59 minute read
KEOWEE KEY LIFESTYLE TODAY
Our Amenities
Amenities are the Core of our Lifestyle
Advertisement
By Charles Lutz, previous Board Secretary
The heart of Keowee Key beats within its amenities; they are the very soul of our community.
Keowee Key was built around its championship golf course, newly renovated to remain a pride of the community well into the future. Our updated and expanded, world-class Fitness and Racquet Center continues to keep members healthy and happy. The incredible rebirth of the Clubhouse, the center of the community’s social life, offers fine wining and dining as well as simpler fare, holiday and special events galore, and venues for meetings and parties.
Opportunities for boating and fishing on our pristine mountain lake are unsurpassed. Outdoor activities abound, with sports, games and pastimes for any and all — like tennis, pickleball, shuffleboard, swimming and the revitalized game of Bocce. Or maybe your preference is a walk around the leisure trail or one of our two newer walking trails, for exercise or just to enjoy nature. Wherever you go in this community, take a moment to chat with neighbors along the way. It’s all part of what makes residents of Keowee Key family. There is never a lack of activity, fitness, and social fun here at Keowee Key.
Architect Richard Mandell, Golf Director Rion Groomes and George Cobb Jr.
the golf course that helped Build a Community
By Charles Lutz, previous Board Secretary
Keowee Key was built around a golf course, and golf became the first social activity organized by residents, according to community resident-historian Alice Badenoch in her 1989 book, “Keowee Key: The Origins of a Community.” Building a golf course was an integral part of the Lake Keowee Development Corporation’s master plan for the lakeside resort community that was to become Keowee Key. The earliest advertisements for the community boasted of its golf course and it attracted many new residents.
Noted golf course architect George S. Cobb, of Greenville, was commissioned to design an 18-hole Championship Course. He routed the land, locating where the tees, landing areas and greens should be, then submitted his plan to the Corporation which was approved on Nov. 1, 1972.
Clearing of the land began almost immediately. However, within a year, due to financial shortfalls, construction of the course, and the development as a whole, came to a screeching, albeit temporary, halt. As a result, though, the first nine holes were not substantially completed until 1976. In 1980, a committee was formed to organize Keowee Key’s golf competitions, the inaugural MemberGuest Tournament being held that same year.
Cobb had been a good choice to design the course. His philosophy that “golf is supposed to heal and stimulate, not punish” was a perfect fit for a relaxed-lifestyle resort community (although many of Keowee Key’s golfers would swear the demanding 6,390-yard course he created belies his intent). With seven dogleg holes, one of them a double dogleg, five holes with treacherous water hazards, three with lofted greens, and nary a flat lie to be had on any one of its eighteen fairways, challenges are presented on each and every hole to even the best of golfers.
By the time Cobb designed Keowee Key’s golf course, he had already created many landmark public and private courses, more than 100 during his illustrious career, although seldom getting the recognition he is due. Among his most notable designs are Quail Hollow Country Club in Charlotte where PGA professionals test their skill each year at the Wells Fargo Championship, and the President’s Cup
Ladies’ 9-Holers at Grand Opening
is to be played in 2022; and the courses at Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island. Cobb renovated golf legend Bobby Jones’ East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta in preparation for the 1963 Ryder Cup, and where the FEDEX Cup championship is decided at the end of each golf season. But perhaps his greatest legacy is his shortest creation — the nine-hole, par-3 course at iconic Augusta National Golf Club.
When Augusta National’s members finally decided to act on the recommendation of their 18-hole course architect, Alister MacKenzie, to build a complimentary par-3 course, they hired Cobb to design it. The challenging 1,060 yard “little course” opened in 1960 and is played by the world’s elite professional golfers on the Wednesday before each Masters tournament begins. And members thought so much of Cobb’s ability that in 1967, and again in 1977, they asked him to add fresh touches to the “big course” at Augusta National.
George Cobb made the best of the land the Lake Keowee Development Corporation had set aside for the course — essentially the natural drainage system for the community, a practice abandoned long ago by the golf course industry. Nonetheless, while having to work the course through narrow ravines, around bends, up and down steeply sloping fairways, across ponds, and up to many elevated greens, he created a masterpiece. But nothing lasts forever.
