One of Grand Strand golfers’ favorite courses is undergoing a considerable renovation that will impact every bunker.
North Myrtle Beach’s Tidewater Golf Club will work on reshaping existing bunkers along the course. Brett Foti, director of sales and marketing at Tidewater Golf Club, told The Sun News via text the course had already finished bunker renovations on seven of the course’s holes.
Specifically, the course finished holes seven through nine and 15-18. Fotti wrote that holes already with redone bunkers will receive sod the week of Dec. 9, 2024.
Despite the considerable overhaul, Fotti said Tidewater will stay open throughout the renovation and only close one hole at a time for upgrades.
“It’s exciting to see these changes take shape,” He added via text message. “The updates will refresh the course’s design while maintaining its classic charm, creating an even more enjoyable experience for our golfers.”
Fotti also said the plan includes removing some select bunkers to increase the playability for all golfers and adhere to the course’s design.
The renovations come less than two years after new ownership took over the respected course.
The 18th hole at Tide Water Golf Club in North Myrtle Beach. The hole’s bunkers were reshaped as part of an ongoing renovation to the course’s bunkers. Provided by Tidewater Golf Club
KemperSports purchased the course in August 2023. The firm owns and operates high-end courses across the United States. Tidewater fits that bill, as outlets like Golf Digest previously ranked the course one of the Top 100 public courses in the United States and one of the best in South Carolina.
KemperSports Chief Operating Officer Jeremy Goldblatt told The Sun News in an October 2024 interview that the course was in good shape when bought, making more expansive upgrades unnecessary. He added the bunker work would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars but did not provide a specific figure.
Goldblatt said that improving playability —making courses easier for golfers of all levels— is part of a growing trend in the industry away from a previous push for ‘Tiger-proofing’ golf courses. Goldblatt said player experience is more important than keeping courses difficult to play.
“You want a chance to score well; you want a chance to be in the hole after your first shot. Which doesn’t mean it has to be easy, but we want to give people options a bit,” Goldblatt said. “I just think there was a trend where things just got out of hand in terms of force carries and pinpoint accuracy. Most of us don’t have an opportunity to play golf enough to be that good.”
In 2024, Sun News readers voted Tidewater their third favorite Myrtle Beach area golf course, finishing second in 2023.
