Golfer's Guide Hilton Head by Golfers Guide Marketing Solutions

A Supplement of Hilton Head Monthly

GOLFER’S GUIDE

hiltonhead.golfersguide.com

January 2012

hilton head island/lowcountry local edition

Long Cove, Belfair and Dataw have Home Course Advantage | p. 22

Prince of Tides Davis Love III talks about Harbour Town, The Ocean Course and his Ryder Cup team. | p. 10 Local Course Records

pp. 14 & 19

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South Carolina’s First Major p. 26

Best Lowcountry 19th Holes p. 33

Scan Here for Our Local Website

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C O N T E N T S

Belfair’s Avenue of Oaks

F E A T U R E S

D E P A R T M E N T S

8 Prince of Tides Exclusive interview with Davis Love III

2 Local Golf News Plus upcoming local golf events

20 Home Course Advantage Three Lowcountry golf clubs that work

5 What’s Hot & What’s Not The ups and downs of golf and “culture”

24 The Sanctuary Charleston-style luxury by The Ocean Course

12 Scorecard: Resort Course Records Frosty at Harbour Town

C E N T E R P I E C E 13 Lowcountry Public Golf Courses

17 Scorecard: Private Course Records Rickie Fowler at Belfair

14 Golf Maps Hilton Head Island, Bluffton & The Lowcountry

31 Best 19th Holes Where to relax after playing a round

Comments or questions? Let us hear from you: Feedback@GolfersGuide.com

16 Lowcountry Private Golf Clubs

Fore! by Fred Warren Publisher

Golfer’s Guide, Inc. “I don’t want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member.” — Groucho Marx

appy New Year and welcome to the new Golfer’s Guide Local Edition for Hilton Head Island and The Lowcountry. We’ve created this magazine to better inform and entertain local golfers who share our love of the game. My friend, the late Mark Brown, founded Golfer’s Guide and got me involved in the golf-publishing business more than 25 years ago. His passion for the game and its traditions had a profound effect on me then and continues to inspire me today. Having now come full circle in this great business, I also want to personally thank my colleagues listed on the masthead and the advertisers who have helped to make this first edition possible. We here at Golfer’s Guide think that 2012 will be a banner year for golf in South Carolina and specifically here in The Lowcountry. We want to do our part to increase the total number of local golf rounds played this year. To get started towards accomplishing that goal, we’ve put together a mix of news items and fun features with an exclusive interview and other stories. Let us know what you think about the state of golf in The Lowcountry and what you’d like to see in future editions of our magazine. We’ve created an email address—Feedback@GolfersGuide.com—for that very reason. See you on the next tee… HiltonHead.GolfersGuide.com

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Marc Frey | CEO Glen Klepchick | COO Golfer’s Guide. Inc. PO Box 5926 Hilton Head Island, SC 29938 Phone: 843-842-7878 Fax: 843-842-9387 GolfersGuide.com/HiltonHead Copyright ©2012 Golfer’s Guide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Golf course rates are subject to change at any time. Golfer’s Guide is not responsible or liable for any errors, omissions or changes in rates or information.

About the Cover Davis Love III is a Sea Island resident and five-time Heritage winner who always seems to play well along the coast.

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move to bottom

L O C A L G ol f N e w s

Bloody Point to reopen The Bloody Point golf course on Daufuski Island is set to reopen in 2012. Davis Love III’s design company will be working on the project to restore the original design by Ben Wright and Tom Weiskopf.

Recent honors Bill Sampson, Director of Golf at Old Tabby Links at Spring Island, has been named the 2011 “Carolinas PGA Golf Professional of the Year.” Kevin Morgan, superintendent at Crescent Pointe and Eagle’s Pointe, was named 2011 “Employee of the Year” by the Lowcountry Golf Course Owner’s Association.

Arnold Palmer hits the ceremonial first tee shot at Wexford

Arnold Palmer Day on Hilton Head Island

Dye tunes up Harbour Town Course architect Pete Dye has completed a series of minor renovations to his Harbour Town Golf Links that included lengthening the layout by 150 yards, expanding or reshaping a number of bunkers and removing some trees to improve sight lines and create new strategic opportunities. Harbour Town has hosted the PGA TOUR every year since 1969 and welcomes new title sponsor Royal Bank of Canada in 2012 to the RBC Heritage Classic during the week of April 9.

Players Am heads to Berkeley Hall After 12 years at Belfair, the Heritage Classic Foundation Players Amateur is moving to Berkeley Hall in 2012. The tournament dates are July 9-15. Past winners of this prestigious amateur event include Rickie Fowler and Camilo Villegas. This year’s winner will earn a sponsor’s exemption to the 2013 RBC Heritage Classic.

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Old South Golf Links has been named the 2011 “Golf Course of the Year” by the Lowcountry Golf Course Owner’s Association.

Works in progress

The completely remodeled and newly renamed Arnold Palmer Course at Wexford Plantation reopened on October 20 with The King himself in attendance and Hilton Head Island Mayor Drew Laughlin proclaiming the day in his honor. The significant Wexford course work by the Arnold Palmer Design Company included the repositioning of tee complexes, the elimination of a number of bunkers and modification of others, tree removal to widen some fairways and major upgrades to all of the greens. “We hope the strategy, options and variety of play challenge your intellect and … your personal game,” Palmer said to Wexford members and other local officials after touring the course.

Nicole Weller, head golf teaching professional at The Landings Club, was named “Teacher of the Year” for 2011 by the LPGA Teaching & Club Professionals Southeast Section.

Construction on the Argent Lakes golf course at Sun City Hilton Head has passed the halfway point: Architect Tim Freeland has completed 12 holes on the layout, which is designed as a short course with only par threes and fours. The remaining six holes will be completed by mid-2012. The Cotton Dike Golf Course at Dataw Island Club reopened in November following a six-month renovation by Billy Fuller Golf Design of Atlanta. The layout’s hydraulic irrigation system was completely replaced, 17 of the greens were recontoured and all of the putting surfaces now sport MiniVerde Ultra Dwarf Bermuda. In December, Fuller began a comparable refurbishment of Dataw’s Morgan River Golf Course to be completed by August 2012. The Belfair East Course also had new MiniVerde Ultra Dwarf greens installed last year, along with renovations to all of the bunkers. Similar bunker work on the West Course will be undertaken in 2012, when Belfair members will also decide about a planned clubhouse expansion.

