Man O’War: 5 Things You Need To Know

Claude Pardue, owner of the three Mystical Golf courses – Man O’War, The Witch and The Wizard – likes to say all golfers know beauty, and his layouts deliver it in spades, particularly Man O’War.

The Dan Maples design features and abundance of scenery and, not coincidentally, fans. The course, with a 107-acre lake as its centerpiece, is one of the Myrtle Beach area’s most recognizable. Before you tee it up at Man O’War, here are five things you need to know:

1. H2O is King: All 18 holes feature water, but before you pack a mask and snorkel, understand that it isn’t overly penal. On most holes, the water enhances the ascetics and only collects shots that are significantly offline. The course’s fairways are generous, by any definition, and you shouldn’t lose an inordinate number of balls so enjoy the view.
 

2. Back-to-Back: Man O’War is the only course in Myrtle Beach and is believed to be the only one in North America with back-to-back island greens.  The island green 14th and 15th holes provide take-home memories for everyone that tees it up. Enjoy the challenge and let us know if you hit both greens in regulation.

3. Built For Bent:  Man O’War has long had some of the area’s best greens for a simple reason: the course was designed to create an ideal environment for bentgrass. The layout is open, which helps generate maximum air flow, and the subsoil under each green was customized for that particular location on the course, insuring each green has the conditions to thrive, even during the warm summer months.

4. Even The Trees: At Man O’War, trees are sparse and grass grows between them, meaning pine straw is nonexistent. The course is mowed from wall-to-wall, which helps promote pace of play because players shouldn’t have to look hard for their ball. If it’s not in the grass, it’s wet.

5. Green Movement: The greens at Man O’War are among the area’s largest, averaging 10,000-square feet per putting surface. The greens don’t have the severe undulation of some of Maples’ other designs, but instead feature subtle break that is just as challenging. The greens are a great test and a significant part of the course’s charm.