Making Myrtle Beach a Centerpiece
For Freedom Trail Challenge Competition

By Tony Leodora

For 15 years, an event known as the Freedom Trail Challenge has taken an elite group of players to venues around the world for its annual Ryder Cup-style competition. The event began as a competition between teams from Philadelphia and Boston – thus, the name – but has evolved into a friendly war between country clubs that are well-acquainted with each other.

To commemorate the 15th anniversary of this competition, which began in Ireland, it was decided that something special should be planned. For the first time, the event became a four-way competition between eight-man teams from Blue Bell CC, Plymouth CC, Cedarbrook CC and a mixed team named The World. To make the event even more special, it was held in America’s golf trip capital – Myrtle Beach.

Amazingly, with 32 players who have traveled extensively to play the game, there was a wide range of experience with Myrtle Beach. A few were regular visitors, making many pilgrimages to the Grand Strand over the years. Others had not been to the area in many years and were unaware of the upscale changes that had taken place. And a few others had never visited the area. What they all received was an eye-opening experience.

First, with the help of Century 21 Thomas Realty and golf housing expert Wren Harrell, the teams were placed in luxury accommodations on Ocean Boulevard in North Myrtle Beach. Three of the teams stayed in eight-bedroom, eight-bathroom houses that included gourmet kitchens, big screen televisions, a game room with a pool table and arcade games and spectacular views of the beach. The fourth team stayed in two equally luxurious adjacent four bedroom homes on a quiet cul-de-sac, just a short walk from the beach.

“There was a day when accommodations were the least important part of a golf trip,” said Jim Davis, captain of the Cedarbrook team. “But as you get older, you really appreciate a nice house during a golf trip. We had a blast in our house, cooked some meals, spent some time together. And, when we wanted to go out, we still could do that too.”

Being located in North Myrtle Beach put the group in close proximity to good sports bars that showed college and pro football games from around the country, keeping fans of many different teams happy. Oscar’s and Overtimes, both on Route 17, were prime choices.

Also, the North Myrtle Beach location put a number of top restaurants within close range. Martini’s, Chianti South and Umberto’s in Barefoot Landing were the top local choices. National chain restaurants such as Carrabba’s and Fishbones also were convenient and got good reviews. California Dreaming, with a nice atmosphere and some of the best ribs anywhere, proved to be a surprise winner.

Of course, the golf trip is really about the golf and the 15th Freedom Trail Challenge was contested on five of the best layouts in Myrtle Beach. Thistle, with its Scottish flair and new clubhouse, was the site for the Get Acquainted Tournament. The four official rounds were played at Tiger’s Eye, the Fazio Course at Barefoot Resort, Oyster Bay and Tidewater.