Ah yes, the dreaded bunkers. We’ve all been there. Some of us are still there. And to make matters worse, when some of us do get out, we have no idea exactly how we did it. The following article will discuss the basics and tackle a little bit of the intricacies involved of successfully navigating your way out of sand traps.

For a sure-fire thought process when amidst a bunker try to harness these basics:

Swing thought one – GET IT OUT, leaving your shot in the bunker will just add stokes to your game, you have a better chance of chipping up and making a long putt by “Getting It Out” than leaving your shot in the bunker.

Swing thought two – GET IT ON, As you have moved up with a better Bunker game from swing thought one, Getting It On” means getting the shot on the green, any where on the green increase chances of making better scores by making a long putt.

Swing thought three – GET IT IN, you are now a pretty good bunker player and can “Get It Out” and “Get It On” with consistency. The next step is to make the shot. That’s right positive swing thoughts will increase your score every time.

Some of the bunker basics include keeping a wide open stance as well as an open club face as much as you can.  Always make sure you have solid footing.  Slipping and sliding throughout a shot is undoubtedly not a good maneuver. To keep it simple, consider that for every degree open you rotate your stance, match it with an open clubface. As you do that, situate the target right in between the two angles. One of the keys to your swing in the bunker is to think about speed not strength.  In order to keep your swing complete, the concentration of swinging faster as opposed to harder will keep you swinging through the ball and not down into the sand.  This also triggers a more complete body rotation as well.  A full body rotation is helpful in order to use less hands. Less hand action makes it easier to keep your club face open.  In sum, the body must be completely active. Wrists and feel and remember it’s all trial and error.

If you are up for the challenge, these courses have some tough bunkers to overcome: Legends Moorland, Barefoot Dye, Prestwick, True Blue, Kings North, Leopard’s Chase, and Tiger’s Eye.

What does Double Tee mean?
Why do golf courses in Myrtle Beach Double Tee? The term Double Tee is used when golf courses start groups off of both the 1st tee and 10th tee at the same time.

Why do golf courses in Myrtle Beach Double Tee? Courses in the Myrtle Beach area Double Tee to help get more golfers on the course. If a course were to start every group off of the first hole, then the “Back Nine” of the golf course, would be empty for about 2-hours and 15-minutes each day leaving about 15 tee times open depending on the tee time increments at each course. With 15-tee times and the low end avg. cost of $50 per golfer that is an additional $3000.00 per day and on the high end at $200 per round it could be as much as $12,000 per day in lost / gain revenue. With most golfers wanting to play between 10am to 11am the double tee does not allow and most times are not open after 9:30 am depending on the golf course.

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View the golf courses in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Your drive may set your mental attitude for the hole but your short game will determine your score.  Many golfers set aside hours for their drive and minutes for their short game.  However, it is one’s short game which needs to be perfected in order to score low.  Distance is necessary to get you where you want to be on the hole but there is no way to get your golf ball in the hole without an excellent short game.  Therefore, there are stroke saving shots which will help your short game tremendously and will help you to score lower on your score sheet.

Such shots that are included in this category of stroke saving shots include the fringe shot, the greenside divot, the running chip shot, the lob shot, the buried lie, the short putt, the long putt, the greenside bunker shot, the long bunker shot and the backward shot.  If you can include all of these shots into your short game then you will be ready to play any course including the excellent and challenging Myrtle Beach golf courses.

Here is a description of each one of these shots so that you have an idea of which ones you should start working on today:

The Fringe Shot – This shot is used when the golf ball lies on the border between the green and the rough.  Normally, the golf ball is rather close to the hole so trying to chip the call may prove to be disastrous.  In this shot, you should use a 4 wood, 5 wood or a 7 wood and use one of these particular clubs like a putter.  Just put the ball as if you were putting even though you are not actually on the green.

The Greenside Divot – This shot is very useful when your ball lands in a divot.  By using an 8 iron, you will be able to chip your ball out from the devoted area and into a more desirable location.

The Running Chip Shot – This is a great shot when you need some distance but do not want your ball to be flying and bouncing around.  With this type of chip, the ball will literally run on the golf course towards the pin.  The recommended golf clubs for this shot are the 8 and 9 irons.

