Play #Golf on Your Own Magical Mystical Tour

For the past four years, I have been invited to play a trinity of the top golf courses in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, as part of the Mystical Golf Writer's Tournament; The Witch, Wizard and Man O' War.

This year, instead of this terrific event being held during our usual mid-October dates, Hurricane Matthew touched down from Florida through to North Carolina, causing harm to many golf courses along the Grand Strand and our tournament was reassigned...just in case. How were these three immaculately maintained golf courses affected or, were Mystical forces at work keeping them protected from harm?

Just after the storm, Claude Pardue, president and CEO of DG Golf Management which operates the Mystical trio of golf courses issued this statement, "We didn’t suffer any significant damage, just a lost weekend in the middle of our season, but we can’t do anything about that...".

A sigh of relief was elicited...whew, good news! I was off to see the Wizard once again!

While playing each golf course, I silently nodded my head in agreement with Mr. Pardue and, although there were a number of trees felled (cleared due to the amazing job done by the groundskeepers) on each golf course and there were some wet areas still in play, it appeared that all three courses were ready and waiting for the next sojourner to travel their creaky, meandering wooden paths.

Busy season re-starts in Myrtle Beach through Christmas as cities in the north and west experience their first snow fall. When you are booking your tee times, here are a few reasons to include The Witch, Wizard and Man O'War in your visit to South Carolina's Grand Strand.

The Mystical Golf Courses have different designs so you won't get bored.

- The Witch Golf Course really comes through on its name - a peaceful eerieness surrounds golfers as they make their way through the forest riding on creaky bridges.

Designed to be playable from tee to green, you still have to hit a straight shot, the bunkers are well-placed, the greens are different than the Wizard and Man O' War (I believe they are Tift Dwarf). If you hit a good shot you are rewarded but beware a mis-hit...it will cost you strokes.

My playing partners read that this was supposed to be the easiest of the three courses but, even though we struggled a bit, we all came out with praise for its level of difficulty.

Be ware of the alligators which laze by the lakes and, if your golf ball lands near one of these seemingly docile creatures, take a drop!

- The Wizard appeared to me to be the easiest for the three days. It is a links-style golf course, open, with rolling fairways but beware of the rough which is quite gnarly. Bentgrass greens are rolling yet playable and in great condition.

- Man O-War is definitely a golf course you should add to your vacation list while in Myrtle Beach if you like to be surrounded by water.

The course is scenic and always in pristine shape (as are the other two Mystical sites). Definitely practice your putting before heading out for your round as the greens are fast, tricky and unforgiving.

This tip from Mr. Pardue should carry you through as you make your way through each of the three Mystical Golf Courses - when you see trouble, stay away from it. Sounds like simple advice but how many of you will actually follow it when you come upon Dan Maples' "arsenal of weapons" within each course layout?

The "Magical Mystical Tour", as coined by Travel Industry Today, is in full swing during this time of year, offering great tee time values. The Witch and Man O'War are listed as two of the fifteen best courses in South Carolina, according to Golf Advisor reviews.

Staying in the Myrtle Beach area for a few days? The Witch, Wizard and Man O' War are centrally located so you don't have to travel huge distances when staying on the Grand Strand; all three courses are located near each other with The Wizard and Man O'War actually sharing a lake. All three have separate club houses and facilities but it's nice to know that, if you are not a local, you will easily find these three gems.

Thank you once again for your hospitality Claude Pardue and best regards to The Breakers Resort for the delicious food and attentive staff service. To all three Mystical Golf Courses and to their dedicated staff of ground crew and management (Tim, Graham and Randy), thanks for keeping the fairways and greens in such great shape.

Have you played any or all of the Myrtle Beach Mystical Golf courses? Share your experiences on this golf blog and tag us with your responses on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and @MysticalGolf.

How NOT to Get Shafted With the Wrong Driver! #golf

Whether you are a golf beginner or have been playing the sport for years, the wrong shaft on your clubs, and on your driver in particular, can make you lose distance, accuracy and wreak havoc with your game.

Let's first consider the beginners' golf swing; awkward for sure, could be fast or slow speed and, most likely, with a considerable lack of proper tempo.

An amateur who has been playing golf for years can still have the same problems as the beginner but improper swing thoughts will already be ingrained. The shaft of the driver surely does have a lot of work to do, doesn't it?

Golfalot.com states that "the length, flex, torque, kick-point, weight and alignment of the shaft all have an effect on the performance of your golf club."

It is, therefore, important for all players to take lessons to understand the relationship between the driver and your swing as well as to be custom fit for golf clubs before making your purchase, avoiding an expensive mistake.

Which Driver Shaft is Right for Your Golf Swing?

Consider these notes before buying a new shaft for your driver:

1. Have you been measured for a new driver?

Going to a store such as PGA Tour Superstore or Golfsmith (a few stores will still remain open) will give you a wealth of information about your swing from speed to spin rate.

During my custom club fitting, I was told by the store rep that a "higher kickpoint shaft makes the ball go lower," News to me and, if you don't know what kickpoint is, I suggest you also question a professional - we are truly always learning!

2. Do you typically have a fast or slow swing speed? (Could vary depending upon your nerves!)

According to HittingTheGreen.com, "the faster your swing the more the shaft of the club is going to flex, so to help control the swing, if you have a fast swing speed you should always opt for clubs with a stiff flex."

3. The long and short about driver shaft length and flex:

Are you more interested in distance, control or both? Are you looking to correct a slice, hook...are you not launching the ball properly? Is your golf club so old that your mates laugh whenever you pull it out of the bag?

A shaft can be too long or too short - with longer shafts you should be able to hit the ball farther but you will probably suffer with diminished accuracy, which means you will probably be playing military golf (left, right, left, right...).

Instead of building a golf club to fix a problem, find a qualified PGA professional and take a few lessons; the problems in your golf swing will be addressed and corrected - then, visit a custom club fitter!

Driver Shaft Flex: Stiff, Regular, Senior, Ladies - which shaft flex is right for your game?

The flex of the shaft can directly affect the clubface's alignment at impact. Too stiff a shaft, you will probably lose most of your distance; too whippy and you are likely to slice or hook the ball.

How far do you currently drive your golf ball?

If the golf ball flies over 250 yards each time, you might look into a stiff shaft. Otherwise, to all of the ego-driven males out there, time to reconsider the flex on your club.

According to Golfsmith, stiff shafts are for mid to low handicappers with higher handicappers selecting regular shaft flex. Although ladies (especially beginner golfers) often opt for the ladies flex, golfers with faster swing speeds (like myself) should opt for a regular flex. This means getting fitted for the proper shaft as it may have to be cut down to proper size.

As your technique improves over time, it is more likely that your shaft will no longer suit you and you will need to be refitted until your swing stabilizes down the road.

Having the proper shaft on all of the golf clubs is important but, since the driver is usually the first club out of your bag, getting it set up correctly the first time can make or break those first tee jitters.

PS - Did you notice how many times I mentioned to take lessons and to go to qualified club fitters? That was not in error; I hope some of that subliminally-placed notes within this golf blog will take hold and instill in you the necessity of the right people for the right job - the goal being...to improve your swing and enjoyment on the golf course!

Share your golf driver experiences in the comments section of our golf blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.


photos: www.nextgolf.it