Golfer's Guide Hilton Head September

GOLFER’S GUIDE SUPPLEMENT OF HILTON HEAD MONTHLY

SEPTEMBER 2012 www.golfersguide.com/hilton-head-island

Argent «Lakes Sun City unveils the Lowcountry’s only 18-hole executive course | p 114

PHOTO BY RICK TAYLOR

Holes in One/News and Notes | p 116

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Inside the JPGA | p 118

Golf Etc. | p 120

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ARGENT LAKES

Short and Sweet

LESS IS MORE AT ARGENT LAKES, SUN CITY’S LATEST AND FINAL COURSE

by Lance Hanlin

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UN CITY OPENED THE FINAL SIX HOLES OF ITS ARGENT LAKES COURSE IN AUGUST, GIVING THE LOWCOUNTRY ITS ONLY 18-HOLE EXECUTIVE COURSE.

GREEN ACRES: Argent Lakes was designed

by Tim Freeland, the former lead architect of Gary Player Design. It is styled like a championship course but is designed to be fast and fun.

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It’s the third and final course located inside of the age-restricted master planned community.

The first was Okatie Creek, a traditional Parkland layout with lawn-like fairways and numerous trees. The second was Hidden Cypress, a challenging track designed to test even the best players. This third course, Argent Lakes, is styled like a championship course but is designed to be fast and fun.

All three Sun City courses are open to public play.

“I think everybody places a value on time and money,” said Shannon Archer,

director of golf business operations at Sun City. “Our courses are well-conditioned and they’re a great value.”

The term “executive” simply means par is much less than a typical 18-hole course, allowing for faster play.

Instead of blocking off the usual four hours for a round at a par 72 course, Argent Lakes is a par 61, perfect for professionals wanting to get in a quick 18 after work before sundown. It’s also a nice option during the dog days of summer.

The name honors Argent Lumber Company, who once owned the land. The course features 12 par 3s, five par 4s and one par 5.

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SUN CITY TRIO OPEN TO PUBLIC All THREE golf courses at Sun City are open for public play. Through a priority seeding system, residents can book tee times 72 hours in advance.

Non-residents can book 48 hours in advance. Here is a look at the three courses Sun City has to offer:

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FUN IN THE SUN: Sun City's latest course is a par 61 with 12 par 3s, five par 4s and one par 5.

EXECUTIVE DECISION: Argent Lakes is perfect for professionals wanting to get in a quick 18 after work before the sun goes down.

It's also a nice option during the dog days of summer.

Along with being a good place for professionals, the shorter holes and gracious landing areas also make it a good course for beginners or high-handicappers to work on their shortgames. With five sets of tees, though, Argent Lakes can also be enjoyed by more accomplished players. Some of the par 3s are close to 200 yards in length.

“Even though it’s an executive course, it’s not a cupcake,” said Kevin Foley, head professional at Argent Lakes. “It is a par 61 but par is not an easy score to get. The hole locations can be tucked in areas where there is runoff and bunkering. There is a lot of room for the highhandicapper to play it safe but several areas can challenge the shot-making of a lower handicap player.”

The 16th hole is a good example of the course’s versatility. From the championship tees, players have to carry water. From the reds and the whites, golfers can roll it up to the green.

Argent Lakes was designed by Tim Freeland, the former lead architect of Gary Player Design.

It opened as a nine-hole course in June of 2011 then played as a 12-hole course over the fall. It is located on the north side of U.S. 278.

Just as with Okatie Creek and Hidden Cypress, course condition is a top priority.

“Those outside the gates and not familiar with our property aren’t aware our courses are as good as any around, public access or not,” Archer said. G

NAME Hidden Cypress Golf Course LOCATION 672 Cypress Hills Drive, Sun City NON-RESIDENT RATES $42 morning, $37 afternoon ($5 extra for cart) CONTACT (843) 705-4999 PAR 72 DETAILS Built by 10-time PGA Tour winner Mark McCumber, this is Sun City’s crown jewel. With its undulating greens and menacing collection areas, Hidden Cypress requires true shot-making ability.