Over the next 40 years legions of Keowee Key’s golf enthusiasts flocked to the course, enjoying the community’s premier
No. 3 Par 3 214 yards
amenity. In fact, according to Keowee Key’s director of golf Rion Groomes, an average of 33,500 rounds of golf have been played annually on the course for the past 20 years, far more than the number played at a typical private club. The high number of rounds took its toll on the fairways and greens, but more threatening to the wellbeing of the course was out of sight — the below ground drainage and irrigation systems were well beyond their useful life and failing.
Turf requires good irrigation and drainage to keep it healthy. The antiquated sprinkler system was spraying areas where water wasn’t needed, and the pipes were regularly breaking. Lower pressure was required to prevent “blowouts,” which prevented some areas from getting any water at all. And repairs were costing money and drawing manpower away from routine, but necessary, maintenance chores.
Poor drainage was the other subterranean threat. Since the course was rout-
No. 6 Par 5 537 yards
ed through the natural drainage of the community, even when there were fewer homes overlooking the course the land could not absorb sufficient rainwater to keep the course from over-saturation. As the undersized drainage pipes began to collapse it grew even more problematic. And those dreaded “Cart path only” days that discouraged many residents from even playing golf began to increase. A major renovation was needed, the urgency of which was confirmed by agronomy experts from the United States Golf Association to update the course to modern technology standards.
Boardroom Magazine’s 2017 Golf Architect of the Year Richard Mandell, of
Pinehurst, who had rebuilt the course’s greens and surrounds in 2006, was chosen to replace the irrigation and drainage systems and, while at it, recommend other improvements that could be made to the course. He was an excellent choice. Already an accomplished course architect, certified arborist, and award-winning author of golf history, this student of golf architecture’s masters could be trusted to stay true to the tradition and character of Cobb’s original vision for Keowee Key’s course — “a green river meandering through a wooded valley.”
The 2016 Golf Committee got to work and tailored Mandell’s many options down to a plan they thought would most economically satisfy the course’s needs. Thanks to their efforts, and the wisdom of Keowee Key’s residents, a major renovation of the golf course was approved in the 2018 budget. And a Golf Course Renovation Task Force was created to act as ombudsmen to oversee the renovation for members.
Wadsworth Construction was hired to do the bulk of the work, with the Keowee Key Golf Maintenance staff working alongside. Then, Mother Nature stepped in. “Rebuilding 80 acres of golf course is challenging enough but facing unprec-
edented rain during the renovation made it an even more daunting task.” Said Keowee Key’s Golf Course superintendent Josh Sawyer. Torrential downpours, up to 6 inches in a single day, repeatedly washed out work that had been done, including the entire back nine three times.
“I can’t say enough about our contractor,” Rion Groomes said. “Every time we had a wash-out, they came back the next day, fixed the damage, and moved forward.”
“But the wash-outs caused us to miss a grass-growing season, and what had been billed as a nine or ten-month project turned into a 21-month ordeal. It was the most challenging thing I’ve done in my career,” said Sawyer.
Wadsworth replaced the antiquated drainage conduits with larger pipes, while sub-contractor Nutt Irrigation replaced the old sprinklers with a state-of-the-art system made of new, high-density polyethylene that should last 50 years, and computer-controls to adjust the water flow most efficiently and economically. And Mandell worked with Sawyer, who has a biological science degree and an ecology mindset, to create new buffer areas with longer grasses and native vegetation to filter runoff to help protect the lake.
The bent grass greens were resurfaced with a new Diamond Zoysia hybrid which can tolerate the extreme heat of a South Carolina summer, as well as the shade common to valley courses. And the greens’ collars and most tee boxes were resurfaced with the more durable Royal Zoysia, also well-suited for Upstate South Carolina’s warm clime. As Sawyer likes to put it, “Bent grass is trying to die, Zoysia is fighting to live!” And the most modern bunker system available replaced the existing ones — resin polymer-lined Better Billy Bunkers.
No. 7 Par 3 168 yards
No. 15 Par 4 371 yards
No. 14 Par 5 471 yards
Forward tee boxes replaced the makeshift ones intended to extend the years of golf for many residents. The new array of tee boxes, five at most holes, provides teeshot equity for golfers at all levels of fitness and skill. Golfers can now move up to the right tee for them, on a par-4 for instance, to more consistently hit tee shots within the 150-yard range for their second shot, while still providing a challenge to better golfers by hitting from further back tees.