The Lob Shot – If you need some height then the lob shot is perfect.  By opening the face of the club as much as you can, you will be able to let the ball soar without launching it far from its target.

The Buried Lie – Unfortunately, there are patches of the rough which seem impossible for you to get your ball out of.  With this shot, you will be able to soar free from the worst lies on the rough.

The Short Putt – A short putt is considered to be any putt on the green where the golf ball is 6 feet or less from the hole.

The Long Putt – The long putt is considered to be any putt where the golf ball is 20 feet or more from the pin.

The Greenside Bunker Shot – Getting stuck in the sand can be a nightmare for golfers who do not have this shot in their repertoire.  By opening the face of the Sand wedge and hitting about an inch behind the golf ball will help you to fly out of the sand trap without regret.

The Long Bunker Shot – For these types of shots where height may not be necessary to get you out of the trap, you can use your 8 iron rather than the sand wedge to get you out of trouble.  This shot will help show you how.

The Backward Shot – This is one of the most valuable strokes in golf if you have bad luck while playing.  It seems incredible where you find the ball whether it be right next to a tree or anywhere else where it may seem like an impossible play.  With the backward shot you will be able to get you and your ball out of a jam without losing valuable strokes.

Each of these shots have their particular place in one’s short game.  Some of these stroke saving shots may be more valuable than others but this all depends on one’s game.  Practice the shots which are absolutely necessary such as the short and long putts.  Practice the shots that seem useful depending on your tendencies to shoot for the bunkers in some cases and at least review those shots that you may never seem to use but might one day become very necessary such as the backward shot.

The plethora of courses for will provide you with plenty opportunities to practice and use all of these stroke saving shots again and again. Come stay and play with us on your Myrtle Beach golf vacation and experience the whole spectrum that golf has to offer from the most challenging and world renowned courses to the family friendly, beginner’s courses.

Myrtle Beach is renowned for its golf courses and its Myrtle Beach golf packages. Besides being exquisitely constructed courses, these courses are also some of the most challenging for every level of golfer. Myrtle Beach golf courses are an amazing experience and opportunity to play on in which every golfer should at least have one opportunity to play their fate on one of these divine courses. There are dozens of courses where you can play. Some of these courses allow your kids to play free, for single players to play or to walk these fine courses rather than using a golf cart.

If you are unsure as to the options of where you to play, you can visit this Myrtle Beach golf courses page  here is an extensive list of all of the golf courses located in the area.

The prices for these golf courses all vary. Normally there are different rates for morning and afternoon tee times. The morning tee off times are generally more expensive then the afternoon tee off times. Prices on these golf courses range from $34 to $113 for a round of golf. However, the majority of these courses charge about $55 on average for the day. There are also daily and special rates available for these courses but one would have to inquire to the specific Myrtle Beach golf course for more information.

Many people who come to the area to play Myrtle Beach golf often take advantage of Myrtle Beach golf packages. What is great about these Myrtle Beach Golf packages is that you can create your own golf packages online. There are also pre made packages for those who are undetermined. All you have to do is confirm your arrival and departure from the area, choose the Myrtle Beach golf courses that you want to play on with a suggested tee time and choose an accommodation. These Myrtle Beach golf packages take minutes to set up and you will be all set for your wonderful Myrtle Beach golf vacation!

Golf is a wonderful game that develops concentration, dedication and determination in its players.  However, many people are not immediately attracted to the game because it can be frustrating as a beginner to play on challenging courses.  There is nothing better then going to a Myrtle Beach golf course and shooting at least par for the experienced golfer.  However, this situation may be quite intimidating for someone who has just settled into the game.  Therefore, what is recommended to the novice player as the ideal golf course to play on before being able to move onto more challenging golf courses?

The most ideal conditions for beginner golf players would be to play on a mock golf course.  Such a course would consist of fewer holes such as between six to nine holes and be shorter in distance.  Fewer holes would be a starting step to spending hours out on the course.  A full eighteen hole round of golf can be quite overwhelming especially as a beginner.  Therefore, a shorter course could be a solution.  You may go out onto a nine hole golf course to become acquainted with the layout of the course and the time that playing nine holes takes.  However, these nine holes may be extremely difficult.  That is why beginner holes are necessary which are shorter in distance.  This will make it possible for the beginner player to reach the green in the same amount of strokes that it would take an experienced golfer to reach the green on an average course.  There are a number of Myrtle Beach golf courses that would fit this bill. Spend some time acquainting yourself with tips and techniques aimed to make the beginning golfer at home on the links. Once you develop this comfortability, we know you will love the game as much as we do.

