The Grand Strand has endured more than its fair share of rain in recent months, but don’t fret. Layouts like the Maples Course at Sea Trail Resort are equipped to absorb the precipitation while keeping golfers riding the fairways.
The course’s sugar sand base drains as well as almost any in the area, meaning golfers are rarely confined to the cart path and the layout is in outstanding shape. The Maples Course is tight but has four sets of tees, including one at 6,035 yards and another at 6,332, so if you play from the proper set, the layout should setup nicely.
There are few forced carries and the presence of water is minimal, but the course isn’t without defense. Waste bunkers and relatively small greens require precision as opposed to raw power, making the course the right combination of fun and firm.
Architect Dan Maples allows players to begin their round with a short par 4 – No. 1 plays 295 yards from the white tees – and tests them down the stretch, particularly on the 177-yard par 3, 17th hole.
The Maples Course overseeds from wall-to-wall in the winter, so it's green 12 months a year.