Myrtle Beach Golf Group Gets “Ambushed” By Golf Digest

Golf Digest’s travel editor Matt Ginella has turned his popular Ambush segment into art form. Ginella regularly features the stories of traveling golfers in the pages of the magazine, and in the April issue a group of Myrtle Beach golfers is included.

Ginella penned a story on Denis Gilbert, a Quebec City, Quebec resident, and the annual trek his four-man group makes to the Grand Strand.

Gilbert made his first Myrtle Beach golf trip in 2004, equating it to a kid going to Toys R Us, but his current group began traveling together in 2006. After reuniting with Bernard Gagné, a college buddy he lost contact with for 20 years, the harsh Canadian weather led to their annual golf vacation.

In the middle of a snowstorm on January 19, 2006, Gagné, sent Gilbert an email telling him he was sick of winter. Gilbert told his buddy he could solve his problem in 15 minutes. He got on the phone with his favorite package providers – Brian Noblin of Myrtle Beach Golf Desk and J.T. Kobelt of MyrtleBeachGolf.ca – and had a 10-day itinerary put together by the end of the day.

The rest is golf trip history.

When Ginella issued a called for possible Ambush stories on Twitter, the ever-passionate Gilbert submitted his group for consideration and Ginella was soon in touch.

Gilbert won’t soon forget working with the Golf Digest editor and his 15 minutes of golf of fame.

“Matt is a really cool gentleman, while being really down-to-earth,” Gilbert said. “We talked over the phone a few times and also exchanged emails. It was absolutely great.”

Gracing the pages of Golf Digest was surely a thrill, but Gilbert is now ready for his 2012 trip, which will feature nine rounds of golf this April.

“We don’t even mind the drive, 20-22 hours, it takes to reach the ‘Golf Mecca’ since the build up when going down is quite thrilling,” Gilbert said. “With the amount of quality courses available, absolutely no other golf destination has as much to offer and you always get the most out of your money, whatever your budget is.”

For Gilbert and his pals, the 2012 trip, based on their course itinerary, should be a great one. The Myrtle Beach golf courses the group will be playing include River’s Edge, Arrowhead, the Love, Fazio, Dye and Norman Courses at Barefoot, King’s North, Wild Wing Avocet and The Witch.

If the courses weren’t enough, Gilbert and Gagné, are joined on the trip by Gagné’s brother-in-law Denis Villeneuve and another great friend, Guy Blouin (the wine expert of the group). Gagné and Villeneuve are both excellent cooks. Each night both prepare a big meal, including a special salmon tartar on Masters’ Sunday.

While the tartar may not before for everyone, the golf trip certainly is!