Williams to retire at Dolphin Head Burrell Williams, Head Professional at Dolphin Head Golf Club in Hilton Head Plantation since 1986, will retire in June 2012. “On a daily basis, members or guests of the club make a point to express their gratitude for the service, attention, and genuineness provided by Burrell. He has become a legend at Dolphin Head and he will be greatly missed by everyone at the club, “ said Dolphin Head General Manager Kristy Stewart.

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dertake an extensive clubhouse renovation in 2012.

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Long Cove to host new collegiate event

Local Golf Events

Long Cove Club announced last month that it will host the inaugural Darius Rucker Intercollegiate Ladies Invitational Tournament from March 1-4, 2012. The event was the brainchild of Long Cove’s Head Golf Professional Bob Patton and his long-time friend Puggy Blackmon, the University of South Carolina’s Director of Golf. Blackmon then contacted his friend Darius Rucker, a native South Carolinian, a huge golf fan and now a solo artist after gaining fame with “Hootie and the Blowfish.” Rucker agreed to lend his name to the event and will play a private concert for the tournament participants and Long Cove members. Event competitors will include women’s golf teams from schools in the Southeastern Conference and the Big 12, plus Notre Dame and others. Long Cove has committed to hosting the 72hole event for the next five years. The public is invited to join the gallery. Send us information about important golf news or your club’s upcoming golf events in an email to Feedback@GolfersGuide.com.

March 11 The Collegiate Amateur at Dataw Island 843-838-8250 | Dataw.org March 21-23 Women’s SC Golf Association Team Championship Oldfield Plantation in Okatie | WSCGA.org March 26 Live Green and Network Green, hosted by Experience Green, in Bluffton and March 27 on Hilton Head Island (see p. 8) | HiltonHeadIsland.org April 9-15 Royal Bank of Canada Heritage Classic presented by Boeing Harbour Town Golf Links | 843-671-2448 | RBCHeritage.com April 16-22 10th Annual Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf/Champions Tour The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa in Savannah 912-236-1333 | LMLOG.com August 9-12 PGA Championship | The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort 800-742-4653 | PGA.com/PGAChampionship/2012

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T R E N D S

What’s Not

H T

N T

What’s Hot

David Feherty, host of The Golf Channel’s best new show, now in its 2nd hilarious season

Lucas Glover’s beard, now in its 2nd hilarious season

RBC Heritage logo merchandise

Verizon Heritage logo merchandise

“Golf in the Kingdom,” the much-anticipated movie based on the classic novel by Michael Murphy

“The Swinger,” a “novel” about a scandalously unfaithful professional golfer…sound too familiar?

White belts for golfers 30 and under - age and waist

White Belts for golfers 40 and over - age OR waist

Tickets to the 2012 PGA Championship, the first Major ever to be played in South Carolina

Slow play and cell phones at the PGA Championship or any other golf event – EVER!

Lexi Thompson, the 16-year-old phenom who has won twice since September

John Daly (we are pulling for him, but not betting on him) The Mall at Shelter Cove (we are pulling for it, but not betting on it)

Longhorn Steakhouse, Bluffton’s newest restaurant Existing golf courses being renovated

New golf courses being built

The all-new Golfer’s Guide Local Edition

Feedback@golfersguide.com (but you can change that) That’s our opinion. What’s yours? Send your best What’s Hot/What’s Not ideas to Feedback@GolfersGuide.com

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s p e c i a l

a d v e r t i s e m e n t

Hilton H Head is Seeing Green The Island and its golf courses get Audubon’s stamp of approval

courtesy the heritage classic foundation

by Bob Dagley

Harbour Town’s 18th during the 2011 Heritage

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ilton Head Island is known and revered around the world as a resort destination that has preserved its natural beauty through thoughtful stewardship. Residents and visitors alike are well-acquainted with the Island’s effort to protect nesting sea turtles and century-old live oaks, to renourish its postcard-perfect beaches, and to provide plenty of green space for all to enjoy. “We like to think of sustainability as being in our DNA,” says Susan Thomas, Vice-President of the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce Visitor & Convention Bureau. “It all goes back to Charles Fraser.” Hilton Head owes a huge debt to Fraser, the innovative developer who was as passionate about preserving nature as he was about building a world-class resort that would endure for generations to enjoy. “We are focused on taking Fraser’s vision to the next level to sustain places, people and profits for a healthy community,” says Thomas. The state’s first Audubon Green Community They are certainly off to a great start. This fall, the Chamber hosted the International Ecotourism Society’s annual conference. In addition to bringing over 350 eco-tourism attendees from around the world to Hilton Head to talk about travel and sustainability, the Island was awarded Audubon International’s Green Community designation. The town is the first in South Carolina to earn the award for its ongoing green initiatives. “Hilton Head has demonstrated a strong commitment to embodying the ideals of sustainability—economic vitality, environmental protection, and social responsibility,” says Suzi Van Etten, manager of Audubon’s Sustainable Communities Program. “With the surrounding natural landscape of this barrier island, Hilton Head has much to celebrate. It is a unique destination filled with residents that care deeply about the place they call home.” Working with Audubon, Hilton Head developed strategies for conserving energy and water, reducing waste, promoting renewable energy, and planning for green space and building design. “Hilton Head Island is known for its golf and for its environmental sensitivity,” says Steve Riley, Hilton Head’s Town Manager. “The Audubon name is well-known for its environmental commitment. Locally, the Audubon name has long been linked to the Newhall Preserve and more recently with many of our most forward-thinking golf courses. Given those linkages, seeking the Audubon Society’s Green Community designation was the right choice for our Island.” The best-selling author and naturalist Todd Ballantine, who writes the “Eco Vibe” blog for the Chamber’s website, adds “The modern history of Hilton Head Island was founded on the protection of natural resources, outdoor recreation, and creative development. In order for the Island to remain sustainable–that is, to be economically viable, maintain its recreation attractions, and remain a socially balanced community–its leaders must try new approaches to community management. If the will is there, then there will be a way.” The Chamber and the Town have shown they have both the will and the way. “Our efforts are all part of helping all of us to sustain our life here, reduce our carbon footprint, and ensure future generations will enjoy the same,” says Thomas.