2 NAME Okatie Creek Golf Club LOCATION 60 Sun City Club Lane, Sun City NON-RESIDENT RATES $42 morning, $37 afternoon ($5 extra for cart) CONTACT (843) 705-4653 PAR 72 DETAILS Another McCumber design, Okatie Creek is Sun City’s oldest course. It’s a little shorter, a little more open and the greens are a little flatter than they are on the more difficult Hidden Cypress layout.

3 NAME Argent Lakes Golf Course LOCATION 1291 Sergeant William Jasper Blvd.

NON-RESIDENT RATES $34 morning, $28 afternoon ($5 extra for cart) CONTACT (843) 645-0507 PAR 61 DETAILS Sun City’s latest and final course is styled like a championship course but plays like an executive. There are 12 par 3s, five par 4s and one par 5.

Find 2-for-1 specials online at golfinsuncity.com.

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NEWS & NOTES GOLF magazine honors Harbour Town, May River

HOLES - IN -

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Two area golf courses were listed in GOLF magazine’s 2012 edition of “Top 100 Courses You Can Play.” Harbour Town Golf Links checked in at No. 12, up two spots from the magazine’s last rankings in 2010. May River Golf Club at Palmetto Bluff was ranked No. 51. The magazine also released its biennial list of the top 20 public courses in each state. Harbour Town came in at No. 2 for South Carolina behind the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island.

May River was No. 5, Heron Point by Pete Dye was No. 11 and Melrose Golf Club on Daufuskie Island was No. 18.

Locals qualify for US Mid Amateur

YOUR TIME TO SHINE If you made a hole-in-one, ask the hosting club to e-mail the information to Lance Hanlin at lhanlin@golfersguide.com CHRIS ALFRED had a hole-in-one Aug. 5 on the No. 8 hole at the Palmetto Hall Robert Cupp Course.

Alfred used a 9-iron.

RAY FULLER had a hole-in-one on the No. 16 hole at Crescent Pointe Golf Club. Fuller used a 5-iron. Witnesses were Stewart Davis, Frank Saracino and Joe Macchia.

ANDREW HARRIS had a hole-in-one July 28 on the No. 17 hole at Hidden Cypress Golf Club. He used a 5-iron.

Witnesses were Gary Welsh, Ray Baltz and Tom Cantwell.

CAROL KAMINSKI had a hole-in-one July 17 on the No. 3 hole at Argent Lakes Golf Course in Sun City.

Kaminski used a 9-iron. Witnesses were Dick Kaminski, Debbie Strouse and Roy Strouse.

KAY MATSON had a hole-in-one July 12 on the No. 8 hole at Okatie Creek Golf Course. Matson used a 5-wood. Witnesses were Caroline Koelsch, Marion Scheer and Mary Lou Folgers.

ED SOIFER had a hole-in-one May 21 on the No. 8 hole at Bear Creek Golf Club.

JUNE SOMERS had a hole-in-one April 24 on the No. 13 hole of the Arthur Hills Course at Palmetto Hall.

Somers used a 6-iron.

KEN SOUCY had a hole-in-one June 14 on the No. 3 hole at Okatie Creek Golf Club. Hunt sank the 120-yard shot with a 6-iron. Witnesses were Charlie Burns, Marty Klinghoffer and Rich Bennett.

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PAUL STANISLAVSKY had a holein-one June 4 on the No. 5 hole at Okatie Creek Golf Club. Stanislavsky made the shot using a pitching wedge.

MARK TOMEDOLSKEY had a holein-one June 26 on the No. 13 hole at Hilton Head Lakes. Tomedolskey made the 175-yard shot while playing in the first round of the Hilton Head Island PGA Chapter’s Professional Championship.

BILL TOOLEY had a hole-in-one April 9 on the No. 9 hole at Hidden Cypress Golf Club. Tooley used an 8-iron.

