16th Century – Golf balls of the time were cheap and made of wood.

17th – 18th Century – King James IV has a set of golf clubs made for him by William Mayne. This set included play clubs for driving, fairway clubs for medium-range shots, spoons for short-range shots, niblicks for pitching and a cleek for putting. This made the game of golf more well-known and it also established golf as a sort of upper-class, gentleman’s game worthy of a king. As a result, no expenses were spared. Golf balls of the era (called featheries as they were stuffed with feathers) were made of leather and awfully expensive, not to mention easily dented. The stitching used on the golf ball provided a similar effect to the dimples of today, allowing the featheries to go farther, although this was not known at the time.

19th Century – Although iron-like clubs with huge, heavy hosels were made by blacksmiths up until the late 1800s, golf ball technology of this era limited the possibilities of the metal club. The leather featheries were easily dented by metal, so manufacturers had to stick to wooden clubs until a cheaper, harder, rubber ball made from tree sap, called the gutta-percha ball, or guttie.

20th Century – In the early 1900s, the first dimpled golf ball design was proposed. The dimples created turbulence in the air that allowed the ball to fly much further. In the 20th Century, multi-layer, wound golf balls also rose to prominence.

Present day – Today, urethane covers are used predominantly on golf balls. Multi-layer balls include two, three, four and now five-layer balls that allow manufacturers to control specific aspects of the ball.

We’ve come a long way in golf ball design. They weigh no more than 1.62 ounces each and they have a diameter of at least 1.68 inches. Golfers on the North Myrtle Beach golf courses may all have different golf balls. To best suit a golfer’s ability, they can choose golf balls based on a wide variety of playing characteristics, such as recreational or advanced.

Okay, we’re getting a little carried away; it does get a little warm on occasion, even for us. But the words “Sun-Fun Capital” aren’t on our logo by accident. Entering our 44th year of great golf here in the heart of North Myrtle Beach, Beachwood Golf Club knows best what it takes for a fun, affordable and cool round of golf this summer.

You need to drink plenty of fluids, right? There’s fresh, cold water every 3 holes. If water’s not your thing then you can bring your own cooler (personal cooler policy), and we promise not to search it or run it through an x-ray machine, either. No cooler, no worries. We’ve got you covered there too, as our fully stocked beverage cart is out on the course everyday!

Did you forget to pack a collared shirt? No problem, just wear your best t-shirt. Your round of golf at Beachwood is not a sanctioned event. We want you to be comfortable, first and foremost. And if you didn’t have room in the trunk for the clubs, we’ve got rentals.

As for affordable, we know it’s family vacation time, so we want the whole family to come play, not just Dad. That’s why juniors, 16 and under, play free after 10:00am all summer long (junior policy). Beachwood Golf Club is perfectly suited for weekend or beginner golfers, offering plush conditions and wide fairways.

No other Myrtle Beach golf course does summertime better than Beachwood.

If a golfer receives a score for the hole that is the same as the par of the hole, the golfer has gotten a par on the hole. If he gets a score that is one stroke better than the par on the hole, the golfer has gotten a birdie. If he gets a score that is one stroke worse than par on the hole, he has gotten a bogey. If the score on the hole is two or three strokes worse, the golfer has gotten a double bogey or triple bogey, respectively. If the golfer receives a somewhat rare score of two strokes better than par, he has gotten an eagle. If he gets an even rarer score of three strokes under par, then the golfer has gotten a double eagle, or albatross. If the golfer gets a score of four strokes under par, it is hypothetically called a condor, double albatross or triple eagle.

Generally, the shortest form of a golf hole is the par 3. Par 3s generally call for players to hit the green in regulation with their tee shot. This allows them two putts to make a par. To make a birdie on a par 3, a player must usually hit the green with their tee shot and sink the putt.

Holes-in-one are mostly recorded on par 3s; scoring-wise, holes-in-one are eagles. It is impossible to make an albatross or a condor on a par 3.