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S P E C I A L

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Secession’s 18th green

Area golf courses are leading the way Hilton Head is valued as a golf destination nearly as much as it is for its natural beauty. Never is that more apparent than during the annual CBS coverage of the RBC Heritage each April. The panoramic shots of the coastline, Harbour Town’s iconic lighthouse, and the photogenic Harbour Town Golf Links course have impressed audiences worldwide, especially in the era of high-definition television. So it’s significant to note that the region’s golf courses are taking green initiatives seriously. Often, they have been ahead of the curve. The most recognized initiative being taken is certification as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. Audubon International awards that certification to golf courses that demonstrate efforts to protect the environment, conserve natural resources and provide wildlife habitats. A number of local courses, including all three of Sea Pines Resort’s courses, have already been certified. In fact, the Ocean Course at Sea Pines has been certified for over a decade. “We are proud to say we are fully certified as Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries,” says Cary Corbitt, Director of the Sports Division and Director of Golf for Sea Pines Resort. “Nature is what Sea Pines is all about. That’s a testament to Charles Fraser. Everything he did here was nature-based and well thought out. With the Audubon certification, at the end of the day you know you are doing the right thing.” But certification isn’t an easy undertaking (and courses must be re-certified every two years).

To be designated a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, a golf course must develop and implement an environmental management plan and document the results in six key areas: Environmental Planning, Chemical Use Reduction and Safety, Water Conservation, Water Quality Management, Wildlife and Habitat Management and Outreach and Education. As part of Sea Pines’ environmental management plan, the water used to maintain its golf courses is reclaimed (filtered and reused). That effort not only helps conserve water, but manage its quality. The benefits of this program are not just limited to the environment. A study by Audubon International reports a richer golf experience at courses that are in harmony with the environment. The study also cites better financial performance through reduced insurance premiums and reduced costs for energy, water, pesticides and fertilizers. Last year, the Chamber sponsored a workshop for area golf course superintendents with the folks from Audubon to discuss how to get their courses designated as Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries. The goal is to get every local golf course certified, says Thomas. That’s an achievement that would have certainly pleased the late Charles Fraser. For more information on the Chamber’s green efforts and how area golf courses are doing their part, visit www.hiltonheadisland.org.

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Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of articles sponsored by the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the community to help foster the sustainability of people, places and profits. Look for the next issue of Golfer’s Guide to read about the Chamber’s soon-to-be-announced Eco Smart sustainability certification program.

Hilton Head Area Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Golf Courses Bear Creek Golf Club The Sea Pines Resort: Harbour Town Golf Links The Ocean Course Heron Point Oldfield Secession Golf Club Sun City Hilton Head: Okatie Creek Hidden Cypress The Golf Club at Hidden Lakes

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Davis Love III, September 2011 (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

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i N T E R V I E W

0 In an exclusive interview for Golfer’s Guide, Davis Love III talks about the Heritage Classic, his own Sea Island tournament, golf course architecture, the 2012 PGA Championship at Kiawah and his new Ryder Cup job.

Prince of Tides by Brad King

Brad King: As a five-time Heritage Classic champion at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head, you are now hosting a tournament [The McGladrey Classic] at a resort destination [Sea Island, Georgia] just a couple of hours down the road. Do you think your ties with a new PGA TOUR event will affect your relationship with the Heritage? Davis Love III: The Heritage will always be special to my family and me. We are trying to build on the success and the feel of the Heritage and have another event that is a favorite of the players and their families, and show that the Southeast coast from The Heritage to The Players is a world-class golf destination. It works out great that our event is in the fall, opposite the Heritage’s spring date. It provides another opportunity for golf fans in the Lowcountry to be able to see and enjoy great golf in person. BK: Not many people remember that you won the Junior Heritage at Harbour Town a few years back. DL III [laughing]: It was 1982 and definitely my first big win! I actually didn’t win much as a junior or amateur. BK: You also enjoyed your first PGA TOUR victory at Harbour Town in 1987, along with four subsequent Heritage titles. How do you explain your close connection to this golf course? DL III: I think I learned to play Harbour

Town patiently. The greens are what I grew up putting on. Harbour Town and Seaside [at Sea Island] are very different, but the Bermuda grass is similar and the putting is more natural to me than a player that grew up on bent [grass]. I had some good luck at Harbour Town, and then my confidence on the course just grew. BK: What do you and your family enjoy doing most on Hilton Head? What are some of your favorite places around the island? DL III: We love the beach and the back yard at our host, Arthur Blank’s, house. You can’t beat Giusseppi’s pizza, and the kids still like putt-putt! BK: Congratulations on an outstanding second McGladrey Classic [in 2011], which not only enjoyed a thrilling playoff finish between two outstanding young talents [Ben Crane and Webb Simpson], but also received plenty of favorable press, and looked great on TV. [What are] your thoughts on where the tournament finds itself after its sophomore year? DL III: Thank you. We are thrilled with the success of the event. McGladrey and our foundation team, led by Scott Reid and Mark Love, are great partners and Sea Island is a great host. It’s important to us that the players and sponsors love the week, and we will continue to grow our charity donations. We doubled our donations from year one to this year.

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i N T E R V I E W

BK: In 2010 you weren’t at Sea Island at the start of tournament week [because] you were wrapping up the Ryder Cup competition in Wales. This year you were able to enjoy everything from start to finish. What were some of the highlights of you and your family’s week during the tournament? DL III: The highlights this year for me were not only being around to see the building of the event, but also helping with the tournament preparation and getting to see how hard our team works. And, of course, to have [son] Dru caddie for me — that was a real highlight of the week. BK: Like most high-end golf resorts, Sea Island has been hit hard by the weakened world economy. How has witnessing first-hand the struggles of the resort you’ve called home most of your life affected you? DL III: Well, it’s been tougher on my close friends, the Jones family, but they have continued to work hard for the community and the employees. We have been thankful that The McGladrey Classic can showcase the resort and show the world that it is fabulous and open for business. We always say all we have to do is get people to Sea Island and they are hooked. The event exposes and shows off the resort to more people than any other type of marketing. And it goes beyond just Sea Island, this event and the media exposure it brings showcases what is great about the entire Golden Isles of Georgia. Over time, we feel it will create an impact on the entire coastal region from Jacksonville to Savannah to Hilton Head. BK: How have you convinced so many of the TOUR’s up-and-coming stars to move down to St. Simons and Sea Island with you? How would you describe the appeal of the Golden Isles?

