Tidewater Golf Club, North Myrtle Beach, SC - Hi, my name is Joe Derus. I play golf with a group of guys almost every Wednesday. We are just average Joe's (pun intended) that probably represent the golfing majority. My personal handicap is 24 and those I play with handicaps range from 36 to 8. Warren Drange, our newest member, is the 36 and dropping fast. Bob Schlage is our 8 and our benchmark for golf.

For wwwNorthMyrtleBeachOnline.com, we will be covering weekly a course somewhere around North Myrtle Beach providing the readers a "hacker's" strategies for playing these courses.

Today our group of hacker golfers played Tidewater Golf Club. The Club is located in North Myrtle Beach on Little River Neck Road and extends from the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway to the Cherry Grove tidal marsh. This is one of the best courses on the strand and continuously highly rated by many golf magazines since it opened in 1990.

Many courses along the strand have driving range and putting greens far away from the starters. One of the nice things about Tidewater is the warm up area is very convenient and close to the starter. You don't have to listen for your name to be blasted all over the loudspeaker.

We started on the 10th tee and noticed some cute little signs at each tee box. On the 10th the sign reads "Heshbon's Launch, Mysterious name given to the Tidewater lands", much like the strange way this short par four consistently racks up high scores. What it doesn't tell you is that a good tee shot may wind up in the water, and your second shot is also over water. Keep your tee shot to the left center and you'll have a good shot at the green.

A tip about Tidewater: seniors should play the copper tees. This makes the course much more enjoyable to play but the challenge remains. Big Jim Pivirotto and I play the copper tees, without apologizes. We deserve it too!

The 12th and 13th are a par 3 and 5 respectively. Two really beautiful holes with a salt water marsh on one side and homes on the opposite. This par 3 is long and intimidating with a green that slopes disloyally toward the marsh. The prevailing wind greatly influences play here, frequently demanding a mid to long iron to successfully execute the lengthy carry over the marsh and the bunkers that guard the green. Errant shots to the left or long stay dry but make getting up and down for par very difficult. The key to making this shot is to relax your swing and pray the wind blows in the right direction.

The long par 5 at the 13th is both picturesque and challenging. The well-guarded green is surrounded by six sand traps. The strategy for 13 is to be realistic with your shot selection. Getting close to hole in four is better than getting out of the sand trap â€" or should that be traps. Note: six, count'em six well-placed bunkers.

Number 14 is referred to as a donation hole. Hit too good a tee shot and you are in the lake. Lay up too short and you may never make it over the lake. Place your tee shot about 10-15 yards past the center 150 pole and your second shot over the lake will be much easier.

Although Tidewater is a beautiful course of tree-lined fairways that are in great condition one must guard against the deceptive difficultly of the course. The greens are slow except when you putt too hard, and then they are exceedingly fast. They seem to have no breaks unless you play a break then they become straight as and arrow. You need to keep your mental game tough on this course. About the only negative I find with the course is the tee box designations are difficult to determine. They use black, gold, silver, copper, and jade and the colors on the markers are not vivid enough. Of course this may be to your advantage if you "accidentally" go the wrong tee box

The 18th hole will make a priest, rabbi, minister cuss. You can hit a great tee shot and still be in trouble. Lay up on your second shot, and your third is over high marsh with a cup cut near the fringe of the marsh. Though rated # 4 in difficulty on the scorecard, our group considers this the toughest hole to par. Play this hole as par 5 and be pleased if you make it in five. Lay up short of the marsh to avoid penalty strokes.

We finished our first nine and then moved onto #1. A great opening hole, probably one of the easy ones on the course, provided you hit the ball straight. That just sets you up for #2 and beautiful par 3, again marsh on one-side homes on the other. Strategy: Deceptively short, this par 3 demands shot-making courage and precision. The three-tiered green is guarded by large, deep bunkers in front while the salt marsh looms long and left. From the tee, a player can be intimidated by its challenge. Many call this the best hole on the course. I do too because it was one of my par holes, and, for me, there "aint" many.

The 7th hole is called TAR KILN by the sign. Standing on the tee box looking at the two huge sand traps it gets different names. Women golfers call it the Dolly Parton Hole. To my buddies and me it was called designer shades and others called it things I just will not write. The green is reachable in two provided you get lots of loft on your second shot. The green
is well elevated.

The 8th, a par five, can be reached in two if you are Tiger Woods. Not even the best of our group gets there two. Dennis Klein, John Coyle, Bob Schlage, Carl Anderson, Ed Silver, our big hitters just don’t get there in two. A little bit right and you’re in the trees. A little bit left and in the marsh. Again this holes mesmerizing beauty can take its toll if you’re not careful. Strategy: go for the center 150-pole on tee shot and, in my case, the second shot also.

The 9th is a fun par three, short and sweet. Just punch it down the middle and make the turn with a par in your pocket.. Or if you’re finishing on this hole a par makes the beer colder.

Dennis Klein, in our foursome today, provided the photographs.

Join us next week when we review our play at another course around North Myrtle Beach.

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