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Things have now changed. In March Direct Air, the airline that features non-stop flights at low costs to featured destinations, started flying directly from Worcester, Mass. to Myrtle Beach. “We see the New England golf market as a prime target for golfing in Myrtle Beach, and we can get the people there in less time than it takes to play nine holes,” said Ed Warneck, President of Direct Air in Myrtle Beach about the one hour and forty-five minute direct flight.

Currently (now through September 6) there are only a two flights per week from Worcester. One leaves at 3:15 p.m. on Thursdays and returns back to Worcester at 7:15 p.m. on Sundays. That same plane returns back to Myrtle Beach at 8 p.m. on Sundays.

Starting on September 7 and continuing through November 16 the flights from Worcester leave either Thursdays or Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and flights are returning to Worcester at 9:45 a.m. on both Thursdays and Sundays. There are no scheduled flights from November 17 through April 10, but that is subject to change.

“After September 6 we see golfers heading to Myrtle Beach on Thursday morning, playing 18 holes that afternoon, playing 36 holes on Friday and maybe even 36 on Saturday and return home in time to watch the Red Sox or Patriots on Sunday afternoon,” said Marshall Ellison, marketing director for Direct Air.

Myrtle Beach is truly the Golf Capital of the World with over 100 courses. There are 60 miles of pristine beaches; so a trip south for warm ocean swims when the weather cools in New England is less than two hours away. The Myrtle Beach area has over 1,500 restaurants and nightlife activities and over 1,000 hotels and lodging facilities.

I can’t decide if the best thing about the Direct Air flights is the short flight time or the extremely low price. Go to www.visitdirectair.com to see the prices. They start at either $79 or $99 each way depending on the flight you choose. Sure cheaper than the eight hour flights! Their website also has specials for lodging and car rentals.

Direct Air also flies to Orlando-Sanford and Ft. Myers/Punta Gorda from Worcester.

I’ve never flown from Worcester Airport, but I know it only takes 45 minutes to get to Worcester straight up Route 146 from Providence. I spoke to Richard Walsh, official spokesperson for Massport who manages the Worcester Airport for the city of Worcester. “Worcester Airport is a modern airport with easy access in and out, in fact Direct Air is the only commercial service with scheduled flights, although there are many private flights and charters,” said Walsh who added that the overnight parking fee at the airport is only $7 per day.

Directions to the airport from Rhode Island are Route 146N to Route 290N to Route 9N. There are signs leading you to the airport and it is less than an hour from Providence and less than 1.5 hours from anywhere in Rhode Island, eastern Connecticut or southeastern Massachusetts. Sure going to make those treks to Myrtle Beach a lot easier– and a lot less expensive.

One of the best golf vacation spots of the world is getting even better.

Listed below are some of the latest happenings in the Myrtle Beach area when determining your Myrtle Beach golf packages.

Waccamaw Trail created south of Myrtle Beach

We’ve heard of the Robert Trent Jones Trail and the Mississippi Golf Trail, and now there is a new one.

The 12 golf courses that make up the Waccamaw Golf Trail includes:

• Blackmoor Golf Club
• Caledonia Golf & Fish Club
• Heritage Club
• Litchfield Country Club
• Pawleys Plantation
• River Club
• Tournament Players Club
• Tradition Club
• True Blue Plantation
• Wachesaw Plantation East
• Willbrook Plantation
• Founders Club at Pawleys Island

Most of the courses on the Waccamaw Golf Trail were built upon the sites of 18th and 19th century rice and indigo plantations, set amid ancient moss-draped oaks and tidal rivers.

The list of accolades for these courses includes GOLF Magazine’s “America’s Top 100″, Golf for Women’s “Top 25 in America” (Willbrook Plantation), six 4-star courses and one of only three 5-star courses in the southeast (Tournament Players Club) as rated by Golf Digest.”

We had the opportunity to play three of the courses on the Trail.

Willbrook Plantation

Willbrook Plantation was the first stop on our Myrtle Beach golf packages tour and we got to play with head professional Kevin Lynch. “We are known as a great course for women, but you can see for yourself how demanding it can play,” he said.

The course meanders through an old plantation, and they have historical markings throughout the course giving you a background of the property.

The large chimney on the sixth hole will distract you from all the water that plays down the right side of this tough par 4.

The seventh is a short par over water that is fun to play.

True Blue Golf Club

Our second stop on our Myrtle Beach golf packages trip was at True Blue Golf Club. Designed by the late Mike Strantz who built Caledonia, my personal favorite in all of Myrtle Beach.

True Blue has a reputation of being very difficult, but if you play from the proper tees it is a great layout.