BK: You have also carved out quite a favorable reputation for yourself in the field of golf course architecture. What are your feelings about the current state of that industry? DL III: Like so many businesses, the economy has really hurt [the building of new courses]. We are staying in the game any way we can and hoping to be ready to build on our success when it starts to come back. Right now we are working on a few

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BK: We understand one of those smaller projects is consulting with the new owners of Bloody Point over on Daufuskie Island. What can you tell us about Love Golf Design’s upcoming work at Bloody Point? DL III: We think Bloody Point is a unique golf course with some interesting history, designed by Tom Weiskopf — someone after whom I modeled not only my golf swing, but also a little bit of my business career. But the golf course right now is completely grown over. We are planning to consult with them on getting the course back playable and in good agronomic shape. It’s not a full design project for us, but we always prided ourselves on being flexible enough to meet any owner’s needs.

“I hope one day it will be said that I was successful in the game while putting my family and faith first, and that I upheld the traditions of the game as my father did.”

DL III: They know how great the golf is, and they may come to play or work on their game. But the people, the churches, schools and the sense of hometown in a resort setting draw them in as a place to raise a family. Our secret got out on TOUR!

new holes on The Dunes Course at Diamante Cabo San Lucas, a course we designed in Mexico that was recently ranked No. 58 in the world. We’re also working on a few other small projects.

BK: Have you lobbied at all to design the 2016 Olympic golf course in Rio de Janeiro? If you did not get the job, is there an architect you would like to see get it or think most deserves it? DL III: No, I haven’t lobbied for the job. But I love what Ben Crenshaw is doing now, and Gil Hanse is doing great work. BK: Your very first architectural design was right here in the Lowcountry at Fripp Island, and you also designed the popular Eagle’s Pointe Golf Club in Bluffton. Why do you think Hilton Head and the Lowcountry of South Carolina have produced so many outstanding golf courses during the past four or five decades? DL III: The Lowcountry is blessed with some great land and weather for golf, which is why the area has had the best developers and architects build there.

BK: Though not unexpected, your appointment as U.S. Ryder Cup captain in 2012 is a tremendous honor. [What are] your thoughts on the significance of the job, along with the responsibilities and media spotlight that come with it, too? DL III: Well, it’s certainly a great honor and I am thrilled to be leading the team. I’m not sure I am ready for the media crush, but [wife] Robin has me ready and organized with the clothes and gifts. She is a great event planner and she has been to 13 matches with me. We have been talking about how we would captain a team if we had the chance for a long time. BK: OK, so at age 47, perhaps you are not one of the young guns on the PGA TOUR anymore. Nevertheless, you enjoyed a pretty good year

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i N T E R V I E W

DL III: The TOUR is great; we are growing as other sports are struggling. There are many new sponsors, fans, and a great crop of new young Americans. The players really cannot fathom what a great job [PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim] Finchem has done in a terrible marketplace.

out there with them in 2011. Is your 2012 focus more on Davis Love the golfer or Davis Love the Ryder Cup captain? DL III: We will be ready for the matches as captain — but I will be playing a full schedule and trying to make my team! BK: How excited are you about playing the 2012 PGA Championship as a former champion at the Ocean Course on nearby Kiawah Island? What are your thoughts about that particular golf course design?

BK: Through the Davis Love Foundation, you are active in many charities and good causes, including this year’s inaugural GOLF 9/12 event. What do you hope is your legacy in the game of golf ?

DL III: I think it’s great to have a major tournament near home, and on such a great course. I hope my success on Pete Dye courses will come out again.

DL III: I hope one day it will be said that I was successful in the game while putting my family and faith first, and that I upheld the traditions of the game as my father did. The foundation is just one result of the things that we have learned from players that Robin and I have been mentored by — that we have to use our success and blessings as a platform to benefit people less fortunate, and grow and give back to the game.

BK: What are your thoughts on the state of the PGA TOUR, post Tiger Woods scandal? Are you generally enthusiastic about the state of the game and the direction the TOUR is heading?

Davis Love III at The McGladrey Classic, October 2011

PHOTO BY Eliot Van Otteran

Brad King is former senior editor of LINKS Magazine, longtime golf columnist for the Hilton Head Island Packet and current contributing writer for TheAPosition. com and numerous other publications. Since 2002, he has served as president of Brad King Communications and resides in Winston-Salem, N.C.

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P U B L I C

G O L F

C O U R S E

R E C O R D S

2011 “Golf Course of the Year” Old South Golf Links

cool Frosty shoots a

Oyster Reef Eric Roudabush, 66

Golden Bear at Indigo Brian Agee, 64

Palmetto Hall – Cupp Course Charles Howe, 64

Old South Golf Links Rick Stallings & P.J. Cowan, 62

Palmetto Hall – Hills Course Billy Palmer & Chris Peters, 67

Palmetto Dunes – Arthur Hills Bryce Molder, 60

Sea Pines’ Ocean Course Eric Kennedy, 65

Palmetto Dunes – George Fazio Mike Bright, 63

Country Club of Hilton Head Matt Presnell, 63 Crescent Pointe Billy Palmer, 65

Palmetto Dunes – Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront Joe Jasper, 67

Eagle’s Pointe Roger Rowland, 65

The Sanctuary at Cat Island Robb Simmons, 67 Sea Pines – Harbour Town Golf Links David Frost, 61 The Club at Savannah Harbor Mark James, 63 Melrose Paul Azinger, 62

Pinecrest J.D. Hoft, 62

Bloody Point David Peoples, 65

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P U B L I C

Country Club of Hilton Head 70 Skull Creek Drive, Hilton Head hiltonheadclub.com 843-681-4653 Crescent Pointe 1 Crescent Pointe, Bluffton crescentpointegolf.com 843-706-2600 Eagle’s Pointe 1 Eagle’s Pointe, Bluffton eaglespointegolf.com 843-757-5900 Fripp Island Resort Ocean Creek and Ocean Point courses 201 Tarpon Blvd., Fripp Island frippislandresort.com 888-741-8974 Golden Bear at Indigo Run 72 Golden Bear Way, Hilton Head clubcorp.com/Clubs/Golden-Bear-Golf-Club-atIndigo-Run 843-689-2200 Hilton Head National 60 Hilton Head National Drive, Hilton Head golfhiltonheadnational.com 843-842-5900 Island West 40 Island West Drive, Bluffton islandwestgolf.net 843-815-6660 Old Carolina 89 Old Carolina Drive, Bluffton oldcarolinagolf.com 843-757-8311 Old South Golf Links 50 Buckingham Plantation Drive, Bluffton oldsouthgolf.com 843-785-5353

