The Witch - South Carolina - USA

According to folklore, the “Lady of the Lake” gave King Arthur his infamous sword Excalibur. Viviane was a tale of two personalities – the evil and deceitful villainess and yet a kind and benevolent maiden who raised Sir Lancelot as if he were her own son. Mystical Golf owner Claude Pardue commissioned renowned Architect Dan Maples to create a trio of golf courses with three different personalities and unique challenges as these characters. And each clubhouse is as unique as the courses themselves. When I spoke with Mystical Golf owner Claude Pardue he assured me that “there aren’t historical references to the names of the three Mystical Golf courses”, but I am not convinced. The Witch Golf Club was their first course and has been awarded 4 ½ stars by Golf Digest. From the moment I arrived I was graciously greeted at their ominous clubhouse complete with a wraparound deck and roof that eerily resembles a witch’s hat. Claude told me the “The Witch was named due to the swamp it plays through in that, it’s cool and spooky as you go through the wetlands and secluded areas.” Making it even more unique is that every tee block is a hardwood stump recovered from the property to resemble a witch’s face. Right away I knew I was in for a unique experience. The Witch is daunting sometimes even evil but definitely the most enchanting of the three courses. It was if Arthur used Excalibur, the finest sword there ever was, to thrash his way through 500 acres of eerie black water wetlands, undisturbed woodlands and cypress groves. Just like Viviane, there are two personality traits here. The front nine is tight and very well treed whereas the back nine is more forgiving with rolling hills and elevated tees. You may never see another golfer in the course but you could run across alligators, black bears, cranes, bald eagles and deer so don’t be looking for your errant golf ball for too long. My most memorable hole is probably the 9th, a dog leg left where strategy and placement off the tee is essential to have any shot at the green however holes 16 through 18 will certainly get your attention. With over 4,000 feet of bridgework, The Witch is one of the most photogenic and difficult courses you will find in Myrtle Beach. A few words of caution, keep it straight and their Bermuda greens are deceiving slow. Dave Finn is our Canadian Correspondent. To read more about golf in South Carolina visit http://golftravelandleisure.com/category/united-states/south-carolina/