The fairways were smoothed of ripples and potholes, so severe in places they threatened injury to golf cart riders. The fairways were replanted with the tried-andtrue industry standard Tifway 419 hybrid Bermuda grass, again well suited to our climate. Several rugged hillsides, not only trip hazards but eyesores, were filled in and planted with native grasses since the new sprinkler system could now reach those areas. Several cart paths were re-routed to reduce the strain of having to climb some of the steeper fairways, others to bring them closer to tee boxes, and to provide easier access to the driving range and the Bistro.
The one Mandell-recommended course design change adopted was to the par five 16th hole which was widened with a split fairway to provide two approaches to the green.
The Golf Course Renovation Task Force collaborated with the course superintendent on the finishing touches. Adopting the modern trend of decluttering golf courses, yardage markers and waste baskets were removed. Ice machines replaced ice coolers. Bathrooms were renovated, furnished with elegant sinks and the walls adorned with artwork. Tee box markers were selected in non-traditional colors to help remove the stigma of playing from more forward tees. And unique stone identifiers at each hole, the brainchild of a Keowee Key resident, replaced the old markers.
The golf course re-opened in September 2019. It was well worth the wait. “Our members can now play every day on one of the finest private courses in the Southeast — a classic design restored and supported by the latest science and technology,” said Sawyer.
George Cobb Jr., among the dignitaries invited to christen the newly renovated course on re-opening day, said of his father, “He would have been very proud of how it’s transitioned.”
Mandell summed it up very nicely: “It’s a great piece of property with great lineage. Now it’s met with a great infrastructure.” THE SIGNATURE HOLE
Any one of a number of Keowee Key’s golf course holes could be designated the “signature hole.” Take your pick. Here are a few:
No. 3: Par 3 - 214 yards
Looking down from the tee box of this long par-3 hole to the green well below, a babbling stone-lined creek meanders along the left side of the narrow fairway with thick woods beyond; and to the right looms a steep, tree-topped golf ball-hiding hill of native grasses. The creek crosses the fairway about ten yards from the deep, vast green, but stops just short of closing the gap, tempting golfers to aim slightly right. However, a bunker on the right corner of the green stands guard at that approach. But it’s the hillside above the stone wall to the left of the green with its clusters of azalea bushes that, when in full bloom, makes this hole so spectacular.
No. 6: Par 5 - 537 yards
This unique double dogleg hole is a challenge for golfers at any level of play. It takes several well-placed shots to stay off the hills between which the narrow fairway winds. A fairway bunker borders the far end of the landing area of the second
shot and it takes an accurate third shot to reach the large, elevated green, entry to which is protected on both sides by bunkers. Once safely on the large green, two putts to make par is quite an accomplishment on this severe right to left, and back to front sloping surface.
No. 7: Par 3 - 168 yards
This splendid par-3 forces the golfer to carry a large pond every bit the width of its wide green, with a bunker protecting its center and no bailout spots to be found. There are woods to the left of the green, an even larger waterway to the right and a steeply sloping, beautifully landscaped hill behind. Actually, it’s Lake Keowee that sits to the right, offering a distracting view of moored boats bobbing in its pristine waters.
No. 14: Par 5 – 471 yards
The bane of many a Keowee Key golfer, the tee shot on this par-5 is pretty straight forward down a wide fairway with woods on the left and a hill on the right. However, the player is then faced with either a lay-up to the edge of a gaping ravine, with a golf ball-hungry pond far below, or a daring long shot over it. The longer hitters can make it across, but seldom reach the green. More typically, golfers cross the great divide on their third shot onto the sprawling, undulating green, par being a challenge regardless of pin position.
No. 15: Par 4 - 371 yards
Given no chance to catch one’s breath, the most difficult hole on the course immediately follows. A dog leg right par-4 which, from its appearance, doesn’t seem to be that demanding. But it’s deceivingly so, requiring a well-positioned tee shot down a narrow chute between hills to a broad landing area, then a shot over an intimidating pond and large bunker to reach the slightly elevated, right to left angled sloping green. Another smaller pond sits to the right of the green, with a beautiful rock spillway flowing water from the upper to lower pond.
No. 16: Par 5 - 484 yards
To complete this memorable threehole stretch is the relatively short Richard Mandell-redesigned par-5. It boasts two fairways separated mid-way by several bunkers. The lower fairway to the left affords the shortest route to the green, but this narrower fairway slopes slightly toward a stream that runs along its left side. The fairway to the right is slightly longer and wider and requires a blind second shot over a steep hill to approach the green, although it avoids any chance of ending up in the water hazard. The route selected is most often determined by where the tee shot lands. The green is large and deep, and from the left fairway is entered over a bunker. From the right fairway, the third shot, if mis-hit, can bound down the steep embankment and, since the green slopes right to left, easily roll off the green.