13 Palmetto Dunes

Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront Course 7 Trent Jones Lane, Hilton Head palmettodunes.com 843-785-1138

14 Palmetto Hall Golf Club

Cupp and Hills courses 108 Fort Howell Drive, Hilton Head hiltonheadgolf.net 843-342-2582

15 Pinecrest

1 Pinecrest Way, Bluffton pinecrestsc.com 843-757-8960

16 Port Royal Golf Club Planter’s Row, Robber’s Row and Barony courses 10 Clubhouse Drive, Hilton Head hiltonheadgolf.net 843-681-1700 17 Rose Hill

4 Clubhouse Drive, Bluffton golfrosehill.com 843-757-9030

18 Sanctuary at Cat Island

8 Waveland Avenue, Beaufort sanctuarygolfcatisland.com 843-524-0300

20 Sea Pines

Harbour Town Golf Links 11 Lighthouse Lane, Hilton Head seapines.com 843-363-8385

Oyster Reef 155 High Bluff Road, Hilton Head hiltonheadgolf.net 843-681-1764 Palmetto Dunes Arthur Hills Course #2 Leamington Lane, Hilton Head palmettodunes.com 843-785-1138

12 Palmetto Dunes

George Fazio Course #2 Carnoustie, Hilton Head palmettodunes.com 843-785-1138

Shipyard Golf Club 45 Shipyard Drive, Hilton Head hiltonheadgolf.net 843-686-8802

Sea Pines Heron Point and Ocean Course 100 N. Sea Pines Drive, Hilton Head seapines.com 843-842-1477 The Club at Savannah Harbor 2 Resort Drive, Savannah, GA theclubatsavannahharbor.com 912-201-2240

Comments or questions? Let us hear from you: Feedback@GolfersGuide.com

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G O L F

C O U R S E S

WINTER SPECIALS Many resort courses in The Lowcountry offer discount rates during the cool season of local golf. The higher prices in the ranges below are generally for 18-hole weekend or holiday tee times, but we recommend that you confirm your rate directly with the golf club staff. Be sure to also check with them about daily specials and multi-round promotions. Country Club of Hilton Head $49-$110 Crescent Pointe/ Eagle’s Pointe $99 Signature Series (thru March 4) Golden Bear at Indigo Run $35-$49 Hilton Head National $40 (Jan. local rate) +replays & 2-course deals Island West (thru Feb.) $20-$30 Old South (thru Feb. 27) $55-$70 prepaid specials $39-$45 Palmetto Dunes (thru Feb. 1) RT Jones / $65-$85 Hills / $59-$79 Fazio / $55-$75 +multi-round rates Pinecrest (thru Feb.) $25-$39 Rose Hill $35/round Sanctuary at Cat Island $40-$60 Twilight specials Sea Pines (thru Feb. 1) Harbour Town / $165 and up Heron Point / $60 and up Ocean Course / $60 and up +multi-round rates Super Sunday specials The Club at Savannah Harbor January Holiday special

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38 16

278

204

144

170

Okatie 16

204

144

170

Hardeeville 16 204

278

144

Berkeley Hall 35

170

278

204

144

170

278

204

144

170

144

170

Sun 204City 25 Hilton Head

Belfair

3 7

278

204

144

170

24 17 8

Golferâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide Lowcountry Golf Map

These overview maps are designed to give general locations of the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public courses (listed on page 13 and represented as ) and private clubs (listed on page 16 and represented as ). For more specific directions, call the phone numbers listed or use your GPS.

Hampton Hall

278

204

144

170

15 16

278

204

144

170

SAVANNAH AREA

204

16 204

95 25

1716

204 144

144

Pooler

16 16

95 95

17 17

204 204

25 25

144 144

204

144

Richmond Hill 45

204

95 204

17 25

144

204

144

204

144

17 144

Savannah

204

144 16

204

46 144

Daw Isl

Skidaway Island

144

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204

25 204144 25

204

fair 16 204

95 25

26 170

144

170

95 25

17 144

21 170

16 16 204

144

170

Cat 16

144

204

170

144

170

Fripp Island 4

Colleton River 29

9 46

18 25

BEAUFORT AREA

204

Island 17 95

Spring Island

Bluffton

Dataw Island

Okatie

Beaufort

1 10

Moss Creek 17 144

Hilton Head Plantation

278

170

Palmetto Hall

278

204

144

170

32 5

Port Royal Plantation 16

Indigo Run

Spanish Wells 16 Long 95

278

144

170

Cove 36

204

12 11

Wexford 41

Sea Pines Dawfuskie Island 33

Shipyard

HILTON HEAD ISLAND AREA 21

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P R I V A T E

G o l f

C o u r s e s

23 Bear Creek Golf Club

36 Long Cove

24 Belfair

37 Moss Creek

25 Berkely Hall

38 Oldfield

237 Whooping Crane Way, Hilton Head bearcreekgolfclub.org 843-681-2667 East and West courses 200 Belfair Oaks Blvd., Bluffton belfair1811.com 843-757-0700 North and South courses 366 Good Hope Road, Bluffton berkeleyhallclub.com 843-815-8494

26 Brays Island 115 Brays Island Drive, Sheldon braysisland.org 843-846-3170 27 Callawassie 176 Callawassie Drive, Okatie callawassieisland.com 843-987-2125 28 Chechessee Creek Club 18 Chechessee Creek Drive, Okatie chechesseecreekclub.com 843-987-7000 29 Colleton River Dye and Nicklaus courses 60 Colleton River Drive, Bluffton colletonriverclub.com 843-836-4400 30 Dataw Cotton Dike and Morgan River courses 100 Dataw Club Road, St. Helena Island dataw.org 843-838-8250 31 Dolphin Head

