The 3 Best Holes At The Byrd Course

The Byrd Course at Sea Trail Resort is a shot-makers haven, rewarding intelligence and golf course management. Due to the nature of the layout, its three best holes are, even more so than usual, in the eye of the beholder.

But few people have seen the course as much as head professional Eddie Pratt. So we put the friendly Carolinian on the hot seat and he delivered, naming the three best golf holes on the Byrd Course at Sea Trail.

No. 7, 190-yard, par 3: The seventh hole is Pratt’s favorite. It’s not exceedingly long, playing 167 yards from the white tees (6,251 yards), but the three-tiered green is surrounded by bunkers. Given its size, merely hitting the green isn’t that difficult, but putting the ball in the proper place is crucial.

“That is the epitome of that golf course and what it brings to the table,” Pratt said. “Select the club you think will get you to the right level of the green and test it.”
No. 12, 186-yard, par 3: Playing from the championship tees, this hole is a bear, requiring a long tee shot over water into a green fronted by sand. Playing from the whites, water isn’t as big a factor but the sand is and the peanut shaped green isn’t very deep. In addition to the trap fronting the green, two more bunkers reside on the other side. Given how shallow the green is, both can come into play.

“I like it because it makes you choose the right club and (execute) the right shot,” Pratt said.

No. 18, 469-yard, par 5: Willard Byrd gave players an opportunity to go home with a smile on their faces. The eighteenth is the shortest par 5 by more than 50 yards, and it plays only 442 yards from the white tees. You might even have a shot at eagle here.

But before you start penciling a low number on the card, consider yourself forewarned: water lurks on the both sides of the hole, and the fairway, while hardly razor thin, isn’t exceedingly wide. Players that hit the ball straight, whether it’s long or short, will have the chance to finish strong, and everyone likes to leave on a high note.

What is your favorite hole on the Byrd Course?