Rivers Edge - North Carolina - USA

This is a fun course. We recently completed a ten course boondoggle to the Myrtle Beach area and this was either number one or number two in everyone's rankings. The 9th hole has been reviewed ad nauseum. I will add that the drop zone is BS. Yes, it is a tough hole, but bad shots should not be rewarded to a drop zone 100 yards ahead.

Other highlights, the 2nd hole, favor the right side off the tee as the fairway runs out left into a water hazard. The green is perched behind the hazard and contours right to left. The 3rd is an uphill par 5 with a split fairway on the third shot. Play it as a 3 shotter and stay left. A creek bisects the fairway just left of the green. Right does not justify the risk. The 4th is uphill, favor the right off the tee to have the best angle into this redan table top green. The 5th is the shortest par 3, downhill, over the hazard, fun little hole. The 6th and 7th are long difficult par fours, stay left on seven.

The back starts with two excellent birdie oppties. The 10th is a short par four and the 11th is a short par five. Play it as a 3 shotter as the green is essentially a peninsula. The 13th and 14th are birdie holes. The 14th is the shortest par four and the green is set in a hollow. The 15th is a long par three, just about all carry over wetlands and is the number four handicap hole. The 16th is a marsh carry, off the tee aim at the right side of the left fairway bunker. Very narrow fairway. On the approach favor the left side as the marsh sneaks in on the right. The 17th is a reachable par five that doglegs right. Off the tee aim just left of the fairway bunker. The fairway runs out about 80 yards from the green but then picks back up about 40 yards. If you are laying up the hole plays easier from the upper left split fairway as opposed to the lower right. The 18th also bends right and it is all about how big is your appetite. Good finishing holes.

Not a walking course as there is a t least a ½ mile between 10 green and 11 tee. I would pay to play it again.

Excellent course with many stunning views of the marsh and many challenging holes including hole number 9 which is a high risk high reward shot with a tiny landing zone next to the green with marsh all around.

I knew very little going in and even though it was a cloudy / wet day, I could not be a bigger fan of this course. WOW! Awesome. I love the routing especially along the tidal marsh, but this course has very few "throwaway holes". It's the kind of course you can play once and remember 16 of the 18 holes very clearly. The Par-5 9th (1st picture below - from the fairway) is understandably one of the 18 best holes I've ever played as the skinny fairway doglegs right into the marsh to an even skinnier green. Picturesque and with a delicious risk/reward. That said, the Par-4 17th was actually my FAVORITE hole, and as you'll see in the 2nd photo attached, potentially the hardest pin to attack I've played in a long, long time. Pictures do not do this approach / green justice, how it takes a 90-degree right turn into the green and if the pin is tucked (as it was for me) in the back right, there is simply no way to go at it given the small, but devilishly placed Oak Tree right in front of the green. River's Edge is challenging, fun, and will make you think your way around the golf course. I was thorougholy impressed and hope to get back someday. A brilliant Palmer design.

Palmer design with several holes beside and sticking into the marsh. Bulkhead greens on several holes call for accuracy with the irons.

Played on August 9th 08 and was extremely dissapointed. After being assured by the staff the couse was in great condition, we found the greens were terrible and were barely playable. This is afantastic layout with some spectacular holes but overall the condiion and the unhelpful staff ruined the day.

Played Rivers Edge 10 March 2008. It was the fortieth course I've played in the Myrtle Beach area and is one of my top 5 favorites. The holes along the Shallotte River and tidal Marsh are beautiful and challenging. The inland holes add variety. The signature hole is #9, a par 5 that requires a good tee shot and then challenges you to bite off as much as you can on your second shot across the Marshalnd to a narrow of fairway jutting out toward the River.

This course is a must play if you are visiting the Brunswick County or Myrtle Beach area. It has got everything you will want in a golf course. Challenge, scenery, atmosphere and the best set of par 5s I have ever played. Each hole is different and it is a joy to play there. It is a 45 minute drive from Myrtle Beach but you will not be sorry for making it....ask any MB regular for a top 5 course and Rivers Edge will be in there.

I have played Rivers Edge on 2 trips to North Carolina and will be going back for more! This is a great course which you can just roll up and play on a day rate, it is a classic Arnold Palmer design with many tee shots over water or approach shots to greens over water, it follows the bluffs of the Charlott river and you get a real feel of Carolina golf from this course. It is about 90 mins drive from Myrtle Beach but is well worth the effort, the signature hole 9th is a great par 5 with either a lay up second or a 220 yrd carry over the water to a small green. If you are in South Carolina for a golf break take this one in you will not be dissapointed.