The Witch golf course - No. 2
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The Witch golf course - No. 2
Much of it built in a swamp, The Witch Golf Club near Myrtle Beach, S.C. can be a scary test of golf. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
The Witch golf course - No. 1
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The Witch golf course - No. 1
Even the tee markers, like this one looking down the difficult first hole, are a little scary at The Witch. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
The Witch G.C. - swamp
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The Witch G.C. - swamp
The tee markers at The Witch are harvested from the actual swamp, where small hardwood stumps that resemble a witch's hat pierce through the water. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
The Witch golf course - 2nd
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The Witch golf course - 2nd
Difficult holes come early on The Witch, like the par-4 second that plays over water. Mike Bailey/GolfPass
The Witch G.C. - 3rd hole
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The Witch G.C. - 3rd hole
The par-3 third on The Witch plays over a natural swamp. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
The Witch golf course - 5th
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The Witch golf course - 5th
A large bunker guards the right side of the green of the par-5 fifth on The Witch golf course in Conway, S.C. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
The Witch G.C. - 7th
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The Witch G.C. - 7th
With water surrounding much of the green, The Witch's par-3 seventh isn't for the timid. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
The Witch golf course - alligator
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The Witch golf course - alligator
Yep, there are plenty of scary creatures hanging out on The Witch, a natural habitat sanctuary. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
The Witch G.C. - 9th
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The Witch G.C. - 9th
Executing a solid tee shot is the key to surviving the difficult ninth hole at The Witch G.C. just northwest of Myrtle Beach. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
The Witch golf course - 10th
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The Witch golf course - 10th
The back nine at The Witch opens with a moderately doesn't get any easier, starting with the difficult par-4 10th. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
The Witch G.C. - 11th
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The Witch G.C. - 11th
This is what the tee shot looks like on the par-5 11th at The Witch golf course in Conway, S.C. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
The Witch golf course - 15th
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The Witch golf course - 15th
The second shot is one-half of a treacherous trek on the difficult par-4 15th on The Witch G.C. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
The Witch G.C. - 16th
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The Witch G.C. - 16th
The green on the par-4 16th on The Witch hides behind a hill and some trees. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
The Witch golf course - 17th
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The Witch golf course - 17th
The green slopes from right to left on the spooky 17th on The Witch golf course. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
The Witch G.C. - 18th
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The Witch G.C. - 18th
The carry is more intimidating than it looks off the tee of the par-4 18th on The Witch. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
The Witch golf course - cat
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The Witch golf course - cat
The Witch wouldn't be complete without her cat, a female named "Mere" (short for Come here), who hangs out in the golf shop. Mike Bailey/Golf Advisor
16 Images

The Witch course near Myrtle Beach, S.C. brews up some intimidating golf

CONWAY, S.C. -- Built on 500 acres, much of it swampland, The Witch meanders through wetlands without disturbing the habitat. Some 4,000 feet of bridges see to that, and the holes bump against the natural lakes that often come into play.

With trees and water everywhere, it seems, the Dan Maples-designed, 6,796-yard par 71 can be a scary test (133 slope) for most players.

The golf course is really a tale of two nines. The front uses up the majority of the land, has the most bridges and is played through the wetlands and deep forest. It's also 3,600 yards long, while the back, which has a few elevated tees and more open holes, is around 3,200 yards from the tips, but the finishing stretch of 16, 17 and 18 will certainly get your attention.

One of the more unique aspects of the golf course, one of three owned and operated by Mystical Golf in Myrtle Beach, is the tee markers. They are made from the small hardwood stumps that pierce through the water in the swamps and naturally resemble a witch's hat. In addition, there's plenty of wildlife, including alligators and wild turkeys.

Mike Bailey is a former Golf Advisor senior staff writer based in Houston. Focusing primarily on golf in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Latin America with an occasional trip to Europe and beyond, he contributes course reviews, travel stories and features as well as the occasional equipment review. An award-winning writer and past president of Texas Golf Writers Association, he has more than 25 years in the golf industry. He has also been on staff at PGA Magazine, The Golfweek Group and AvidGolfer Magazine. Follow Mike on Twitter at @MikeBaileyGA and Instagram at @MikeStefanBailey.
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The Witch course near Myrtle Beach, S.C. brews up some intimidating golf