Low country Legend

Play your best on the famous Player course in Myrtle Beach.

- Francis X. Gallagher

I SEARCHED HIGH AND LOW, but it appears my annual 20-year plus Myrtle Beach trip has not resulted in a review of the only Gary Player signature course on the Grand Strand — Blackmoor. The famous South African golfer is best known for his walk-through swing in which he begins walking forward before completing a normal swing. If you have never seen his swing, I recommend a quick internet search, as it is quite incredible. Player has become one of the best course designers, and at Blackmoor he built this Grand Strand beauty on Longwood Plantation and the Waccamaw River, once the home of a rice plantation. Those playing the course come across ancient graves that litter the sides of some holes.

In his design, Player heeded the undulating topography — possibly thinking of his home courses in South Africa — and used what nature offered to create a playable and challenging course. Player is known as one of the most traveled golfers, and he designed courses all over the world; some remain the most respected among golfers at all levels.

For me, Blackmoor was an afternoon round completing a day of 36 holes. I teed up with Mike Donahue (chairman, GT Advisory Board), Jimmy Spratt (internationally renowned security expert specializing in canine surveillance) and John Ecklund (IBM executive).