JOHN ULLERY had a hole-in-one April 16 on the No. 15 hole of the South Course at Moss Creek Golf Club. Ullery used a 9-iron.

GARY WELSH had a hole-in-one June 26 on the No. 7 hole at Hidden Cypress Golf Club inside of Sun City.

Welsh sank the 142-yard shot using a 5-iron.

RUSS WHITEFORD had a hole-inone May 2 on the No. 2 hole at Bear Creek Golf Club. Whiteford used a 6-iron.

RALEIGN WRIGHT shot a 68, three strokes below his age, June 17 at the Okatie Creek Golf Course with the 18 Hole Sunday Couples Association.

BRIAN YANTIS had a hole-in-one April 30 on the No. 15 hole of the South Course at Moss Creek Golf Club.

Four area golfers qualified for the U.S. Mid Amateur Championship, set for Sept. 8-13 at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, Ill. Bluffton golfer Kevin King took second place in a Jacksonville qualifier with a 70, earning one of four spots in the field.

Hilton Head Island’s Todd White fired a 69 to tie for fourth place at a qualifier in Salisbury, N.C., earning one of seven spots.

Hilton Head Island’s Patrick Datz took first place in an Ames, Iowa, qualifier. Bluffton’s John Patterson earned one of five qualifying spots in a qualifier at Columbia Country Club.

Sea Pines pros each play 100 holes for charity Adam Devine and Kyle Maloney each played 100 holes of golf at Heron Point on Aug. 3 to raise money for the American Diabetes Association. Both are assistant golf professionals at Sea Pines Resort. The two raised money through HundredHoleHike.com. The two teed off at 6 a.m. and finished 11 hours and 38 minutes later.

IJGT announces Discovery Tour schedule The International Junior Golf Tour recently announced its fall schedule for the Discovery Tour, which includes seven events in five states. Local courses on the tour are Hilton Head National Golf Club in Bluffton (Sept. 8) and Shipyard Golf Club on Hilton Head (Sept. 29). Find the complete schedule online at www.IJGT. com.

Leesville golfer wins SC Amateur Leesville’s Cody Proveaux won the 81st annual South Carolina Amateur Championship, held Aug. 4-5 at the Country Club of Spartanburg. Proveaux fired a 69-65-65-68 – 267 to win by three strokes. Bluffton’s J.D. Hoft was the top local player, finishing with a 282.

Carrihill wins Hilton Head Open Dataw Island Club assistant professional Stuart Carrihill won the 38th annual Hilton Head Open, held Aug. 4-5 at Wexford Plantation. Carrihill finished with a 2-under-par 142 and pocketed $1,000 for his effort. Berkeley Hall’s Nicholas Coursey and Chechessee Creek’s Mark Phillips tied for second at 146. Kevin Arnold won the senior flight with a 156, Ted Morris won Flight One with a 166 and David DeDecker won Flight Two with a 175.

Find the latest news and notes online at www.golfersguide.com/ hilton-head-island.

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JPGA CALLING ALL JUNIORS: The Junior Players Golf Academy is a boutique golf academy located on Hilton Head Island. The JPGA offers junior golf schools and junior golf camps for all skill levels.

DETAILS WHAT Junior Players Golf Academy WHERE Palmetto Hall, Hilton Head Island THE SKINNY Offers full-time programs, a post-graduate program, summer and holiday camps and programs MORE INFORMATION Call 843-6863355 or go online to www.jrpga.com

School back in session

JPGA PRIDES ITSELF ON FACILITIES, LOW STUDENT-TO-TEACHER RATIO

by Lance Hanlin

IMG HAS DAVID LEADBETTER. THE INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR GOLF ACADEMY HAS HANK HANEY. OTHER ACADEMIES HAVE GARY GILCHRIST AND JIM MCLEAN.

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he Junior Players Golf Academy on Hilton Head Island doesn’t have such a name on its door.

“Unfortunately for a lot of kids and parents, it’s all about the name,” JPGA owner Keith Bach said.

