Tiger's Eye Golf Links Review

By Joe Derus –NorthMyrtleBeachOnline.com

Ocean Isle Beach, NC April 20, 2008—The Average Joe foursome played Tigers Eye at Ocean Ridge Plantation last week.

Tigers Eye is part of the Big Cats courses at Ocean Ridge Plantation. Tigers Eye is easy to get to from North Myrtle Beach.It is just nine miles north of the South Carolina border on route 17. Though not the newest of the Big Cat courses it is one of their best.

Myrtle Beach Golf Directors, who scheduled tee time for us, said “Joe you will love this course.” I soon discovered what they meant.

After checking in at club house and looking out the course you get to know what a beautiful golf course looks like. I’ll say right now the beauty you see from the club house is repeated throughout the entire course. It is a little early in the year for trees, grasses, and flowers to be in full bloom; nevertheless, outstanding scenery abounds.

While I appreciated the beauty, the average Joe may find it difficult to stay out of the sand. Perhaps it was just me but the fairway bunkers were eating me up all day.

Number 1 is a straight away 313 yards par 4 with water up the left side. All distance mentioned here are from the white tees.

My strategy was to just keep my shots in the center and start off the day with pars or even birdies.

Number 2 is a par 3, 150 yards over water.  Here if you are comfortable hitting 150 yards over water go for the elevated green and over the bunkers.  Not comfortable with that shot, you can bail out to the right and still be in great position for a par. You have options, so make the most of it on this on this fairly easy hole, because the hole coming up next will not be this friendly.  

Number 3 is 493 yards and the number 3 handicap. This hole lives up to its difficult rating. A fairway bunker on the right that runs the entire length of this hole doubles as a cart path.  Three of the four players will hit a shot from the cart path on this hole.

Hitting to left will put you quickly into the trees. To score well on this hole you must keep the ball in the short grass. Once you reach the green, hope you are within ‘gimmie’ distance of the cup.
All the greens at Tigers Eye are fast and difficult to read. Looking at the score card, one-putts were scarce and two-puts were mostly for bogeys. My point is you must get to the green in regulation if you have any hope of paring the hole.

The first three holes give you a feel for the course’s par 4s, 3s, and 5s. Now that your game is fine tuned, you can move through the next few holes knowing what is coming -sand, water and fast greens, and lots of picturesque holes.

I particularly like number 8 because it is fits my game. It is not long (a 337 yards par four with a dog leg to the right). Your tee shot can go over the fairway bunker or just to the left of them. Either way avoids the bunker and your second shot will not be too difficult.

The back nine starts with two holes to boost your morale. Number 10 is a par four 330 yards without any notable hazards to up your score.

Number 11 is a par three; just 128 yards over water.

Getting these down in par or better will set your sprits high for the remainder of the course.

Yeah! You will be running up to the tee box on number 12.

You might as well enjoy the views as you move through the next three holes before you come up to number 15.  This is the number two handicap a 467 yard par five.

Every course has a signature hole and one that says Oh! No, no way, they got to be kidding. That is the feeling you get on tee box at number 15. It is wide open with water on the left; fairway bunkers at just the right spots; water next to the green and grasses that will eat up errant shots.

It can be played however. Our group had two pars. 

The remaining three holes (a par 4, 3 and 5) are the easiest ones on the course.

I like finishing this way because scoring well at the end of the round always brings you back for more.

About the only thing missing from Tigers Eye is the theme song from Rocky… and Myrtle Beach Golf Directors were correct “Joe really did like this course”