Played October 10, 2022
Reviewed by Mr. Tee
The day after finishing the 3-day 12-round 2021 USPMGA Masters I had an afternoon free to myself as everyone was heading home earlier than me. My waking hours for the previous 6 days had been occupied with endless amounts of mini golf in the capital of mini golf with extra time being spent on the 3 courses featured in the tournament. But yes, mini golf was still on my mind. There were a number of courses I had not played this trip or in my previous trip to Myrtle Beach in 2019. I only had a few hours and based on the photos in the classic Miniature Golf book by John Margolies and what I could see from King’s Highway, Jungle Lagoon was on the top of my list.
Rating
The spectacular volcano hole that starts 20 feet above the cup a little over halfway through the Lagoon course is what brought me here. This massive turf hill with white turf inset to replicate lava can be played through a pipe inside the mountain or down the steep paths. Sure, the gameplay on this hole is unpredictable but the excitement of waiting to see where the ball ends up is thrilling. I would have been happy just to give this single spectacle a whirl but I was impressed by the entire course.
The safari and tropical themes are far from unique, especially in Myrtle Beach, but Jungle Lagoon combines both well and is one of the best-executed takes on these separate themes. Large fiberglass animals and a lagoon near the road give the place an immersive vibe. This is not uncommon in Myrtle Beach and neither are the somewhat oversized holes that seem to be a “thing” in a town overflowing with miniature golf courses. The little touches are what makes this place stand out. The path to the cup offers a lot of different approaches using large curves, wood borders, and sharp changes in elevation. Heck, sometimes you have all of those elements within a single hole. The classic handpainted signs with information about the animals had a retro feel. The palm trees and foilage tied it all together nicely. The biggest issues were the condition of some of the holes. The turf and a few of the walls were not in ideal shape. Overall, it’s probably in my top 5 courses that I’ve played in Myrtle Beach and one I’ll surely go back to again on future visits.
404 5th Ave S, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Pros
Large holes with interesting design/gameplay
Oversized safari animals to match the theme
Immersive overall environment
One of the older / classic courses left in Myrtle Beach
Lots of great signage including a few handpainted ones
Cons
Turf and course was a bit beat up or worn down in a few places
Theming could have been better integrated onto the putting surfaces.
Nerdy Notes
- Two 18-hole courses: Jungle & Lagoon. Par 36
- 18 Holes / Additional Round / All-Day Play (till 6pm): Adults (13-59) $11 / $4 / $13 | Seniors (60+) & Children (5-12) $9 / $4/ $11 | Special rates for Under 4 years old
- Not sure if any of the course is ADA accessible. Lots of steep stairs to get to get up to the clubhouse and throughout both courses
- 5 stroke limit per hole. Groups of 4 or less
- Featured in the 1989 Miniature Golf book