It’s been three years since the renovation was completed. Since then, the employment of “gap maintenance” has allowed mowing and other necessary work to be done daily with minimal interference to play. And closure of the course for a week each summer to aerate the greens and fairways will be a small price to pay to keep it in good condition. “With these new maintenance practices and the course maturing nicely, the course has probably never been in better shape,” said Bob Starnes, chair of the 2022 Golf Committee, “and we intend to keep it that way to provide the quality amenity the Community deserves.”
No. 16 Par 5 484 yards
By David Rosamond Project Manager, Past Board Member
The Journey of a Club
The Club at Keowee Key is the heart and center of the community. It is where we socialize, meet friends, enjoy meals, celebrate accomplishments, attend events, conduct community business, relax at the bar, unwind after golf and invite our guests.
When it comes to Clubhouses, The Club at Keowee Key stands out among private clubs as one of the best in the Southeast. The journey of the Keowee Key Clubhouse over the last 45 years reflects a commitment to excellence and improvement, with an eye on trends in the private club and hospitality industry.
The Journey began in 1977 when the original community developer constructed the clubhouse which included a restaurant, very small bar, large meeting room, the golf pro shop, and golf cart storage. The community then was only several hundred homes used primarily for vacations or weekends. Most members lived within a 2-hour drive of Keowee Key and spent their weekends playing golf or tennis, boating, dining and socializing.
As the community grew with more full-time residents and retirees, the need arose for a larger clubhouse, a golf center and event space for larger gatherings. In 1999, the community approved an expansion of the original club and added an event center with a golf pro shop; golf cart storage, library, meeting rooms, event center, and a small “Between the Rounds Café(BRC).” Over the next several years, the Club kitchen was upgraded and the BRC was expanded to offer more food and beverage options.
In 2013, the board authorized an independent study to evaluate what it would take to bring the existing facilities up to current building and energy codes as well as ADA/Handicap codes. The original building and the 1999 expansion did not meet current code requirements, and at that time Building codes were not enforced locally. No government agencies inspected the original 1977 building, nor the 1999 renovation.
Newly designed Clubhouse
Atrium
It was estimated that it would take over $4.5 million just to address the code issues and correct obvious building deficiencies. This study did not address any building modifications or upgrades. At the same time, there was a movement to increase the capacity of the bar and add more casual and outdoor dining areas.
The planning committee recognized the need to conduct a comprehensive study of the Club, BRC, and Event Center, rather than just meet codes. A subcommittee began to look at all aspects including emerging trends and member needs. They visited numerous private clubs, developed a questionnaire sent to all members and organized a series of focus groups to obtain member and staff input.
The emerging trends in clubhouse design dictated more casual dining venues, the addition of flexible meeting/event spaces and more outdoor dining/ socializing spaces. The collected input from hundreds of members and the staff was prioritized, and the top issues were: • Make the facility fully code compliant and energy efficient • Greatly increase the bar area • Provide an expanded ballroom and address all structural and sound/AV issues • Provide more indoor/outdoor social and event space
• Emphasize more casual dining options • Offer a facility that can handle a large event and still provide dining/bar options for members • Address logistical concerns for timely food delivery to all areas of the clubhouse • Add sufficient office, storage and wait station space
The results were summarized in a study and presented to the board for future action. The committee suggested that the follow-on study should address three options: • Option A – Bring facility to full code compliance; refresh/update interior on current footprint • Option B – Meet current codes, redesign and modernize the Club with minor space additions • Option C - Raze the existing Club and construct a totally new Club
The board had recently instituted a Project Management Process requiring a professional architect and construction manager to be engaged to develop concepts and cost estimates before any major project could be presented to the community for approval. In the 2017 annual budget, the board included and the community approved funding to engage these professionals to develop concepts, cost estimates and time schedules.
A volunteer committee of members, which included design and construction professionals, was formed to develop conceptual designs and cost estimates. They identified selection criteria and interviewed five architectural firms specializing in clubhouse design and five local construction management firms.
