Green Reading

First Tee of MB releases summer program schedule

This summer The First Tee of Myrtle Beach offers weekly classes at nine locations throughout Horry County and several four-day camps at various locations.  Both the weekly classes and camps cover all aspects of the game of golf including putting, chipping, the short game, the full swing, rules and etiquette, and the Nine Core Values.  The cost for the weekly class or the four-day camp is $50 for members and $80 for non-members. Memberships cost $40 annually. The First Tee of Myrtle Beach does not turn a child away because of money. Some low-income children are eligible for scholarships. Annual membership includes free or discounted practice and playing privileges at eleven affiliate golf courses, a copy of USGA Rules of Golf, and invitations to special events.
The First Tee of Myrtle Beach also offers a summer series of competitive nine-hole golf tournaments at various Grand Strand locations each Monday starting June 15 and ending August 10. Each tournament costs $15 per person and includes a golf clinic. Based on points earned during the nine tournaments, The First Tee of Myrtle Beach crowns an overall winner in each age group: 7-10, 11-12, 13 and older. Snacks are offered at each tournament. Contact First Tee programs director Russ Brown at 843-913-5261, ext. 410.

8 Week Summer Session (June 16 to August 14) - Class Locations 
Tupelo Bay Golf Center - Tuesdays 4:30pm to 6:00pm
Harbour View Golf - Tuesdays 4:30pm to 6:00pm
Whispering Pines Golf Course - Wednesdays 4:30pm to 6:00pm
Black Bear Golf Course - Wednesdays 4:30pm to 6:00pm
Cane Patch Driving Range & Par 3 - Thursdays 4:30pm to 6:00pm
Legends Golf Resort - Thursdays 4:30pm to 6:00pm
Quail Creek Golf Course at CCU - Fridays 4:30 to 6:00pm 
Crown Park Golf Course- Fridays 4:30pm to 6:00pm 
Midway Par 3 - Saturdays 9:00 to 11:00 am (OPEN PLAY for ALL Summer Participants)
No classes will be held during Fourth of July week, June 30-July 3 

Summer Camps - Dates & Locations
June 16-19    Tues-Fri 9:00 to 11:30am - Whispering Pines
June 16-19    Tues-Fri 9:00 to 11:30am - Midway Par 3 
June 23-26    Tues-Fri 9:00 to 11:30am - Tupelo Bay 
June 23-26    Tues-Fri 9:00 to 11:30am - Cane Patch Driving Range & Par 3  
July  7-10      Tues-Fri 9:00 to 11:30am - Tupelo Bay
July 14-17     Tues-Fri 9:00 to 11:30am - Whispering Pines
July 21-24     Tues-Fri 9:00 to 11:30am - Tupelo Bay
July 21-24     Tues-Fri 9:00 to 11:30am - Midway Par 3 
July 28-31     Tues-Fri 9:00 to 11:30am - Cane Patch Driving Range & Par 3
Aug  4-7        Tues-Fri 9:00 to 11:30am - Whispering Pines

Summer Tour - Dates & Locations
June 15  Whispering Pines Golf Course
June 29  Black Bear Golf Club
July  6    Indian Wells    
July  13  Whispering Pines Golf Course
July  20  Quail Creek
July  27  Myrtlewood Golf Course
Aug  3    Crown Park
Aug  10  Legends Golf Resort

Perry should be ashamed

I've recently seen the video of Kenny Perry patting down grass behind his ball in a playoff he eventually won earlier this year in the FBR Open.
Let me first state that I like Kenny Perry. A lot. I like him even more after talking to him for a few days at the Masters this year when he was more gracious in defeat than could ever be expected of anyone. He was entertaining and honest in interviews throughout the week.
Having said that, the video clearly shows Perry improving his lie in the rough near the green. Quite simply, he cheated. And contrary to what he has said about the incident since, he knows he cheated. Just as Stewart Cink knows he was cheating in a playoff at the 2004 Verizon Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links when he swiped his finger to draw a deep line behind his ball in a fairway waste bunker to improve his lie, claiming he was merely trying to remove loose impediments. Without the sand impeding his shot, Cink stuck the approach to 10 feet and holed the birdie putt to defeat Ted Purdy, who is still peeved about the ruling to this day. In my opinion, Cink got permission from a rules official to flick loose impediments, and knew he could use that as his defense. But, just as Perry did, Cink knew he was breaching a rule. Even weekend hacks aren't brazen enough to draw a line behind their ball in a bunker or pat grass down behind their ball in the rough and claim they're playing by the rules.
The game and its keepers have always prided themselves on golf being a gentleman's sport where players report their own violations. This makes you wonder how often players knowingly skirt or stretch the rules, or don't report blatant rules violations. Granted, some golf rules seem silly and unfairly penalizing. But either you play by them or you don't. And I know two guys who have chosen not to when a tournament was on the line.