“But a lot of times, those names aren’t the ones teaching your kid. We’re not going to tell you that your kid is going to be taught by X, Y or Z and then that person is not here. I tell people to visit the other academies and compare apples to apples.”

With access to seven of Hilton Head Island’s top golf courses, posh living quarters close to the beach and schooling at prestigious Hilton Head Preparatory, Bach knows other academies have a tough time matching the apples in his bushel.

That’s why students from all over the globe choose to attend his boutique academy. Countries represented in the 2012-2013 class are Brazil, Chile, Venezuela, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Spain, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, the United Kingdom and Canada “It’s about 60 percent international and 40 118

percent U.S. this year,” Bach said. “Usually it’s about 50-50. It’s nice having the different cultures in the housing and on the golf course. It gives students a chance to learn life lessons and meet kids from all over the world.”

The full-time academy is a nine-month program split into two semesters. The first semester started Aug. 15 and will run through Dec. 20. Following the Christmas break, the second semester will start Jan. 7 and run through May 25.

Students hit the golf course after school each day, gearing up for weekend tournaments. The JPGA offers its students the opportunity to play in nationally ranked events across the Southeast.

Unlike many other academies, though, tour play is included in the cost of tuition.

“That’s a big part of it,” Bach said. “You train throughout the week to be prepared for the weekend to play tournament golf. That’s how you’re going to build your resume, get the exposure and hopefully get a college scholarship.”

Several students already have.

Juliet Vongphoumy, from Rhode Island, got a full scholarship to Maryland. This year she finished as the Terps’ all-time season scoring average leader (73.72) and earned All-ACC honors.

Momo Sakuragi, from Japan, signed a full golf scholarship with Rollins College earlier this year.

Equador native Felipe Benalcazar got a scholarship to Trinity University and Bluffton’s Courtney Boe got a scholarship to Coastal Carolina.

The full-time academy started with just four students in 2007. That number grew to 14 in 2008 then jumped to 24 in 2009. Enrollment has leveled off the past two years at around 24 students.

This year’s enrollment is 28 students. With seven instructors, the JPGA has a teacher-to-student ratio of 4-to-1. The ratio for an average academy is 8-to-1. Most of the JPGA’s operation is located on Beach City Road. For housing, the academy built five cottages in 2010, the Mitchelville Golf Cottages, just down the street from JPGA headquarters and Palmetto Hall Golf Club.

Students have access to play all seven courses the Heritage Golf Group owns and manages at Palmetto Hall, Port Royal, Shipyard and Oyster Reef.

In addition to its full-time academy, the JPGA also offers an all-golf and TPI Fitness (Titleist Performance Institute) post graduate program designed for players who recently graduated high school. There are also several holiday programs and camps each year.

“We’re helping you with the game you bring to us, not one teaching method for all students,” Bach said. “We’ll make you better through a lot of playing, practicing and hard work.” G

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GOLF ETC.

ONE-STOP SHOP: Hilton Head Island's newest golf shop carries all the latest equipment and accessories.

What makes it stand out is its custom fitting and clubmaking.

The Perfect Fit ISLAND’S NEW GOLF STORE OFFERS CUSTOM FITTING, CLUBMAKING

by Lance Hanlin CHRIS WYCOFF HAS OPENED A NEW RETAIL GOLF STORE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.

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ike most of its kind, his shop offers the usual equipment, accessories and apparel from all the top manufacturers. Unlike most shop owners, though, Wycoff isn’t interested in selling his best merchandise.

The goal of Golf Etc. is to find what works best for each individual.

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“We take the standard golf store, then we go a lot further with our ability to do custom fitting and custom clubmaking,” Wycoff said. “We can really help golfers improve their performance without changing what they do. We take the time to find and fit equipment that works for them rather than forcing people to adjust to the equipment.”

The shop uses the Better Golf Faster proprietary fitting system. Every golfer’s natural swing is unique. By analyzing

swing motion, the software can determine the proper equipment type, length of club, weight, swing weight and type of shaft. The data is based on findings from more than 10,000 fittings.