The committee selected DP3 Architects and Hogan Construction Group to assist in the study. The selection criteria required extensive experience in renovations and agreement with our renovation approach. Most firms were only interested in constructing a new clubhouse that is much easier to design and manage. Both of these companies understood our needs and desires, and both were well known to KKPOA as they had recently completed the new Administration Building, the North Marina Building/pool and new tennis courts. It was a true three-legged partnership with KKPOA/DP3 Architects/Hogan Construction. The team developed more than 19 conceptual designs.
The concepts ranged from $4.5 million to bring the Club up to Code compliance to $12 million for a totally new Club. The committee and board agreed on a concept to modify and expand the existing Club with a target budget of $7.5 million.
While some members preferred a totally new Club, the negatives were higher cost (resulting in increased member assessments), closing the Club for two years, the loss of Club revenue and the challenge of retaining our dedicated staff.
The question then was how to incorporate most of the findings from the initial study into the $7.5 million approved budget. With 83 percent positive member approval obtained and financing in place, work began in earnest. In 2017, a professional architectural services agreement with DP3 Architects and a construction management agreement with Hogan Construction Group were negotiated. The contract included a Guaranteed Maximum Price, with shared cost savings.
The team’s assignment was to replace the outdated, traditional facility with a modernday resort, within the existing footprint. The design vision was to create a spacious, pragmatically designed facility that a) harmonized with the natural environment; b) capitalized on panoramic golf course views and proximity; c) complemented the community’s architectural brand; and d) provided a diverse array of interconnected indoor and outdoor dining, gathering, and event venues for 3,200 socially active residents.
A key board requirement was that at least one restaurant/dining venue must be open and available to members at all times during the renovation. This was addressed by dividing the renovation project into two phases. Phase one was to construct the new Bistro with a full kitchen and allow the upstairs Club to continue to serve members. The timing was appropriate since the golf course was starting an 18-month shutdown, which greatly reduced BRC/Bistro usage. Once the Bistro was completed in 2018, the Club was closed. All food and beverage services were moved to the Bistro and the Club renovation began.
A second board requirement was that the major renovation extend the life of the Club by 40 years until 2060. Our professional team of architects, contractors, KKPOA Boards, management, committees and staff accomplished this mission and the building will serve the community long into the future.
There were a number of large challenges to produce a design addressing 95 percent of member desires within the approved budget. The primary concern was how to address structural and sound issues such as: various room sizes, interior large columns, a fireplace obstacle, ceiling heights and sound attenuation. Another key concern was how
The Club at Keowee Key is Top Ranked by Club and Resort Business Magazine
Keowee Key was recently awarded “Top Ranked Clubhouses” in Club and Resort Business Magazine’s December 2021 issue! The Club’s renewed space serves a larger total membership than most private clubs and its novel design complements the natural surroundings with many indoor/outdoor spaces. This image shows our very excited and proud managers with the award plaque for the Club. Left to right: Scott Irwin, assistant general manager; Christine deVlaming, marketing director; Mary Davis, club director; and Kevin McCracken, community general manager.
to stage a large event and still provide full dining and bar services to members.
The selected design solution was to move the ballroom to the east end of the building. The east end of the building was razed and a new column-free Vista ballroom was constructed on the existing foundations/structure with high ceilings, no interior columns, sound-absorbing walls, full-height windows and state-ofthe-art audio/visual system.
The new ball room now seats 250 as compared to the old Magnolia Room that seated 160 (many behind large columns). The Vista ballroom has its own separate bar, satellite kitchen and storage rooms for tables and chairs. The Vista ballroom can be subdivided into two separate rooms with a movable wall. The floor-to-ceiling windows provide dramatic views of the golf course and the mountains.
The newly renovated bar is three times the size of the former bar and is located adjacent to multiple dining areas. Logistics issues were solved as meals were now served hot and fresh directly across from the updated kitchen, minimizing service traffic in the main corridor.
Another benefit of flipping the ballroom with the old bar and Overlook room is that a large event in the Vista ballroom (with its own dedicated bar) can be held while members simultaneously utilize the new bar and Cascades dining room. When members and guests enter the Club, they are greeted with a large open lobby, vaulted ceilings, a large stone wall, concierge/host desk and they can proceed directly to their venue of choice.
Vista Ballroom
Multiple rooms including the Overlook, Cascades, Bar and covered Bar Terrace are connected with large doors that can be opened to create one continuous space for large, community-wide special events. The Overlook room provides a private room for special events and our popular chef’s tables.