MB National honors Retired Military players

Participants in 26th annual National Retired Military Golf Classic were greeted with a special tribute this week at Myrtle Beach National golf club. Mike Hough has painted into the grass a 20-by-40 foot American Flag between the practice putting green and clubhouse, with ``Thanks'' painted beneath the flag. The tournament features 1,008 players who are either retired military members or their family members. The event is being played Wednesday through Saturday at Aberdeen Country Club, Long Bay Club and three courses at Myrtle Beach National on U.S. 501 and has a scramble format. There are shotgun starts at 7:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. each day. The Sun News may be running a picture of the flag in the coming days.

Gore not buying Marsh Harbour

Ed Gore, who owns Oyster Bay Golf Links and is a partner in Sea Trail Resort and its three golf courses, refuted rumors he was purchasing Marsh Harbour Golf Links from LaDane Williamson. Gore said he has had no discussions at all about buying the course, which has been closed since 2002. The rumor apparently gained momentum when someone stated it on a Grand Strand golf message board.

Clemson's Stanley wins Ben Hogan Award

Kyle Stanley of Clemson is the 2009 Ben Hogan Award winner, possibly the most prestigious award in men's college golf. It is presented annually to the top NCAA Division I, II or III, NAIA or NJCAA college golfer taking into account all collegiate and amateur competitions during a 12-month period. It's presented by Colonial Country Club, The Friends of Golf (FOG) and the Golf Coaches Association of America.
A junior from Gig Harbor, Wash., Stanley opened his collegiate season with a win at the Carpet Capital Collegiate. He has also posted five other top 10 showings. In amateur play, Stanley claimed his second Southern Amateur and also captured the Jones Cup. He finished tied for seventh at last season
's NCAA Championships, and advanced to match play at the U.S. Amateur, Western Amateur and North & South Amateur. He was recently named to the All-ACC team.
The other finalists were Jorge Campillo of Indiana and Rickie Fowler of Oklahoma State. Stanley joins D.J.  Trahan (2002) as the second Clemson golfer to win the Hogan. Former Coastal Carolina standout Dustin Johnson of Myrtle Beach was a finalist for the award in 2007.

GE foreclosing on five Legends Group courses

The five Grand Strand golf courses operated by Legends Group are being foreclosed on by General Electric Capital Corp. The lending company has filed foreclosure papers on the courses located in Georgetown, Horry and Brunswick counties.
The courses will remain open and may be taken over by another management company hired by the bank prior to a likely court-ordered sale if the foreclosure proceeds.
``They've filed foreclosure and we're not contesting it,'' said Legends Group founder and partner Larry Young. ``We can't make the payment. Our spring [rounds are] down 25 percent. Our debt is right at $50 million. No course would be able to survive being down 25 percent, unless they were debt-free.''
Young's family-owned Legends Group developed and has been operating Heritage Club in Pawleys Island and the Parkland, Moorland and Heathland courses at Legends Resort in Myrtle Beach since the four layouts were built between 1986 and `92.
The company has been leasing the 26-year-old Oyster Bay in Sunset Beach, N.C., for several years. It is owned by Brunswick County businessman Ed Gore, who is also a partner in Sea Trail Resort. GE is foreclosing on the lease.
Legends employees received a letter in their paychecks Tuesday stating the Youngs may no longer be running the courses, though they were expected to continue operating Ailsa Pub at Legends Resort and the Legends Resort rental properties.
Young said GE intends to hire Century Golf Partners, which owns Arnold Palmer Golf Management and operates clubs throughout the United States. He expects Legends Group to continue managing the properties at least until a hearing next Wednesday, when the court is expected to appoint a receiver.
``They want to put another management company in there,'' Young said. ``GE is the lender so it's their decision. I didn't want it to be a surprise to our employees. They've been hearing rumors and I'd rather tell them myself.''
Young said rounds at his properties were off 34 percent in November compared to 2007, and that contributed to a missed debt payment in January. Legend Group has been in default since, and GE claims in court documents it is owed more than $51 million _ the remainder of a Legends Group loan with Bank of America that GE acquired and renegotiated in the summer of 2006.
Young had been negotiating a possible merger/partnership with Myrtle Beach National Company, which owns nine and manages 10 Strand courses. ``The bank is making decisions on how they're going to proceed going forward, and at this time we don't know anything,'' said Myrtle Beach National vice president of golf operations and marketing Jim Woodring.
Legends Group has been managing the TPC of Myrtle Beach since 2006, when it was bought by co-owners Chip Smith and Danny Young, who is Larry Young's son and a partner in Legends Golf. But the TPC is not affected by the foreclosure, according to Smith and Larry Young.
``Danny and I have been running our day-to-day operations for quite a while, even though we have benefited from the Legends,'' Smith said.