Wycoff and his team take those recommendations and refine them, based on what the golfer is trying to accomplish.

“A lot of times, you don’t need a new club,” Wycoff said. “If you’re playing last year’s driver and it’s just not doing what you need, we can

improve the performance and save you money by using that head and just getting you the

DETAILS WHAT Golf Etc. WHERE 11 Palmetto Bay Rd. Suite 106B, Hilton Head Island THE SKINNY Offers custom club fitting and clubmaking along with the latest equipment, apparel and accessories MORE INFO Call 843-341-7000 or go online to www.golfetchhi.com

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LEFT The Better Golf Faster proprietary fitting system can determine the proper equipment type, length of club, weight, swing weight and type of shaft.

ABOVE Once the perfect club has been identified, a certified club maker can build it before your eyes.

"IT'S FOR THE GUY THAT MAYBE HAS PLATEAUED A LITTLE BIT AND WANTS TO GET BETTER." proper shaft.”

The entire process takes about an hour and a half and is much more in-depth than the “How does this one feel?” method most fitters cart out to the driving range.

Most fitters have a limited number of steel or graphite shaft options to pick from and only in basic stiffness levels of Senior, Regular and Stiff. Golf Etc. takes it further by incorporating shaft weight, desired launch angle and torque into the equation.

Once the perfect club has been identified, a certified on-site club maker can build it before your eyes.

“We can actually build everything to those exact specifications,” Wycoff said.

“Really nobody else in the area can do that.”

Hilton Head Island golfer Scott Callen recently went through a series of fittings.

“It’s helped me add a little distance, it’s helped my accuracy and it’s helped my consistency,” Callen said.

“It’s for the guy that maybe has plateaued a little bit and wants to get better.”

Golf Etc. is located in the Island Crossing shopping center, beside Publix on Palmetto Bay Road. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

Reservations are not required for custom fitting or clubmaking but are encouraged. G September 2012

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WHAT’S

HOT WHAT’S

NOT THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY OF GOLF

| HOT |

| NOT |

Loving Labor Day Weekend

New spray-on slice fixer Power Straight

Working for the Weekend, Loverboy style

Old spray-on hair from Ron Popeil Not-so-hot tourists in town (e.g., overweight Speedo guy at Coligny Beach)

Hot celebrities in town (e.g., Golf Channel’s Holly Sonders)

This month’s return of football season

Golf drinking games 122

Next month’s return of golf’s silly season

The Potty Putter

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SEPT

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES GOLFERSGUIDE.COM/HILTON-HEAD-ISLAND

Earn a chance to play with British Open champ Ernie Els 

2012

Els For Autism Golf Challenge coming to Harbour Town

Instruction with Andrew Rice

“The Big Easy” isn’t going to take it easy until the best children’s autism center in the world has been built. ERNIE ELS, one of the most successful professional golfers in the world, is the driving force behind the Els Center of Excellence, a first-of-its-kind facility that will provide best practices, the latest information and research for all autistic children. To help raise money for the center, Els and his wife Liezl are spearheading a golf tournament this month at Harbour Town Golf Links called the Els for Autism Golf Challenge. Read all about the event online at golfersguide.com/hiltonhead-island.

We've all heard the saying “high launch and low spin.” With the help of TrackMan, Berkeley Hall director of instruction Andrew Rice has learned which part of the clubface to strike the ball with in order the get the ball to launch higher, spin less and ultimately travel further. Find this month’s golf tip at www.golfersguide.com/hiltonhead-island.

ALSO ONLINE AT GOLFERSGUIDE.COM/HILTON-HEAD-ISLAND: Course 

directory, with rates Find a listing of all public and private golf courses in the area, along with September greens fees for the courses you can play.

 Upcoming

tournaments, events Find out what golf tournaments and events are coming up on Hilton Head Island and in the surrounding area.

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