Mike Benson joins host Shan Coughlin in this edition of Tee It UP Grand Strand with The Pearl March Update. Hear what they have to say about hair, baldness, The Pearl Golf Club and being a golf professional on a cruise line. The Pearl ppened in 1987 and Mike shares with Shan that it is time for some renovations the facilities, most importantly the restrooms on the course. Mike shares what golf professionals truly do to make guests day as pleasant as possible and you just have have to hear this story to believe it. It has to do with restrooms and animals…and phone calls into the golf shop. Needless to say, the next time you play the Pearl, should you need the facilities, you won’t have any distractions that may have been there in the past.
The weather is getting warmer, 75 tomorrow, and for those in Boston who just hit the snowfall record, we welcome you. The Pearl has 36 holes – two very distinct courses. There is the West Course which is your links style course with much more open fairways and A1-A4 Bent grass greens. You can see multiple holes throughout the golf course as you play along. The East Course is a much more traditional layout and has you playing through the Carolina pines, hitting into crowned Bermuda greens. There are no homes on the courses at The Pearl so you have the course to yourself. It is the only facility where you can get two completely different experiences out of the same clubhouse.
Mike also shares that spring golf is filling up so making your tee times early this year is paramount. Shan asks Mike where he thinks the furthest guests have come from and he talked about the Chinese, Korean and other Asian groups coming in to play the courses and how they view a day of golf a bit differently than the American golfers. As Americans and Europeans tend to think of a round of golf as a 4 1/2 hour experience, the Asian golfers look at it as an all day activity, taking advantage of the driving range, planning to eat a leisurely lunch in the clubhouse and shopping in the golf shop.
To hear Mikes entire interview with Shan, and it does get a bit wacky, just click on the player above. Thank you for interacting with TheGolfDirector.com and for your interest in this edition of Tee It Up Grand Strand ( TIUGS ) with Mike Benson and The Pearl February Update.
