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Founders Club At Pawleys Island may have just opened in 2008, but it’s already fast-becoming a tradition among countless golfers. With a backdrop like the picturesque setting of Pawleys Island, a 20 minute drive from Myrtle Beach, it’s no wonder this par- 72 golf course has an allure far and wide in all of its 6,910 yards. Founders Club showcases 18 one-of-a-kind holes reinvented by designer Thomas Walker on the former grounds of the Sea Gulf Golf Club. Founders Club At Pawleys Island is known to offer a dramatic but accommodating round of golf – from isolated tee boxes to water features, enhanced by a sprinkling of azaleas and towering live oaks. It is the only course in the area that sports Emerald Bermuda greens, many of which are elevated and require a deft touch to maneuver.
Walker eschewed large areas of long rough in favor of sandy waste areas and pine needles, which provide a better chance for recovery in case of wayward shots. The back nine features numerous holes that use this feature, such as the fabulous long par four 14th hole, which doglegs to the right around a stand of pines and heaves upward to a green sloped steeply from back to front. Players often try to cut the corner by too much and end up with a choice between pitching out to the fairway and threading the proverbial needle in order to reach the green in regulation. After the 18th hole, wrap up your day on the wrap-around porch at the Founders Club’s Lowcountry-style clubhouse overlooking the 18th green. The clubhouse offers a slew of dining and meeting options.
“Course was in excellent shape – t boxes, fairways and greens. Lots of waste bunkers that also serve as cart paths on several holes which is very unusual but frankly I felt it added to the fun of the course…. almost a desert type layout…Played 5 courses in this area in 6 days. Thought Founders had the most unique and fun layout.” – Chuck New Jersey
“The natural feel on The Founders Club is well suited to the Pawleys market. Waste bunkers, allowing almost no cart paths, extend the added playability and natural setting. The course has more movement than most at the beach and the use of waste sand adds to the native feel. I enjoyed the fact that it meandered around an older Pawleys neighborhood. I felt like I was on a much older course reminiscent of golden era golf. It’s one of the better Grand Strand designs” – Ashton New York