As summer rolls to a close here on the Grand Strand, golfers are making their preparations to switch game strategy from warm weather play to cool weather play. Sure, some fair-weather players clean their clubs and pack them away until next year, but actually, here in the Carolinas that would be a waste of good playing time. Here, we have two outstanding reasons for playing through fall and winter to the warmer months - weather and price.
Playing golf in autumn here in the Mid-Atlantic area means that players enjoy all the advantages of having lower temperatures: colorful foliage, wildlife on the move, and (best of all) price specials. Whether they are drawn here by lower accommodations rates, events discounts, or affordable golf tee times, golf groups come in droves during this time. Even so, there are still plenty of rooms for the occasional travelers and weekenders from the surrounding states who enjoy shorter stays.
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The first day of fall, September 22nd, here on the Grand Strand was a Monday. It came and went with partly cloudy skies, moderate humidity, gentle breezes, and a temperature that started in the morning in the high 60's and never drifted much above 82 along the coast. Of course, the exciting aspect of playing golf in the fall is that no two days are alike; one day all sun, and the next day sharp winds off the ocean demand golfers wear a jacket or wind-breaker. It is conditions like these that have inspired greats such as Arnold Palmer, Pete Dye, and Rees Jones to design courses here along the Strand, using geography and weather as part of their artistry.
Stiff winds, for example, can be 30-40 mph requiring players match it with equal amounts of their own mental stiffness, as well as using special techniques in club selection and shot-making.
Golfers who know our conditions plan for them by warming up their muscles on a cool day, wearing gloves on both hands, plus wearing a hat to keep heat in the body. All of these efforts are at first conscious, then habit, because they are a "must" in order to remain healthy and play golf through the cooler months. Waterproof apparel, lightweight pants and jackets, and layers are also crucial for out-of-doors physical performance. Since a player's environment can range from "balmy" on the first nine to "chilly" on the back nine, wearing something easily removable can mean the difference between sweating unnecessarily for 18 holes and catching cold unnecessarily.
So, prepared with warm-up exercises and the right gear and warm-up exercises, golfers from all over the world set off to find the right golf courses. Some place telephone calls to the courses before arranging their accommodations. However, lower prices are available by doing the reverse. The standard published rates of accommodations and courses during the autumn season can be quite daunting until players realize that golf agents in resort accommodations can help them find even more affordable combinations of courses and tee times. Package deals offered through the resorts in cooperation with golf courses can bring a smile to the face. For example, some courses such as King's North or Tidewater encourage mid-week play with lower prices, and some accommodations such as the Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts have managers' special rates.
Whether one or twenty in a group, golfers decide which courses to play and call the booking agents, asking for as many price breaks as possible. Sometimes even the golf group "leader" can receive discounts beyond the groups' discounts, just by being a group leader. As the agents then juggle the details to find the best price for the group, golf groups also explore savings on a variety of other trip details: tickets for theatrical performances, concerts, restaurant meals, and rental cars, to name a few. In the fall, not only prices, but also wait times decrease, so in autumn golfers receive benefits for everything from dining tables to tee off.
Autumn golf packages at romantic oceanfront resorts are enjoyable for everyone in the group, whether all are players or not. While one part of the group plays fabulous rounds of golf on exciting coastal, tidewater, and inland courses, non-golfing members of the group can take advantage of the discounted tickets at the theater, sales for pre-holiday shopping, and park events such as those found at Hard Rock Park and Brookgreen Gardens. So golfers and non-golfers, let two little words, "weather" and "price," persuade you to spend a week or two on the Grand Strand. We treat you right here!
How Cool to Golf in Autumn
Sue Duncan is a staff writer for Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts and MyrtleBeachGolf.Net and is a long time resident of Myrtle Beach.
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