A design feature was the creation of a neighborhood café dubbed the Bistro. The former BRC primarily served golfers with hot dogs, sandwiches, and beverages. The Bistro now has a full-service kitchen with walk-in coolers/freezers, a hot food line, and a pizza oven and the interior walls showcase the breadth of Keowee Key activities. For added member convenience, the venue also offers a bar, grab n’ go items and a self-serve beverage station. All “take out” orders are now prepared and picked up in the Bistro. This moved take-out from the upper-level lobby to the Bistro with convenient parking.
A larger inside dining area was created at the Bistro along with al fresco and covered outdoor dining on the Bistro patio with golf cart parking and a fountain feature. The roof over the expanded Bistro creates a large Bar Terrace on the upper level that is adjacent to the new Club bar with great views of the 18th hole.
The Bar Terrace and Bistro’s covered patio have heaters, fans and sun shield roll-down screens to provide optimum usage during most months of the year. The Bar Terrace directly connects to the Club patio, lawn, and a new outdoor kitchen with a large, high BTU propane grill and service/buffet area.
Another design feature is the exterior shell of the Club. The Club renovation in 1999 added metal roofing that gave the Club a very dated industrial look. The new design added a wooden roof structure above the existing roof. This provides the majestic look of a totally new Club. The exterior added a welcoming Porte Cochere that allows members to be dropped off under cover. Attractive screening was added to shield the loading dock and new garbage compactor from view. The design featured natural materials of stone and wood that complements a wooded mountain setting. Well-placed exterior lighting accents the beauty of the club at night and highlights the Porte Cochere.
The Clubhouse interior, designed by DP3’s award-winning Design Studio in collaboration with a member-led committee, also takes its cues from Keowee Key’s natural surroundings. The clean lines and muted tones create a calm and inviting atmosphere while mirroring the mountain-forest-lake palette. Waterfalls in the Cascades restaurant, and the Bar’s dramatically veined quartz serving area, evoke lakes and mountain streams. The foyer’s towering ceiling, rock wall and stone-hued quartz reception
counter reflect the surrounding Blue Ridge mountains. The images and light offered by undraped floor-to-ceiling windows pair beautifully with large canvases showcased throughout the building.
The unique, yet complementary, wallto-wall carpeting found in the interconnected rooms has been a member favorite. Both the carpet and the virtually invisible sound buffering panels were specially designed and manufactured for Keowee Key. Elegant and plentiful contemporary lighting fixtures completed our makeover. In 2021, “Club + Resort Business” magazine recognized Keowee Key Clubhouse as the Best in the Carolinas.
Landscaping was a key part of the renovation. Our own “in-house” professional landscape architect, Karl Muzii, developed the landscape design that presents the Club as a focal point and adds landscape longevity with native plants. The golf course side of the Club was landscaped with beautiful plantings around an expansive event lawn with an outdoor kitchen. New landscaping accents the entry to the Bistro and Event Center.
The renovation also included a complete update of the Club kitchen. A professional kitchen designer was used to design the new Bistro Kitchen, the upstairs Club kitchen and the bar. The floor of the old kitchen was replaced with a concrete floor and rubberized flooring to provide a cushioned floor surface promoting safety and comfort for our kitchen staff. New walk-in coolers/freezers and additional kitchen equipment were added to handle the increased volume when both the Vista ballroom and the casual dining facilities are maxed out.
The old Club had a lower level on the East end that was basically a disorganized “catch all” storage area. This area was transformed into very inviting usable space, including a new conference room with golf course views, an arts and craft studio with specialized lighting, IT room, event coordinator office, a maintenance shop, men’s and women’s restrooms and several new storage rooms.
Other features of the renovated Club: • State-of-the art Creston A/V automation system with 15 large monitors • Energy efficient wall and ceiling insulation, windows, HVAC, LED lighting and controls • Multi-level outdoor patio, grill and service/buffet area • Expanded Club parking and LED lighting • New fire protection/sprinkler system • Updated electrical and HVAC systems • Special sound absorbing ceilings and wall panels • Member art display area in corridor • Jonas Club POS management system
Cascades
The renovated Club addressed over 95 percent of the issues raised in the multiple studies and was completed within the member approved budget. A “ribbon cutting” ceremony dedicating the new Club was held in July 2019 and included many local dignitaries. Members noted the new Club exceeded their expectations and there was NO increase in annual assessments and fees required to deliver this beautiful and functional facility.