Par 4s are generally the most common form of hole on a North Myrtle Beach golf course. These are mid-ranged holes distance-wise and require a tee shot and a shot onto the green in order to hit the green in regulation. Two putts are then required to make a par. Birdies commonly can be made by hitting a second shot on the green and sinking the putt or by driving the ball onto the green, called “driving the green”, and then two putting. An eagle can be obtained by either holing an approach shot or by driving the green and one-putting. Holes-in-one do occur on par 4s, although rare, and are albatrosses scoring-wise. Condors are impossible on par 4s.

Par 5s are the longest form of hole on a golf course. These holes generally require a tee shot, a second shot, and an approach shot onto the green to get the ball onto the green in regulation. Two putts are then required for a par. For a common birdie, one must either hit the green in regulation and one-putt or hit the green in two and two-putt. An eagle is most commonly made on this kind of hole, by hitting the green in two and then one-putting. An albatross is generally made by either greening the tee shot (incredibly rare) and making the putt or by holing the second shot. Hole-in-ones are incredibly rare on par 5s, but can be made and are condors scoring wise. Only four of these have ever been officially recorded.

A knowledge of the par and scoring system is fundamental in order to understand golf jargon and the way the game works regardless if you are playing golf at Beachwood Golf Club or any other North Myrtle Beach golf course.

1) If a player intentionally breaks a limb off of a bush for fear his ball may roll into it as a result of a drop, the player is in breach of the rules (Rule 1-2) for taking an action with the intent to affect the playing of the hole by altering the physical conditions. The same principles apply to a situation where a player’s ball is at rest, but he is afraid it might move.

2) If a player smooths the edge of the hole after he has holed out solely for the purpose of caring for the course, he has not violated the rules. However, if the smoothing of the ragged edge was in any way intended to influence the movement of another player’s ball or alter physical conditions with the intent of affecting the playing of the hole, he has violated the rules (Rule 1-2). It is rather strongly recommended that a player only smooths the ragged edge of a hole after all players in the group or match have completed play of the hole.

3) If a player attempts to jump on the green to influence the movement of his ball, and the ball is deemed to be at rest and does not move as a result of the jump, there is no penalty, as the ball did not move. If the ball does move, a penalty of one stroke is incurred and the ball must be replaced.

Now you know what rules decisions are and if you find yourself in a predicament on a North Myrtle Beach golf course or at Beachwood Golf Club, you will know what to do, officially.

An obvious area where a golfer can hone their skills is at a Myrtle Beach area golf course, such as Beachwood Golf Club. Golf courses generally are 18 holes, although some have more or less. Golf courses are where golf tournaments are held, but they can also be where one practices in order to increase their skill. Practice rounds on golf courses can potentially help hone a golfer’s skill in every area of their golf game, depending on the situations in which they find themselves and on which golf course they practice.

If a golfer is looking to improve their skill in this way, it is generally better to practice on a more difficult course if one is available or convenient. Difficulty is shown through the course’s ratings. A higher rating means the golf course is more difficult; ratings can generally be found on the course’s Web site if it is available. If a golfer desires to practice a large amount on the same course, or they don’t mind practicing on the same course, many courses offer memberships. If a player wants a membership, it is best to ask a course if they offer a good enough deal for you.

A more specialized area where one can hone their golf game is the driving range. At a driving range, golfers either line up horizontally across a large tee box or possess their own individual tee boxes that are lined up horizontally. From this teeing area, golfers receive an individual bucket of golf balls and hit these golf balls down the expansive range in front of them. Driving ranges can be found on site at Myrtle Beach golf courses, where they are often used as warm-up, as standalone golf centers or even indoors at some golf retailers. Driving ranges are generally used to work on discrepancies in the golf swing, accuracy and distance.

Another more specialized area where a golfer can work on their golf game is the putting green. The putting green is simply a green like one would find on a North Myrtle Beach golf course; however, these greens often have many holes in them so as to accommodate many golfers on its surface. Putting greens are generally found at golf courses, where they are often used to get a feel for the greens before a round, and at dedicated golf centers. They can also be found at retailers, but they are often flat and made of artificial turf rather than grass. Putting greens can be putted upon or chipped onto; however, some golf courses have dedicated chipping greens and therefore disallow chipping on the putting greens. Putting greens are used help golfers with their short game and putting.

If one desires to become an elite golfer, they must learn how to practice properly. A good start onto this path is to find out where one can hone their skills.