TPC Myrtle Beach Completes Major Bunker Restoration Project

TPC Myrtle Beach, the Tom Fazio/Lanny Wadkins design that bears the distinction of being the area’s only course rated five stars in Golf Digest’s “Places to Play,” has recently completed a major bunker renovation project that further solidifies the course’s status in the Grand Strand’s top tier.

In the 19 years since TPC Myrtle Beach’s opening, its bunker complexes gradually expanded over that time through standard maintenance practices. This renovation project has since allowed TPC to modify the bunkers to be more “player-friendly” moving forward.

Forefront Golf out of Atlanta, Georgia, under the direction of Fazio Golf Design and TPC Myrtle Beach/Founders Group International, shelled out the bunkers from the bottom floor. In some cases, the bunker floors were raised, in others they brought some of the bunker edges down. A two-inch layer of pea gravel was then installed in the floor of these bunkers, then sprayed with a polymer, and on top of that gravel layer was installed a PGA TOUR-quality sand that holds in place and drains better than traditional bunker sand.

A leading benefit of this process is in allowing TPC Myrtle Beach staff to more quickly get their bunkers to “heal” after enduring a heavy rain period that would typically cause them to “wash out” (where sand from the sides of bunkers settles into the bottom). From this point, it would typically take maintenance staff up to two hours to restore a given hole’s bunkers to their pre-washout condition; the work done on this bunker renewal project now reduces that time to about 20 minutes.

For players, the project also brings a firmer, higher-quality sand surface to the bunkers that will offer more consistent playing conditions.

If you haven’t played TPC Myrtle Beach since this project has been completed, be sure to give the practice bunkers a whirl before you tee it up. You’ll be impressed by the difference!