56 High Bluff Road, Hilton Head dolphinheadgc.com 843-681-5550

32 Golf Club at Indigo Run 101 Berwick Drive, Hilton Head clubcorp.com/clubs/The-Golf-Club-at-Indigo-Run 843-689-3500 33 Haig Point 10 Haig Point Circle, Hilton Head haigpoint.com 843-341-8155 34 Hampton Hall

170 Hampton Hall Blvd., Bluffton hamptonhallsc.com 843-815-8720

44 Long Cove Drive, Hilton Head longcoveclub.org 843-686-1020 Devil’s Elbow North and South courses 100 Devil’s Elbow Lane, Hilton Head mosscreek-hiltonhead.com 843-837-2231

136 Oldfield Way, Okatie oldfield1732.com 843-379-5051

39 May River Club/Palmetto Bluff

1 Village Park Square, Bluffton palmettobluff.com 866-316-5262

40 Savannah Quarters

8 Palladian Way, Pooler, GA SavannahQuartersCC.com 912-450-2700

41 Sea Pines Country Club

30 Governors Road, Hilton Head seapinescountryclub.com 843-671-2345

42 Spanish Wells Golf Club

One Brams Point Road, Hilton Head spanishwellsclub.com 843-681-2819

43 Old Tabby Links/Spring Island

42 Mobley Oaks Lane, Okatie springisland.com 843-987-2200

44 Sun City

Hidden Cypress, Okatie Creek and Argent Lakes courses 672 Cypress Hills Drive, Bluffton 843-705-4999

45 The Ford Plantation

1 Clubhouse Drive, Richmond Hill, GA fordplantation.com 912-756-2742

46 The Landings on Skidaway Island

arshwood, Magnolia, Plantation, Palmetto, M Oakridge and Deer Creek courses 1 Palmer’s Draw, Savannah, GA thelandings.com 912-598-2596

47 Wexford

111 Wexford Club Drive, Hilton Head wexfordplantation.com 843-686-8810

35 Hilton Head Lakes

2005 Wiregrass Way, Hardeeville hiltonheadlakes.com 843-208-5353

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P R I V A T E

G O L F

Bear Creek Jeff DeVincentis, 67

Savannah Quarters Justin Smith, 61

Belfair – East Mark Anderson, 60

Sea Pines Country Club John Spelman, 64

Belfair – West Rickie Fowler, 64

Spanish Wells Golf Club Tom Cornelia, 62

Chechessee Creek Todd Berringer, 63

Spring Island – Old Tabby Links Kelly Mitchell, 65

The Ford Plantation Mark Silvers, 65

Sun City – Hidden Cypress Blaine McCallister, 68

C O U R S E

R E C O R D S

Fowler cards a at Players-A64 m in 2007

Hilton Head Lakes Jordan Pomeranz, 67 Long Cove Blake Trimble, 65 Moss Creek – Devil’s Elbow South Ron Cerrudo, Mike Harmon, Ron Frisch & Eric Hogge, 66 Moss Creek – Devil’s Elbow North Terry Florence & Vic Lipscomb, 63 Oldfield Kyle Dobbs, 64

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R E A L

E S T A T E

The golf clubs at Long Cove, Belfair and Dataw are among the most active and successful in the Lowcountry. A closer look reveals some of their “secrets” to maintaining that…

Home Course Advantage by JG Walker

“I

t all starts with the land,” said Belfair General Manager David Porter. “Our developers acquired a site with great natural beauty, then brought in Tom Fazio, who built two amazing golf courses here.” Fazio designed both the East and West Courses at Belfair in Bluffton, as well as Cotton Dike for Beaufort’s Dataw Island Club, which is also home to Arthur Hills’ Morgan River layout. “When you combine two spectacular settings in a four-season climate with brilliant golf architecture,” said Dataw’s Director of Golf Dave Britton, “your members get courses where the look and even the playing strategies are constantly changing. That keeps the golf fresh.” At Long Cove Club on Hilton Head Island, the members have only one home course to play, but they’re OK with that since it’s almost unanimously ranked as the best private course in South Carolina. “Pete Dye blessed us with one of his finest designs,” Long Cove Club Head Golf Professional Bob Patton said, “and our members appreciate what a truly great course they have.” But if great locations and designs are a given in the equation, good planning and timely decision-making seem to be important variables that get these golf clubs to a happy bottom line. “After our members took over in 2001,” said Belfair GM Porter, “they put in a $15,000 initiation fee in 2003—which I think was unique in the 20

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area at the time—to fund a capital improvements plan for the courses and golf facilities. That made it possible for us last year to redo all the greens and bunkers on the East Course and end the year with money in the bank and no debt. This year we’ll upgrade all the bunkers on our West Course and, if the members approve, expand the clubhouse.” Dataw also completely recontoured and regrassed the Cotton Dike greens last year, while similar renovations now underway on Morgan River are part of an overall $5.4 million investment in the home courses. “It’s a testament to the club’s commitment to maintaining our finest amenities and to our confidence in the future,” said Dataw General Manager Ted Bartlett. Like Belfair, Long Cove is planning major clubhouse improvements this spring and architect Dye has made numerous tweaks to his layout over the years, as well as bigger changes like adding new championship tees on five holes and relocating bunkers. “He’s improved his own design to accommodate today’s player who hits 300-yard drives,” Patton said, “and at the same time made the course even more playable for our higherhandicap members and their guests.” And play they do: Long Cove hosted about 34,000 rounds in 2011, a figure that has remained steady for years. Belfair booked just over 46,000 rounds, even with the East Course on the sidelines, and Dataw recorded

