Three Must-Play Myrtle Beach Courses World Tour Golf Links Golf course architect Melvin Graham’s original concept for World Tour Golf Links included three nine–hole loops. The Open 9 included holes inspired by the U.S. and British national open championships. The Championship 9 drew inspiration from courses that have hosted the Masters, U.S. Open, PGA Championship and British Open. The International 9, which no longer exists, included holes from other famous courses. Graham’s project was eight years in the planning stages before it opened as a 27-hole facility in 1999. The 18 holes in operation today come from 14 courses in three countries and nine states. The course allows golfers to get a feel for the famous courses they see on television, but never get a chance to visit in person. Plaques on each hole provide historical anecdotes of events that occurred on the original versions. I actually played six of these holes at the real course, plus have seen many of the others on televised events. Some of the holes might seem a bit of a stretch, compared to the real ones. However, the opportunity to make birdie on the replica of the par-3 sixteenth hole at Augusta National was a thrill that would be hard to duplicate with a birdie on just another course. Augusta National is represented with four holes at World Tour Golf Links. The par-3 16th is No. 7 on the Open 9. On the Championship 9, players can experience the thrill of Augusta’s famed ‘Amen Corner’ as the 4-6 holes replicate holes 11-13. St. Andrews has two holes with Pinehurst No. 2, TPC Sawgrass, Colonial, English Turn, Pine Valley, the National Country Club of Canada, Winged Foot East, Cypress Point, Royal Troon, Olympic Club, Oakmont and Bay Hill all represented with replica holes, as well.
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