Long Bay Club FAQs: What to Expect from a Classic Jack Nicklaus Design
Soon after his victory at the 1986 Masters, Jack Nicklaus, the game’s most prolific champion, began work at Long Bay Club. Originally envisioned as a private course, Long Bay opened its fairways to the public, and it continues to epitomize the type of challenge Nicklaus relished.
Located just west of the beach, the layout is demanding yet fair, and that’s a big part of its enduring popularity. As group leaders make plans for their next golf trip, Myrtle Beach offers an abundance of options, and if you are considering a round at Long Bay, we are here to help.
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the course.
How hard is Long Bay?
A significant part of golf’s appeal lies in its challenge. We play the game to test ourselves against both the people we’re paired with and the course. Long Bay provides
and ideal canvas to do both. Nicklaus asks questions of every part of your game, but the layout isn’t tricked up. The challenge is always in front of you but never unfair, and that’s a big part of the fun.
The question is, are you ready to meet the challenge he designed for you?
Course details:
Black tees: 7,025 yards, 74.4/146
Blue tees: 6,593 yards, 72.3/141
White tees: 6,209 yards, 70.6/137
Gold tees: 5,715 yards, 68.0/129
Gold tees (ladies): 5,715 yards, 73.9/134
Red tees (ladies): 4,944 yards, 69.9/127
What makes Long Bay fun?
Don’t let the tough talk fool you, Long Bay is a delight to play. You aren’t likely to fire a career-best round, but you’ll remember so many holes and shots.
The approach to the small kidney-bean-shaped third green and the anxiety-inducing tee shot on the short par-4 ninth will leave you immediately wanting to play both holes again, and we haven’t even gotten to the back nine. Put another way, Long Bay is tough in all the best ways.
What will you most remember about the round?
Long Bay’s back nine is among Myrtle Beach’s best. Beginning with the short par-4 10th, which features a fairway surrounded by a horseshoe-shaped waste bunker, and ending with the unforgettable dogleg-right 18th – a daunting two-shooter that plays around water – the home nine is a delight.
How good is it? The Sun News, then the area’s daily newspaper, once ranked the Myrtle Beach area’s top 100 holes, and three of them – 10, 13 (an island-green par 3), and 18 – were on Long Bay’s back nine. Golfers end a round at Long Bay already looking forward to the next.
Where can you make birdie?
We’ve talked a lot about the challenge, but Jack gives you chances to score. With a good tee shot, the ninth (315 yards, all distances from white tees) and 10th (327
yards) are short par 4s that offer a chance to make birdie, allowing you to close the front with a flourish and build momentum heading to the back.
How are the greens?
Long Bay battled its greens at times in the past, but a 2023 restoration project has fully taken hold, and the putting surfaces are as good as they’ve ever been. The TifEagle greens are the equal of the layout. You’ll love them.
How can I book tee times?
The best place to book tee times is at MyrtleBeachGolfTrips.com or LongBayGolfClub.com.
What’s the best package Long Bay is part of?
That’s a loaded question because there are a lot of good offers, depending on what you’re looking for. The Founders Group All-Inclusive package – which includes lunch, two drinks, and range balls – is the most popular, allowing groups to pair Long Bay with Founders Group International’s other 20 layouts.
Does the course allow walking?
Yes. Walking is permitted on all Founders Group International courses.
Final Take
Long Bay Club remains one of Myrtle Beach’s most memorable tests; it’s a course that demands precision and rewards creativity, just the way Jack envisioned it.
Photos for this feature from MyrtleBeachGolfTrips Instagram Account, Follow Along!