Some holes are very demanding including the par 3 third that has a diabolically large, two-tiered green surrounded by water.

Three putting is the norm.

That same body of water on number three comes into play often on the par 5 fourth hole. The hole looks like a boomerang as it winds around the water.

Big hitters can challenge the water twice to get home in two, but watch the wind.

Tournament Players Club

Our last stop on the Trail of our Myrtle Beach golf packages tour was Tournament Players Club.

Formerly a TPC course owned by the PGA Tour, and host of a Champions’ Tour event, the property was purchased by Chip Smith, a real estate investor. “We very much appreciate the five-star rating and continue to make improvements in the course,” said Smith who is building villas around the property.

The design and conditioning of the course make it a must play.

Another choice for accommodations on the Trail for your Myrtle Beach golf packages trip is the Legends Club. Located close to the airport off Route 501, the Legends has three top courses on their property and represent two of the Trail courses, TPC and Heritage, that just was named #46 in the Top 100 Public Courses by Golf Digest. “We have accommodations for all sized groups,” said Jim O’Neil of Legends.

You can reach the Legends Club at 1-800-509-4363 or on their website at www.legendsgolf.com.

$8 Million Renovations at Caravelle Myrtle Beach Golf Packages Trip

The Caravelle Resort, originator Myrtle Beach Golf Packages, completed an $8 million renovation of their hotel a few years ago. It is located right on the ocean a mile from the center of town.

“The original property opened in 1960, and everyone said it was too far from downtown and would never make it,” said general manager Chip Russell as he recounted the history of the property and talked about how the Grand Strand now extends for about 17 miles. “This room was where the pioneers in Myrtle Beach met in 1962 to develop a plan to bring golfers (only had three courses at the time-Pine Lakes, Dunes and Sands) to the Beach in the shoulder seasons of spring and fall to fill their hotel and motel rooms in a community that had only been seen as a beach resort,” he added.

The renovations are easy to see. Each room has been completely remodeled including new plasma televisions.

It seems difficult to focus on the television, however, as each room looks out to the ocean. The property is very family-oriented with indoor (first in Myrtle Beach) and outdoor heated pools, a lazy river ride, and fine restaurant.

Myrtle Beach Golf packages started here, and

“We strive to provide outstanding golf packages including weekly golf parties,” added Russell.

You can contact the Caravelle at 888-854-9713 or visit the website at www.thecaravelle.com.

Leopard Chase at Ocean Ridge Plantation

Leopard’s Chase is the fourth course at Ocean Ridge Plantation, and the first Grand Strand public course to open in five years. Designed by Tim Cate, the golf architect has called Leopard’s Chase the best of the four Ocean Ridge golf courses.

Located just outside Calabash, North Carolina, the course has championship potential.

The scenery and elevation changes give the course plenty of character. There are five sets of tees ranging from 7,155 yards down to 4,872 for the forward tees.

We played the white at 6,165 and there were no forced carries that were unmanageable. You will long remember the last hole, a 400-yard par 4 with water down the left, a large waste area down the right and a green tucked behind a plunging waterfall.

Impressive.

You can reach Ocean Ridge Plantation at 1-800-556-6770 or the website at www.oceanridge.com.

Worldgolf.com Network started in Myrtle Beach

A group of Myrtle Beach investors purchased 477 golf websites to start a new Internet network called Worldgolf.com to help people with their Myrtle Beach Golf Packages.

“The chance to purchase the Internet’s most visited network of golf and travel Web sites was an opportunity we could not pass up,” said David Brittain, lead investor with WorldGolf.com LLC.

“The WorldGolf.com ownership group brings to the table an extensive knowledge of Web-hosting and management backed by a proven track record of success in the travel, golf and advertising industries.

To apply this knowledge toward the enhancement of the industry’s top-tier Web sites is an endeavor we are thrilled to pursue, he added.

“The flagship Web site included in the acquisition, WorldGolf.com features candid reviews of golf courses and resort destinations, as well as helpful tips and instructions for site visitors interested in improving their golf game.

The site also includes a comprehensive booking feature that allows visitors to reserve package deals in several key destinations including Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix and Hawaii.

They have a product review section as well as additional commentary on equipment, apparel and courses throughout the world.

WorldGolfWire.com is being enhanced to better serve its readers as a premier daily e-newsletter featuring the latest developments, updates, product information and news from within the golf industry.

Currently, WorldGolfWire.com is delivered to more than 100,000 subscribers including consumers, media and industry professionals. “We want to make this the best and most used golf site on the Internet,” said Will McIntosh, CEO of WorldGolf.com.

You can visit both www.worldgolfwire.com and www.worldgolf.com for great golf and travel information.