Eagle Nest Golf Club Will Challenge Golfers to Soar to New Heights

A Gene Hamm design that was the first Myrtle Beach golf course to open along the North Strand, Eagle Nest Golf Club is adding 1,000+ yards of the length, which will make it the longest course in South Carolina.

The additional length will push Eagle Nest to over 7,900 yards, allowing it to surpass Kiawah’s Ocean Course (7,817 yards) as the Palmetto State’s longest. Thirteen of the 18 holes will be lengthened and the new “Perch” tees, which will be elevated and designed to look like an eagle’s nest, will test the best of golfers.

The course already boasts of having the Grand Strand’s three toughest finishing holes, and now the 616-yard, par 5 16th hole will be lengthened, as will the 185-yard 18th, a daunting par 3 to finish. The 16th is the third longest hole along the Grand Strand, leaving open the question of whether or not it will add enough length to challenge the 18th hole at Farmstead, a 767-yard, par 6, as the area’s longest.

The lengthening of Eagle Nest has earned a lot of headlines, but it’s only part of the story at a course that continues to deliver a quality round of golf as it’s 45th birthday approaches.

The value Eagle Nest offers is a reflection of ownership’s commitment to the property. From the purchasing of new equipment to the hiring a landscaper from Disney World and those pristine MiniVerde greens, Eagle Nest is a Myrtle Beach golf course that has been on the rise in recent years.

“All I can tell you is what the customers tell me,” head pro Rick Moran said. “We put comment cards on every cart and what we see a lot of is ‘I’ve been coming here for years and this is the best I’ve ever seen it. Keep up the good work.’”

Soon golfers will have nearly 8,000 yards of Eagle Nest to enjoy if they choose, but the course hasn’t forgotten the common man and woman. The senior and women’s tee are enjoying a refurbishment, an enhancement that will benefit two important constituencies at Eagle Nest.

Beyond the ongoing upgrades, what can you expect?

Chance to Score

Eagle Nest doesn’t give away par, particularly if you challenge the course from the tips, but at its heart, the layout was designed with you, the player, in mind. There is water but forced carries are at a minimum and there is ample room to hit the ball. The greens are smooth and the break is more subtle than extreme, giving players a chance to make putts.

Family Business

Eagle Nest was built by late the Dick Elliott, a revered former South Carolina state senator, in 1972 and has remained in the family ever since. Elliott’s son, Rick, now owns and operates the course and takes every bit as much pride in Eagle Nest as his father, and it’s obvious in everything from the investments made in the course to the commitment to customer service. A round at Eagle Nest will deliver a side of Southern charm along with a quality round of golf in Myrtle Beach.

This Eagle Still Has Talons

We’ve spent a lot of time talking about family and a player-friendly course, but I don’t want you to arrive at Eagle Nest expecting a pushover. The Myrtle Beach golf course will offer plenty of opportunities to score, but they likely won’t come on the last three holes.

Playing from the white tees (6,417 yards), Eagle Nest closes with a 416-yard par 4, a 576-yard par 5 and a 164-yard par 3. The course boasts of having the three toughest finishing holes on the Grand Strand and there is a legitimate argument to be made in support of that contention. So bring your A game.