crew just been amazing. Jim, David, they handle all the logistics. Kyle, Christian Thomas, incredible shooters. We really have had a lot of fun and that’s what always try to do with TV. If you can’t have fun shooting video and TV, beautiful golf courses, then I don’t know what you can have fun doing.

I got too many pockets. Every time I pull out a laser to shoot the distance, I always wonder what Old Tom Morris would’ve thought about a laser. It’s pretty interesting that really Jack Nicklaus early in his career was probably the first person that even kept yardage. Just figured out how far he hit it and made books and all of that. And now it’s like you can’t play golf unless you know exactly how far you are all the time.

Come on, butter cut! All right. We a little short, but that’s all right. Early in the morning, there’s just a lot of humidity, especially this close to the ocean. I didn’t really take that into account. It’s about 175. Was thinking six iron will be enough, but something to remember. When you come to the beach, you’re obviously playing at sea level and that humidity makes it where the ball, it doesn’t go as far as it does when you’re upstate or in a mountain somewhere.

Well, I really do like the old-style golf courses. Cool thing about Pine Lakes is it’s really an interior piece of property. You’re not playing through corridors with houses right and left, and there’s some really nice neighborhoods around here. They’re just on the outside. That’s really kind of the old way of doing golf. I think people like it when they see it.

Yeah, I came up just a little bit short, but we’ll be all right. One of the cool things about these older style golf courses, they had to scoop the sand and the soil to build the greens, and generally they’re all set real high like this. Creates a pretty nice feel. Was kind of hoping to end with a birdie. I’m going to do that, I’m going to need some short game magic here. Maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe. It was left all the way. That’s as good as I’m going to do. Man, that had a chance.

That’s all that’s left in the 66 hole journey. All right. I think we started with a par, finished with par. Had a lot of fun along the way. Hope you did, too!

Jimmy Biggs:

Thought you made it, pro! I wanted to present you with something. You’ve been such a great ambassador here in Myrtle Beach, and especially with this Breaking Par series, and with everything you’ve overcome, battling cancer, we got you a little something here to remember us by.

Charlie Rymer:

Oh my goodness.

Jimmy Biggs:

This represents all 66 courses in your Breaking Par series.

Charlie Rymer:

So cool.

Jimmy Biggs:

We just want to thank you for all you’ve done here in Myrtle Beach and regardless of what’s on the scorecard. Right? There you are.

Charlie Rymer:

Awesome. Thank you. I really-

Jimmy Biggs:

You’re quite welcome.

Charlie Rymer:

… Appreciate it. Very thoughtful. Really beautiful. Man, that is so cool.

And you had to hit me with the bagpipe.

Jimmy Biggs:

I hit you with the bagpipes. I’m sorry, buddy. I’m sorry.

Charlie Rymer:

Not many times folks can say they play 66 golf courses, and this is the only place in the world you could do it.

Jimmy Biggs:

Amen.

Now you got to go back through in your head and remember which ones you birdied.

Charlie Rymer:

That won’t take long. There weren’t a whole lot of birdies in there. I don’t think we had any eagles, and I don’t think we had any double bogeys. I’m not sure if I broke par or not, but that really wasn’t a goal.

Jimmy Biggs:

That’s right. Amen.

Charlie Rymer:

And it really wasn’t about breaking par. It was about the fact that I could make the journey. I played beautiful golf courses in incredible settings, and I met amazing people along the way. You see golf, it isn’t really about the golf. It’s about where you are and who you’re with and a birdie is just a bonus. Enjoy every day you get on a golf course like it’s your last.

Folks, thanks for taking this journey with me. It’s been an incredible honor. See you on a golf course soon!