Teeing It Forward at Grande Dunes Members Club in Myrtle Beach

As part of its ongoing effort to grow golf by making the game more inclusive, the Grande Dunes Members Club in Myrtle Beach announces the addition of new forward tee boxes

(MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.) — The owners and management staff at Grande Dunes Members Club believes that golf needs to be as inclusive as possible if this great game is going to continue to enjoy future growth.

Their grow-the-game philosophy is the driving force behind the new forward tees being constructed on the Grande Dunes Members Course. The new forward tees are the result of a two-year analysis conducted by Members Club Head Professional Brian Vest, Golf Course Superintendent Ryan Gamble, McConnell Golf Vice President and Director of Agronomy Michael Shoun, and Craig Schreiner, the Myrtle Beach-based golf course architect who designed the Grande Dunes Members Course.

“The new tee box locations will build confidence in the ‘tee game’ for both new and mature golfers,” said Schreiner. “Less severe angles coupled with reduced yardages will make each hole more forgiving. This improvement will be implemented without compromising the original golf design strategy and appearance of each hole.

“The new tees will also allow greater spectrum for daily course setup and for more variety during competitions,” said Schreiner. “Novice golfers will be less intimidated and this should in turn build their confidence and speed up play for everyone.”

Vest said the new forward tees would equally benefit male and female golfers, as well as young and old. “We are big proponents of ‘playing it forward’ at Grande Dunes,” said Vest. “The Members Course is a fairly lengthy course for the average player. We encourage playing forward tees for the overall enjoyment of the game. We think these new tees will be popular among a younger audience, as well as females and senior players alike. We’re expecting an immediate impact.”

The 16 new tee boxes, which will be built in early June and will range from 800 to 1,000 square feet, provide Grande Dunes Members Course with a forward tee, total measurement of 4,400 yards — or less than 250 yards per hole. “They won’t look like afterthoughts,” said Gamble.

Originating in 2002, Grande Dunes is a 2,200-acre master planned development that stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to west of the Intracoastal Waterway and from Water Tower Road to Grissom Parkway. In 2013, Grande Dunes was purchased by Raleigh-based LStar Management, which partnered with McConnell Golf, also of Raleigh, to oversee management of all golf, food and beverage operations within Grande Dunes, specifically related to the Members Club at Grande Dunes and Ocean Club at Grande Dunes.

Said Schreiner: “I applaud LStar and McConnell Golf for investing in this wonderful course and for doing it in a way that will benefit all the members and their guests.”