Review: Thistle Golf Club – Sunset Beach, NC

Golf at Thistle: Anything But Prickly

Carolina Shores, NC – 20 Minutes North of Myrtle Beach

First Impressions

From the moment I drove into the Clubhouse entrance, I realized I was in for an unexpected treat.  The architecture of the clubhouse is not something you would expect to see in the Myrtle Beach and surrounding area.  Heck, the bag drop area was worthy of any major championship venue.  In short, I felt privileged to be there and I hadn’t even struck my first golf shot.

27 Holes

Decisions, decisions, decisions.  Which two of the three nines would I play?  All three  appeared on paper to have their own distinctions and challenges.  It was recommended by a very knowledgeable and friendly staff member that I should play the Cameron and Stewart nines.  So, off I went.

The Opening Nine:  Cameron

I definitely subscribe to the design theory of getting golfers off to a good start with a comfortable opening hole.  The Stewart’s first hole didn’t disappoint.  While there were several bunkers anchoring the right side of the fairway, there was plenty of room to navigate the tee shot.  A solid tee shot left me with 60 yards to the flag.  Missed a 10 footer for birdie but nevertheless, a solid comfortable start to the round.

Having played a number of Tim Cate designs in the area (Tiger’s Eye and Leopard’s Chase), I immediately noticed some similarities with the Thistle.  Wide driving corridors, well-positioned bunkers designed to make you think and large greens with a variety of undulations.  This doesn’t mean that The Thistle seemed just like the other Cate designs.  Not at all!  In fact, the native grasses and ragged bunker edgings gave the Thistle a strong Scottish feel.

The fourth hole is a wonderful risk-reward par 5.  I had lots of options off the tee but playing it safe was not what I had in mind.  Biting off the dogleg was simply too tempting.  Thankfully, the line I chose was perfect leaving me 170 into the green.  However, it was not the easiest of approach shots.  Cate protected this green with lots of bunkering, of which I found with my second shot.  The green is slightly elevated which I failed to factor into my planning and I was a half club short.  A bunker shot to 15 feet and a missed birdie putt really stung.  All in all, a great par 5.  Went from licking my chops in the fairway to licking my wounds headed to the next hole.

The Stewart’s last three holes are strong.  The 7th is a mid-length par 4 with a waste area running down the right side nearly from tee to green. Great drive will leave short iron into a protected green. The 8th is a lengthy par 4 with water lurking about 275 off the tee and a bunker protecting the left side of the fairway.  A very intimidating tee shot to say the least.  A nice drive just short of the water will leave a mid-iron into this green that is very protected upfront with a large bunker. The safe play is the right side of this green.  I hit two perfect shots on this hole and was left with a quick 9-footer for birdie. No, I didn’t make the putt.  Closing the Stewart nine is a beautiful uphill par 3, over water.  The stonework wrapping the water is spectacular and frames this hole nicely.  Figure at least a club more into this green which is very deep.   A well played shot into the middle of the green is your best play.

I hit a wide variety of shots on the Stewart nine and thoroughly enjoyed its challenge.

The Closing Nine:  Cameron

Like the opening tee shot on the Stewart nine, everything is right in front of you on the first hole of the Cameron nine. Only 349 from the blue tee, I was once again seeing tap-in birdie if I could hit a good drive. Truth be told, it really isn’t a driver hole.  My driver missed right and it set me up for a bogey not a birdie.  Playing it again I would definitely hit a long iron/hybrid off the tee and wedge it on.  Lots of trouble left (water) and trouble right (trees).

While I struck a nice driver down the left side of the fairway on hole 2, it isn’t a driver hole.  Water protects the entire right side of the fairway all the way to the green. At 356 yards, a long iron/hybrid is the smart play leaving short iron in.  A definite birdie opportunity.  Hole 3 gives you tons of room to drive the ball leaving a short iron into this large green.  No trickery here.  The 4th proved to be a very tempting short iron par 3.  The pin was in the very front and it looked like an easy birdie opportunity.  However, there are large bunkers guarding the right and left sides of the green and a water hazard is short.  Any shot slightly offline can catch the bunker.  With a back pin, it is an easier shot.

Hole 5 is a neat par 5.  Waste area lining the entire right side of the fairway and a water hazard sat about 285 off the tee down the left side.  The only downside to this hole was a tree in the middle of the layup area.  Thankfully, my layup snuck just beyond the tree leaving me a 50 yard shot into the green.

Holes

Final Conclusions:

The Thistle is a spectacular golf course filled with many challenging, but extremely fair, holes. I loved the variety and the many different shots I had to play throughout the Stewart and Cameron nines.  You can expect great conditions all year long and I would definitely include this course on any buddy golf trip to the Myrtle Beach area.  The amenities are first-class and the service was excellent, including the great closing conversations with the retired men who wanted to hear all about the round.  I look forward to getting back to The Thistle Golf Club soon to enjoy the MacKay nine.