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Belfair

similar totals with Cotton Dike out of play for six months. Both of the 36-hole clubs may see up to 60,000 annual rounds when their respective renovation projects are completed. So having the resources available and the willingness to use them seems to be a common thread that connects these busy Lowcountry golf clubs, but is there another important element in their formulas for success? “It’s all about the people—members and staff,” said Porter, noting that both groups at Belfair are always discussing creative program ideas and that new Director of Golf James Swift brings a fresh perspective to that brainstorming. The Belfair GM also cited the club’s top-rated practice facilities and three full-time instructors on staff as major contributors to keeping the members and their games sharp. Long Cove also has a new key staff member, highly regarded golf instructor Tim Cooke, while head pro Bob Patton and driving-force members like former PGA TOUR professional Jim Ferree and his wife Karen,

an accomplished amateur player in her own right, have been with the club since its inception. “What our members brought with them was a genuine passion for golf—the historic traditions and values that the game represents,” Long Cove Club General Manager David Loan Dataw said. “And they’ve got an experienced and energetic staff here that strives to meet their high expectations.” The ubiquitous Feree is also a founding member of Belfair and the Jim Ferree Learning Center there is named in his honor. Whether it’s hitting balls on the range to improve their individual scores, playing in a team tournament for the club, creating an event to promote the game or giving something back to the community, the members at Dataw, Long Cove and Belfair seem to consistently find new ways to express their love of golf. All three clubs feature special member events, from Belfair’s monthly “Men’s Night Out” (a nine-hole twilight tournament and a big steak

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R E A L

E S T A T E

dinner with all the trimmings) to Long Cove’s recent “Mystery on the Orient Express” themed event (36 holes of ladies member-guest play and some fun-filled sleuthing around the clubhouse). All participate in competitive events with other local clubs, like the home-andaway rivalry that Dataw members have developed with their peers at Fripp Island, Callawassie and Moss Creek. And each club invites guest speakers, from sports psychologists and nutritional experts to authors and touring pros, who invigorate members with new ideas or provide a shared evening’s entertainment. Also enhancing club camaraderie are the annual trips to high-profile golf destinations: Belfair members went to Bandon Dunes in Oregon last year and Long Cove members made a tour of Scotland to play historic courses like St. Andrews, Royal Aberdeen and Carnoustie. Back on the home courses, Dataw, Belfair and Long Cove host visiting players for a variety of golf tournaments that keep member-volunteers and double-duty staffs on their toes, from the Heritage Players-Am that Belfair hosted for the past 12 years to the new Darius Rucker Intercollegiate (Ladies Invitational) that debuts this March at Long Cove (see “Local Golf Events” on p. 3). And each of the clubs’ representatives cited their very active women’s programs, with independent golf associations run by elected boards, as vital factors in enhancing overall club enthusiasm and success. While the men certainly do their part in community-outreach efforts, women members often seem to be in the forefront. The Long Cove Club Community Endowment Fund has raised more than $500,000 since 2003 to benefit Lowcountry nonprofit programs from improving health care and child nutrition to supporting military service members and their families.

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Likewise, Porter noted a recent weeklong fundraiser at Belfair, including a golf tournament, silent auction and other activities that collected more than $46,000 for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. He could have been speaking for Dataw and Long Cove as well when he said, “We’re very proud of our women’s golf association.”

Members at Dataw, Long Cove and Belfair seem to consistently find new ways to express their love of golf.

Those ladies also are key participants in each club’s “Ambassador” program in which members host prospective residents that come from the same geographical area, have similar professional backgrounds or share specific interests. Visitors get unfiltered answers to their questions and have a jump-start on establishing new social networks when they decide to join the club. “And what those new members bring to a golf club is often just as important as what they find here,” said Dataw’s golf director Britton, who offered a ready example: “A new member recently signed up for one of our match-play tournaments and asked if I could go over the match-play rules with her. So I decided to have a little seminar in case there were any others Long Cove who thought a refresher might be helpful and I ended up with a room full of new and old members. She did everyone a favor and our teams played with confidence that they knew the rules inside-out and could concentrate on making shots. “It was a little thing by itself,” Britton concluded, “but I think it represents something larger: Even if you have great facilities and resources, a golf club excels because of the positive interaction among members and with the staff. Sometimes it’s as simple as just having fun on the course, but I think the sum total of those kinds of interactions can really improve someone’s overall quality of life and that’s what a good golf club does.” Special thanks to Dataw Island Club Director of Marketing David Warren, Long Cove Club Director of Communications Parker Harrington and Belfair General Manager David Porter for their assistance with this story. What gives your golf club its “home course advantage”? Let us know with an email to Feedback@ GolfersGuide.com.

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D R I V E T I M E Southern Golf Destinations

Kiawah Calls the PGA and you. by JG Walker

Kiawah Island Golf Resort and The Ocean Course will host the 2012 PGA Champion.

emember the drama of the 1991 Ryder Cup? Well, a whole new generation of the game’s elite will take to the stage this time in the first Big Four major championship ever played in South Carolina. Joining the gallery or watching the tournament on TV this summer will be exciting, but here’s an even better idea: Take advantage of Kiawah’s winter rates now to book your own tee time on The Ocean Course and a night or two at The Sanctuary, the resort’s world-class oceanfront hotel. Treat your partner to an afternoon at the spa and a romantic sunset dinner and you’ll both leave Kiawah feeling like champions. The Sanctuary Arriving at The Sanctuary through a tunnel of live oaks, the hotel itself is nearly invisible because of all those trees and that’s just what the architects intended: Your first impression is a “Wow” as you walk through the doors. The Sanctuary’s grand entrance hall is as good as it gets: the multistory atrium abounds in light and space as your wide-open eyes are directed through gigantic windows above a football-field-size manicured lawn and over the sand dunes to the ocean breakers beyond. How this unique setting was created is remarkable: 24

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First, more than 400 trees, including 160 Live Oaks at least 50 feet tall, were dug up by the world’s largest mechanical spade and transported to a nearby farm. Big loads of fill dirt were imported to raise the site to 21 feet above sea level. Having rejected all futuristic designs of glass and steel, construction began on a Charleston-style hotel of glass and brick and wood and stucco, with slate-tile shingles on the roof and intricate details in copper and iron everywhere. Then all of those hundreds of well-caredfor trees were returned and replanted on the site with the loss of only a single palmetto. The result is a graceful double-winged luxury hotel that’s impressive without being imposing, spectacular without being pretentious and ultramodern in amenities without being at all “new” in appearance. Which makes The Sanctuary the perfect fit for a resort where great architecture is important—inside and out. The Ocean Course Five brilliant golf designers have built five outstanding courses at Kiawah, including The Ocean Course, the same one that hosted the memorable Ryder Cup—except that it’s really not. Nor is it the same course that architect Pete Dye originally planned. Nor is it exactly the same today as it will be tomorrow. And that’s part of its greatness.

