Play Golf Like a King or Queen at Crown Park Golf Course

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Discover a side of the Grand Strand that many do not know exists by playing a relaxing round of championship golf at Crown Park Golf Course in the rural community of Longs.

Located on the north end of the Grand Strand in nearby Longs, Crown Park allows golf-playing guests to escape the noise and neon lights of the more popular coastal cities to a rural stretch of farming communities along the Carolina state lines.

Built among the dense hardwood and pine forests off Highway 9, just inland of North Myrtle Beach and Little River, Crown Park is a pleasant surprise given its stark surroundings and lack of commercial development. Crown Park may not be one of the most popular courses on the Strand, which makes it the perfect place to get away and play.

With no adjoining housing developments or surrounding businesses, golfers truly can get away from it all and enjoy the seclusion and natural surroundings that make it easier to focus on their games instead of the frills that come with Myrtle Beach. The light traffic and laid-back environment allow foursomes to take their time without fear of incoming shots from other groups or dirty looks from pushy rangers of busier clubs.

Along with Crown Park's remote location comes one of the more affordable layouts on the Grand Strand. It's difficult to find another area golf course that's this nice for the price, giving golfers more bang for their buck than some of the more popular places around Myrtle Beach. Golf on the Grand Strand is like eggs – both are cheaper in the country.

Measuring 6,477 yards from the championship tees, Crown Park doesn't require sheer power as much as short-range finesse. But don't let the lack of length fool you; Crown Park provides a true test of golf for all skill levels. Featuring narrow, tree-lined fairways and a mix of natural water hazards and bunkers, Crown Park rewards shot-making over the grip-it-and-rip-it approach.

The course places a premium on precision, which is the way architect Robbie Byers designed it. Long hitters have some real risk-reward opportunities to take some shots and gain a stroke or two, but strategy is required to get around this layout in the prescribed Par 72. On several holes it pays to keep the driver in the bag and take aim at a safe landing spot, so mastering Crown Park requires using every club in the bag.

Crown Park is widely regarded as a second-shot course, so placement off the tee is critical to setting up the rest of the hole. The abundance of wetlands and woodlands, as well as numerous well-placed bunkers, make precision and a well-rounded golf game important to playing a solid round whether you are a high or low handicapper.

Reaching the spacious, undulating greens may be somewhat easier than at other courses, but that's where much of the challenge begins. With more surface area and tricky pin placements, getting up and down at Crown Park is no guarantee. There is a premium placed on putting, which is often the key factor in playing Crown Park under par.

The course includes four par-5s of less-than-average length, giving longer hitters the chance to make up some strokes if they can keep the ball in play. The longer holes are countered by four par-3s, including the signature 18th hole – a 174-yarder that is an excellent way to end an 18-hole stroll through the countryside at Crown Park.

Paradise Resort guests can take the new Highway 31 expressway to Longs in about 20 minutes, half the time it used to take via the traditional route. Ask the friendly staff at Paradise Resort to book your tee time at Crown Park or any of the 100 golf courses on the Grand Strand. Special packages are available for savings on accommodations and greens fees. For more information, visit www.golfcrownpark.com.

(Posted 9/19/14)

(Photo Courtesy: golfholiday.com)