Considering the complexity of golf and the mental preparation that one needs to play, being rushed on a normal course by advanced players is often unfair.  Therefore, with a course purely dedicated to beginners, one is able to focus on his or her game without the pressure of the players on the previous hole trying to speed along the player’s game.  This may also be a wonderful opportunity for players to learn golf etiquette.  There are numerous traditions and customs that are expected of players while playing on a golf course which beginners may be unaware of.  At a basic player’s golf course, these rules can be read and reviewed.

Although finding such an ideal novice golf course is hard to come by, it does not mean that you cannot prepare yourself before making your way onto any golf course.  Try to play with friends who are experienced golfers who can help you every step of the way until you can find a course which suits your needs better.  Do not think because you are a novice player that you do not deserve to play a full eighteen round of golf with your friends.  Remember, golf is a mental game.  Do not defeat yourself by placing yourself in a purely beginner’s category.  There are plenty of experienced players who are novices. 

Before heading out to one of the most challenging golf courses in the United States such as a Myrtle Beach golf course, you should make sure that you have the perfect swing. Such challenging courses can become frustrating if your swing is not up to par, literally. Many people believe that it is really the short game in golf which is more important than the drive. This may be true on many levels but one’s drive sets his or her confidence level. Therefore, if you start your day off on a Myrtle Beach golf course with a terrible first drive you may not enjoy yourself as much if you had hit that perfect drive. Therefore, to avoid lowering your confidence on the day you arrive to take advantage of your Myrtle Beach golf package then follow the next suggested tips on how to improve your golf swing:

Tip One: Golf is ninety percent mental and ten percent physical. You need to be mentally prepared before taking your shot. Stay positive before and after your shot even if it is not the best shot that you have ever taken. If you are defeated mentally, then you will not have a pleasant day out on the golf course.

Tip Two: There are various small movements which form a golf swing. If your hand position on the club is incorrect or you lift your head before the shot is over then you are jeopardizing the entire golf swing. Learn each of these small components which make up the shot and compare your swing to analyze where you need to improve.

Tip Three: Working with a golf pro will help you tremendously, even for just a few sessions. He or she will be able to tell you what you need to work on, how to do it and exercises that you can do to perfect your swing. However, if you do not have the resources to take a few private golf lessons, you may want to video tape your swing so that you can sit down with your golf buddies to figure out what needs to be improved, going back to Tip Two.

Tip Four: The major problem area for most people is the backswing. You should use the position known as the hitchhiker, where your thumb is directed in a hitchhiker’s position. You may look in order to view the position of your thumb but remember that your eyes must always stay on the ball.

Tip Five: Keep your eye on the ball. Many people have the tendency to lift their head once contact has been made with the golf ball in order to see where it went. You should keep your eye on the ball until your swing is finished. Do not worry about not seeing where the ball went. That’s why people do not play alone so that others can direct you to where your ball went.

Tip Six: Your feet should be about shoulder width apart with your knees slightly bent. Keep in mind if you are a right handed player that your weight should be kept on the inside of your right foot while left handed players should have their weight in the inside of their left foot.

Tip Seven: There are a few different grips which you can use when it comes to holding a golf club such as a baseball grip or an interlocking finger grip. Try out the different grips and see which you feel more comfortable with and which one gives you better results. At first you may not feel very comfortable with a new grip but you will adjust over time.

Tip Eight: Golf swing aids can help tremendously in achieving that perfect golf swing. They can help you with aligning your body, improving your stance and even judging the flight distance of the golf ball from your swing. Golf swing aids are available in pro shops, sporting goods stores and online.

Overall, relax when you are out on a Myrtle Beach Golf course. This is your day to live your golfing dream. And don’t forget, there are plenty of Myrtle Beach golf packages to choose from at NorthMyrtleBeachGolf.com.