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Kiawah Beach and 16th hole on The Ocean Course

Because The Ocean Course is exposed to a pair of nature’s mightiest Championship, and as it will be for the 2012 PGA. Dye reportedly visshape-changing forces: the Atlantic Ocean and Pete Dye. The layout’s ited the layout no less than six times in 2011, tweaking here, molding proximity to a pristine sprawl of beachfront creates a fluid palate for the there and sharpening everywhere. Last August, while the PGA Chamartist. And Dye is indeed an artist who works in the mediums of sand and pionship was being played in Atlanta, the course was set up to the exact sod, with tools that range from a bulldozer to a shovel and rake. same tournament standards—to observe the arc of the sun, the surge Building a golf course on the literal fringe of a continent was an in-your- of the surf and the weathervane’s spin above the clubhouse with exactly face challenge to one of the Earth’s most mercuone year to go and counting. rial environments. From the beginning, it was The Ocean Course is a “truth-in-advertising” The Ocean Course name because 10 holes are set directly along the clear that The Ocean Course would offer just about the most wind-and-weather-influenced is exposed to a pair of beach and the other eight run parallel to it. From rounds the American game had ever seen. Playfirst tee to the final green, every hole offers nature’s mightiest the ing downwind, you might make some pars. Playyet another sweeping ocean view. To his credit, shape-changing ing into the wind, you might have to take some Dye’s design includes many elevated tees and doubles. And hitting high into the crosswinds forces: The Atlantic raised fairways, so the player isn’t blind to what’s was like playing roulette of the Russian variety. Ocean and Pete Dye. ahead. To be honest, The Ocean Course can be And those breezes change by the day, the hour a very tough round of golf. So play the middle and, sometimes, the minute. tees unless you have a very low handicap, swalSince its official opening in 1991, Dye has returned often to his low your pride and lay up when you know you should, and be smart Ocean Course, repairing Mother Nature’s damage when necessary about your risk-reward adventures. More than any other you’ll ever play, and improving his masterpiece where possible. It was perfect for the the Ocean Course is not amenable to conquest. It demands and will earn Ryder Cup, as it was for the 2003 World Cup and the 2007 Senior PGA your respect. HiltonHead.GolfersGuide.com

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D R I V E T I M E

All-Star Lineup Kiawah’s other four golf courses aren’t as famous as The Ocean Course, but each would probably be a flagship resort layout anywhere else. The most convenient for Sanctuary guests is Turtle Point, a Jack Nicklaus design adjacent to the hotel with three signature oceanfront holes. Cougar Point by Gary Player features a riverside front nine with abundant wildlife and four dramatic closing holes. Osprey Point is a Tom Fazio creation with large natural lakes amid an old-growth forest of oak, pine and palmetto. Kiawah’s “fifth course” is Oak Point by Hilton Head Islandbased golf architect Clyde Johnston. As a warm-up round for The Ocean Course, Oak Point is every bit the equal of the resort’s other layouts in terms of visual grandeur and playing enjoyment. For the golfer who can occasionally hit a solid 7 iron or metal 3, the rare front nine at Oak Point with three par 3s and three par 5s presents numerous scoring opportunities. The Ultra Dwarf greens this season are in exceptionally good shape and the layout’s namesake centurions protect many approaches from the occasionally stiff gusts. At least until the last three holes, which open wide up as they play towards a grand finish beside the junction of historic Haulover Creek and the Kiawah River. Sunset Dining Kiawah offers a choice of world-class restaurants with one scenic similarity: because the island’s beach actually faces south instead of east, both of the resort’s signature restaurants offer incredible sunset views over the surf and adjacent wetlands. The Ocean Room at The Sanctuary is America’s only Forbes Four-Star/ AAA Four-Diamond-rated steakhouse, specializing in hand-selected and grilled-to-perfection beef and chops. But the seafood lover in you might opt for The Atlantic Room in The 26

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ocean views. All of the bases are covered and there are many appreciated extras. The Sanctuary Spa is one of only 30 Forbes Five-Star Spas in the world. Twelve private rooms are available for spa specialties like the Mint Julep Facial and the Lowcountry Verbena Body Polish. Massages are offered for women, men and couples, plus a signature deep-relaxation treatment called a “Body Wrapture.” In addition an indoor pool with adjacent fitness facilities on the first floor, the spa also features a full-service salon. The noted due-south oceanfront orientation at Kiawah means that the island’s uninterrupted 10-mile shoreline is bathed in sunshine all day long The Sanctuary when the skies are clear. Kiawah Beach really is one of South Ocean Course clubhouse, with local catches Carolina’s best for a long hike, a lazy stroll or a featured on the menu, plus a host of creative carefree bike ride at low tide. side dishes. And those sunsets are almost as AAA gives The Sanctuary its top rating of good as the fare. Five Diamonds, while Mobil awards it all of In addition, The Sanctuary’s Jasmine Porch their Five Stars. And Conde Nast Traveler features authentic Lowcountry cuisine and, named Kiawah “The No. 1 Island to Visit on like all of the resort’s eateries, participates in the the US Mainland.” To be the best of that best is farm-to-table program that features fresh local mighty impressive. vegetables, fruits and seafood. The Sanctuary even has its own herb garden and takes great From now through the end of February, The Sancpride in all of its eco-sustainability programs. tuary is offering a special winter “Bed & Breakfast” The hotel, like all five of the resort’s golf courses, rate of $285 per weeknight (Sun.-Weds.) and $315 is an Audubon International Certified Coop- on weekend nights. Kiawah villa rates start at $193 erative Sanctuary. per night with a minimum two-night stay. Both offers include daily breakfast for two at Jasmine Porch or The Extras the Town Center Market, plus complimentary spaceAt a renowned luxury hotel, you expect to available accommodations upgrades. pay more and to get more; The Sanctuary deGreens fees through March 4 are $222 for Kilivers on its end of the bargain. From reception awah Resort guests on The Ocean Course, $114 for to checkout, the staff exudes a laid-back friendliness that’s never pushy, but always attentive. Osprey Point, Turtle Point and Cougar Point, and The oversized guestrooms and suites feature $72 at Oak Point. Rates are slightly higher for playdouble-sink bathrooms with deep soaking ers not staying at the resort. For details, call 800-654tubs, bedding custom-made for the resort 2924 or go to KiawahResort.com. in Omaha and wrought-iron balconies with HiltonHead.GolfersGuide.com

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