Eagle Nest Golf Club

Nestled in the heart of Little River, South Carolina, Eagle Nest Golf Club is one of the most conveniently located courses along the northern end of the Grand Strand. Designed by Gene Hamm, the course opened in 1971, making it one of the longest-tenured courses in the area, having been enjoyed by countless thousands of locals and visiting golfers alike in parts of five decades.

Eagle Nest is a traditional, tree-lined courses with medium-sized greens well-defended by large, relatively shallow bunkers and tranquil ponds. It is a traditional par-72 layout with four par threes, ten par fours and four par fives. At just over 6,900 yards from the back Blue tees, its Rating of 72.2 and Slope of 126 are quite modest, meaning the course is very playable for all levels of player, seeing as its remaining three sets of tees bring the yardage all the way down to 5,105 from the Red set.

Much as Eagle Nest may seem like a lamb on paper, it goes out like a lion, styling its last three holes the toughest such stretch in Myrtle Beach. It begins with the stout, 449-yard par four 16th, which plays relatively straightaway to a green guarded by a pond in front and three bunkers that hem in the green. The 17th is an enormous par five that plays 616 yards and is one of the longest holes on the Grand Strand. It, too, requires an approach shot over water, to yet another green guarded by three bunkers. The final hole, a middle-length par three, confronts players with yet another pond and four greenside bunkers—one at each point on the compass. Players who navigate these holes in even par will likely gain multiple strokes on their opponents.