By Mitch Laurance

The President of Golf at Sea Trail Golf Resort & Conference Center is proud.

Talk to Tom Plankers about the state of one of the Grand Strand’s most well-known resort complexes and you feel a quiet confidence and an inner excitement, from a man who has been around the Myrtle Beach golf community long enough to know a special thing when he not only sees it, but as he helps to shape its future.

Confident because he understands that Sea Trail, located just across the border in Sunset Beach, North Carolina, remains unique in the all-encompassing nature of what it offers visitors and residents, and excited by recent upgrades and renovations to the golfing centerpiece of Sea Trail’s community.

“There is now, at Sea Trail, a total commitment to giving the customers and the members (those who live full-time or seasonally) something they can really enjoy,” says Plankers, who brought a wealth of experience to Sea Trail when he recently came over from another highly respected area property, Ocean Ridge Plantation.

Though that commitment extends to all aspects of Sea Trail, which include an astonishing assortment of accommodations and housing, a host of diverse amenities, fine dining, the beautiful Carolina Conference Center, and proximity to the glorious Sunset Beach (only a mile away and accessible by shuttle), it definitely begins with what Plankers rightfully understands is the focal point of the Sea Trail experience.

Those who have experienced Sea Trail’s 3 fine golf courses in the past already know them to be terrific tests of golf. Designed by 3 world class architects, Rees Jones, Dan Maples and Willard Byrd, all of whom own some of the most prestigious pedigrees in the game, these layouts are the foundation of a two-pronged plan which Plankers believes will bring the courses themselves more well-deserved recognition, which, in turn, will bring Sea Trail more golfers and residents.

Recognizing that the success of any project in the golf-rich and ultra- competitive environment of Myrtle Beach depends in large part on word-of-mouth and buzz, Plankers has concentrated on, as he puts it, “getting the condition of the courses to a place they’ve never been,” and though the courses did well before, they have now taken a leap forward in terms of manicuring and playability.

Recent renovations to The Rees Jones Course, the only solo design on the Grand Strand of the award-winning architect known worldwide for his renovation and restoration skills on US Open courses, were all done with the approval of “the Open Doctor,” and have made a quality layout even more impressive. Featuring trademark mounding, beautifully naturalized landscaping of native grasses and wildflowers, and large, undulating, well-bunkered bentgrass greens, The Rees Jones Course is a dramatic test for every level of player, and more than worthy of the great Jones name.

The Dan Maples Course was already a stunning layout, framed by 75-year old live oaks and towering pines, and built around the winding Calabash Creek, with gorgeous views of a coastal nature preserve (featuring nesting ospreys) and possessing a traditional southern feel. The Maples Course also underwent a recent renovation project that included new bentgrass greens, the refurbishing of existing bunkers, and the completion of elaborate landscaping. The result? NC Magazine rates The Maples Course in the “Top 5 Best Conditioned Courses” in the coastal region.

The third of the 3 Courses of Distinction is The Willard Byrd Course, and it may have the widest variety of features of the Sea Trail trio. Waste areas, mounding and pot bunkers make the course memorable enough, but add them to the 7 man-made lakes, each from 14-20 acres in size, and you have a track that is among the most notable of one of the south’s most formidable designers.

How do you know you’ve begun to make a big difference, and that the plan to make Sea Trail Golf Resort one of the most well- respected golf destinations on the Grand Strand is succeeding? When The Rees Jones Course at Sea Trail is awarded the honor of being named a qualifying site for the US Open (May, 2006). And when Tom Plankers says, “We have members who’ve been here for 15 years coming in and saying they’ve never ever seen it as good as this.”

Having the courses in great shape means nothing unless you can get the word out, and the second part of Plankers’ plan is also making a big difference. He has instituted a campaign to take full advantage of the power of the resumes belonging to the men who created the Sea Trail layouts. “In the past, golfers really only knew the name ‘Sea Trail,’ he says, “without putting a name to each course.” Now, and with each new opportunity, Plankers is astutely marketing each course by name. The Courses of Distinction will be The Rees Jones Course at Sea Trail Golf Resort, The Dan Maples Course at Sea Trail Golf Resort, and The Willard Byrd Course at Sea Trail Golf Resort. The architects’ signatures now adorn Sea Trail merchandise, from golf shirts to scorecards, from sweaters to course signage, all designed to “educate the consumer,” according to Plankers, “as to the unique nature of what’s available to them at Sea Trail.”

There are other upgrades to what already was a pretty complete destination resort, all of which further showcase the commitment to improvement. Based at the Maples Clubhouse is Sea Trail Custom Clubs, run by 24-year Professional Clubmakers Society member Jim Adomat. It features a full line of products from name companies like Ping, Callaway, and Taylor Made, to name a few, but also allows Adomat the opportunity to utilize his clubmaking skills to create single clubs or sets to perfectly match the golfers’ needs, fitting them while the golfer stays at Sea Trail, and shipping them directly to the golfers’ home, all at competitive prices.

And the on-site Magnolia Restaurant is the new home to the “Director of Culinary Standards,” Thomas Sullivan, who comes to Sea Trail from stints in Wilmington, NC and The Harvard Club in NY, surely a first in the Grand Strand area. Sullivan has already made his presence felt, not only on the menu of the restaurant itself, but as far as those playing the game of golf during the day, even designing a menu for golfers making the turn. With unusual fare such as Blackened Grouper Sandwiches, the entire “at-the-turn” menu can be delivered in 8 minutes or less, and it is this kind of attention to detail that will surely pay big dividends.

Sea Trail Golf Resort & Conference Center continues its tradition as a one-of-a-kind destination resort where you can, as Plankers says, “park your car and never leave.” And with the kind of dedication to service being shown by all involved, the future of Sea Trail promises to shine brightly for many years to come.

Call Us at: 800-546-5748
Or visit our website: www.SeaTrail.com