_ Read Thursday's The Sun News for more information

Johnson teeing it up with Howell, Toms

Myrtle Beach resident Dustin Johnson is paired with David Toms and Charles Howell in the first two rounds of this week's HP Byron Nelson. The threesome goes off the first tee at 8:44 a.m. (Eastern) in Thursday's first round and the 10th tee Friday at 1:29 p.m.
In last year's Byron Nelson, Johnson tied for 63rd with rounds of 68, 73, 73 and 76 for a 10-over 290. But at the time, Johnson was in the midst of a slump. The Byron Nelson cut was the only one he made in a span of six tournaments, and was one of only two made in nine tournaments.
He has more reason for optimism this year. Last week at the Valero Texas Open, Johnson rebounded from an opening 74 with rounds of 5-under 65 in the second round and 8-under 62 in the third round. The 62 is his lowest round as a professional. He tied for 24th following a 1-over 71 in the final round.

Deer Track North Course owner files lawsuit against Horry County

Deer Track North Course co-owner McCray Smith vowed to file a lawsuit against Horry County when the County Council changed the zoning on his property against his will in November 2006, and that suit was filed this month.
Smith said he bought the 183-acre North Course in March 2006 predicated on its R-7 zoning that existed for two decades and allowed for up to seven housing units per acre.
He closed the course in September 2006 for a planned housing development but County Council reduced the property's density at the behest of Deer Track residents to a much less dense R-3, which allows three housing units per acre. It's believed to be the county's first forced property rezoning.
``My property rights were taken away from me unfairly,'' Smith said. ``They've ruined my investment and I'm going after them. It has cost me great damage. We had a beautiful, wonderful market when we started this thing. The worst thing about this is if they can do this to me they can do this to anybody.''
Smith said he and his partner in Deertrack Investors LLC, Jerry Pettus, waited 2 1/2 years to file the suit in U.S. District Court in Florence to give the county time to either reverse its decision or negotiate a settlement.
``I know the county is sued a lot and our batting average is pretty good, but you can never tell,'' said Council chairwoman Liz Gilland, who voted against the zoning change. ``It's difficult right now to make the case we hurt [Smith] out of a lot of money because the economy tanked before he ever would have built anything. Had he started, it probably wouldn't have gone anywhere and he might be thanking us now.''
Smith claims in the suit that, among other things: Horry County executed a taking of property without just compensation, and council members violated the Fifth and Fourteenth amendments protecting against excessive use of government power in regard to private property.
The suit names as defendants Horry County, the council, and the six 2006 councilmen he says voted for the zoning change: Harold Worley, Mark Lazarus, Marion Foxworth, Michael Ryan, Paul Prince and Kevin Hardee.
No dollar figure is stated in the suit, but Smith says in court documents he believes he's eligible for the recovery of actual damages, attorneys' fees and punitive damages.
Deer Track Investors LLC purchased the North Course for $8 million from John Schaad of Knoxville, Tenn., according to court documents, and is represented by the Moore & Van Allen law firm in Charleston.
``Because we're suing a municipality we've hired the best and the brightest, and when I win the county will get to pay for all of it,'' Smith said. ``I didn't want any legal fees or any legal battle. . . . It's a great piece of property, it's a great location. I'm going to develop it and I'm going to fight until I do. When I win I'll be paid handsomely for enduring all this.''
Smith is also demanding the R-7 zoning be reinstated. The rezoning was proposed by former councilman Ryan _ who at the time represented the district that includes Deer Track but he is no longer on the council _ in an attempt to protect existing homeowners in an already fully-developed community.
Former Deerfield Plantation Property Owners Association president Gary Loftus, who was elected to County Council in November, said then that homeowners wanted the new homes to be comparable to many of their homes, which he said are on approximately 15,000-square-foot lots.
Smith has also unsuccessfully proposed other housing developments, including one in August 2007 featuring 10,000-square-foot minimum lots that drew concerns from Deer Track residents regarding drainage, traffic, school overcrowding and density.
The suit against Horry County isn't the only legal action involving Smith and the Deer Track North Course. After his initial 411-unit single-family and duplex development proposal, homeowners filed a lawsuit in September 2006 attempting to keep the property from being redeveloped.
Late last year, Deertrack Investors LLC received a Summary Judgment freeing it to develop the property, but that judgment was rescinded and the case is still awaiting a court date. Smith has filed a countersuit against homeowners and is seeking a monetary award.
``I've already spent a small fortune. I'm not going to give up on it now,'' said Smith, who said he also has lawsuits on the property against both an individual involved in the 2006 sale and a property management company. ``I'm going to win. I'm going to beat them all, I promise you that.''
Horry County attorney Arrigo Carotti acknowledged the county has received the complaint and said it ``will be responded to timely within the period provided by the federal court.''
The Deer Track South Course, which also sits closed and idle, is still zoned R-7. Bill Clark Homes intends to build 278 single-family homes once permits are attained on the South Course, though there is also a resident lawsuit holding up that redevelopment.

