LONG BAY GOLF CLUB is a regular stop on our annual Myrtle Beach trip. The course presents a mix of strategic challenges — long bunkers, raised mounds and a dramatic 18th hole — and an unexpectedly active wildlife scene. Around nearly every par 3 we saw five to six snakes slip away into the water as we approached, and on the 15th hole a very large rat snake rested right beside the hole marker.
Beyond the animal encounters, this Jack Nicklaus “Golden Bear” Signature Design delivers a thoughtfully crafted test. Success at Long Bay depends on recognizing that many holes feature front-facing bunkers, while the areas behind the greens are often the safer option. Take an extra club when necessary to avoid landing in sand. The layout also rewards precision: narrow tee-to-green corridors and strategically placed hazards turn the course into what some of us call a “second-shot course.” You can bomb a long drive, but the second shot often demands control and finesse.
Nicklaus used bunkers, fairway mounding and sculpted contours to create visual appeal and strategic complexity. From the air, the fairways reveal how those features influence shot selection and risk-reward decisions. I played this round with John Ecklund, an IBM executive; Mike Donahue of FXExpress Publications, Inc.; and my brother Gerry Gallagher.
HOLE 1 | 408 yards, par 4
The opening hole eases you into the test. From the tee you can hit a long drive to a forgiving, wide fairway — although the right side quickly turns into thick trees. The green is protected by a bunker front center and another to the back right. John’s near-perfect approach hit the center of the putting surface, while the rest of us scrambled to save bogey after less tidy shots.
HOLE 2 | 568 yards, par 5
Measured from the whites, the second hole plays long — a true par 5 that tests length and accuracy. A large waste bunker begins about 130 yards from the green and then sneaks into the approach; it claimed Mike’s ball and a bit of his optimism. The fairway gives some room, but the woods can be penal. Gerry learned that lesson after trying John’s “big dog driver” and ending up in the trees. I managed a three-wood followed by a solid approach right of the green, then a tidy chip for par.
Gerry on Hole 5 © FRANCIS X. GALLAGHER
HOLE 6 | 394 yards, par 4
Gerry teed off in a memorable yellow sweater and coordinating shorts. The sixth demands accuracy: a narrow landing area, a tree that crowds the right side and three fairway bunkers down the left. The green is two-tiered, which complicates approach shots and putts. Mike pulled off a clever recovery through the trees on the right that left him with a makeable putt for par — proof that smart shot-making can overcome an awkward lie.
HOLE 13 | 156 yards, par 3
Hole 13 is a classic short par 3 with water guarding the green and a near-island design. Sidewind gusts and the threat of snakes made it memorable. I opted for a low trajectory, accidentally blading the ball to bounce across the pond and onto the green, narrowly avoiding one of the swimming snakes. The ground crew worked near the green and cheered as the ball skipped to safety. John’s tee shot found the left fringe and left him a chippable up-and-down; somewhere on the little bridge a dent from his misfired shot will remain as a souvenir.
HOLE 15 | 492 yards, par 5
We dubbed the 15th “Snake Alley” after spotting that massive snake near the marker next to the green. The hole funnels into a narrow throat to the landing area, and a creek runs across the fairway about 190 yards from the green, continuing along the right side out of view from the tee. My adrenaline-fueled drive finished long and left, setting up a good position for the approach. The skies darkened as we reached the closing stretch, but we finished the round before the storm hit, walking away with another memorable game at Long Bay — snakes included.
Long Bay Golf Club
350 FoxTail Dr.
Longs, SC 29568
tel 843 399 2222
longbaygolfclub.com