B&C extends Arcadian Shores lease, to manage course beginning June 1

Burroughs & Chapin Co. has renewed an agreement to lease Arcadian Shores Golf Club to the owner of the Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort, though B&C will begin managing the course for the first time.
Bob Swezey, B&C Executive Vice President of Golf, Accommodations and Amenities, said the three-year agreement with FelCor Lodging Trust takes effect on June 1, and there are two one-year extensions built into the contract that require approval by both parties.
The addition of Arcadian Shores gives B&C Golf Management 10 courses _ it owns and operates five, and has management contracts for five others, including Arcadian Shores.
``I think there's an opportunity to add it to the packaging opportunities at the beach with our other courses,'' Swezey said. ``With the lease expiring it gave us an opportunity to manage the golf course and we thought it was a good idea.
``. . . The other opportunity that was out there was for us to take over the property and just manage it ourselves. But you've got the branding of B&C Golf Management along with the name that Hilton has in the market. Hilton is an international brand.''
A 35-year lease between B&C and the 385-room oceanfront hotel in Myrtle Beach began in 1973 when the Rees Jones-designed course was built. An eight-month extension that is expiring was added last summer.
Arcadian Shores was ranked among the nation's top 100 layouts by Golf Digest in the late 1970s. Swezey said B&C has already targeted some areas for improvement on the course _ dealing primarily with playing areas and aesthetics _ and will present a proposal to FelCor, which will fund any improvements.
``We've already done some evaluations of what we believe is needed,'' Swezey said. ``We believe we'll be able to get those projects started in the summer.''
B&C also operates the Grande Dunes Resort Course and is moving head pro Jason Mitchell and superintendent Steve Martin from that course to Arcadian Shores. Their replacements will be promoted from within the company.
``We believe in that product and with these two guys we think we can elevate Arcadian Shores pretty quickly,'' Swezey said.

B&C Golf Management properties
Owns and Operates
Pine Lakes Country Club
Myrtlewood PineHills Course
Myrtlewood Palmetto Course
Grande Dunes Resort Course
Members Club at Grande Dunes (private)
Manages
Tidewater Plantation & Golf
Farmstead Golf Links
Meadowlands Golf Club
River Hills Golf & Country Club
Arcadian Shores Golf Club

Explaining the numbers in the SC Golf economic impact study

A study conducted by the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism shows golf courses and the expenditures of visiting golfers on and off courses in 2007 had a total economic impact of $2.72 billion.
That figure is up from about $2.2 billion the last time the study was conducted in 2004, and the Grand Strand is responsible for more than half of the total, according to the study.
The South Carolina Golf Course Owners Association, which includes five regional divisions _ the largest of which is the Myrtle Beach Area Golf Course Owners Association _ covers actual costs for the study and uses the data to support its efforts to secure state funding.
``It gives us a good picture that we give to the legislators to try to make an impact on them and show the impact of golf in South Carolina and the amount of money it brings in,'' said MBAGCOA executive director George Hilliard. ``When you consider admissions tax, sales tax and property taxes, plus the golfers that come are spending money on other things in the communities, golf makes a large impact to the state budget.''
In fact, it accounts for 39 percent of the total state admissions taxes, or about $12.9 million. The $2.72 billion figure includes a direct economic impact of $1.554 million, while indirect and induced effects added $1.167 billion. So about $0.75 on every dollar was re-spent in the state's economy.
The study does not include the impacts of real estate sales in golf communities and off-site purchases of golf equipment by local golfers.
The indirect and induced dollars are factored using a national travelers survey called TNS Travels America. The direct figures are based on surveys and extrapolated using the IMPLAN analysis tool.