Club usage immediately soared and then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. While high in-person usage receded, the Club and Bistro focused on take-out, serving more than 180,000 meals. With the pandemic now mostly in the rear-view mirror, Club usage has exploded again. We are also enjoying all the outdoor areas at the Bistro patio, Bar Terrace, and the Club’s two-level patio and lawn area.
The Club/Event center campus can easily accommodate over 500 members/guests today in a very comfortable and non-crowded environment. Members have expressed an appreciation for the Club’s ability to hold multiple simultaneous events. Now, occasions for large groups can take place in the Vista Ballroom and the Event Center at the same time a la carte meals are served in the Cascades dining room and Bar, all the while the Bistro is available to golfers and casual diners.
Mary Davis, our club director, wraps it up by saying, “The Club at Keowee Key now has two full-service restaurants, new kitchens, and various dining spaces which meet the diverse needs of our membership. We can offer a resort-style ambiance, more personal attention and memorable special events for our members to enjoy.”
Aerial of Club
By Christine deVlaming, Marketing Director
A Journey of Their Own
Both Executive Chef Shane White and club director Mary Davis have worked their way up to their current positions at the Club. Shane started as a dishwasher in 1988 at age 15 and within 6 months he had an opportunity to fill in and do prep work. Every time the kitchen needed help, Shane stepped up and by 16, he was cooking gourmet food. “I knew nothing about the culinary field, but I learned every station in the kitchen,” he notes. “I had the opportunity to learn from some amazing chefs.”
Within five years, he was recruited by Carl Sobocinski as sauté cook and kitchen manager at the 858, a new Greenville restaurant. After that, he worked at Occasionally Blues restaurant as sous chef, and then became executive chef there. In 2000, Chef Shane returned to Keowee Key. But after working for three consecutive general managersin a very short period of time, he went back to Greenville as manager and chef for Soby’s on the Side.
In 2003, he returned once again to Keowee Key to become executive chef and he has stayed here since. Chef Shane has homegrown expertise, and he says that he learned the ropes under many talented chefs who emphasized technique and seasoning. “Technique is more important than a recipe,” Chef Shane said.
It has been an amazing time of growth at Keowee Key and again Chef Shane has stepped up to the opportunity. He now manages both the Club and the Bistro, two fast-paced restaurants. “The family atmosphere has kept me here this long,” he said. “Not only the people I work for but all the people I have trained over the years. I have also made lifelong friends at Keowee Key.”
We are happy to have Executive Chef Shane White as one of our own.
Mary Davis began working at the Club as a server in 2003 while attending Clemson University. She was studying to be a paralegal and obtained an internship at a law office in Seneca. That’s when she realized that a desk job was not the career for her social personality. She went to then club director, Brian Wilson, and asked for an opportunity.
She was promoted as event manager and soon after, she became the food and beverage manager. In 2016, Mary was promoted to club director. “I owe so much to Brian Wilson who carefully trained me and worked with me from server to club director,” says Mary. “He has been a great mentor and we are still in touch today.”
In 2017, Mary completed her studies and received her certificate in hospitality with an emphasis on financial management, from Cornell University. She has had to grow in her position fast, as the Club renovation created a venue that now serves twice the people served when she started. “We have well over 60 employees and that’s still not enough for our growing services,” she says. “Balancing schedules for a variety of generations of workforce is quite a challenge.”
Mary counts on a relatively young management team who have also learned from extensive work experience. “I like to give others the same opportunity to learn and grow that I had,” she said. “Casey Metz, Ashley Worthington, Madison Bivins and Jenni Owen have all been incredible team members.” The Club is an entirely new amenity and Mary Davis, our club director, always greets you with a generous smile.
Executive Chef Shane White and Club Director Mary Davis
By George Henefeld, Boating Committee, Past KKUS President, and Derek Massi, Boating Manager
Keowee Key Boating
Celebrating 50 Years of Fun
Keowee Key is very fortunate to sit on the shores of its namesake, Lake Keowee, an 18,500-acre lake with pristine blue water and over 300 miles of shoreline. The boating amenity at Keowee Key continues to provide members services to assist them to get out on the lake and enjoy a myriad of fun activities: fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, water skiing or tubing with family or friends, a sunset cruise or lakeshore beach-ups.
Boating has a long history with Keowee Key, and like our other amenities, our members helped to chart its course. The South Marina was the site of our first Clubhouse and marina complex, which consisted of 40 boat slips, a boat ramp, Skipper Store and meeting room.
The rapid growth of this community and the popularity of boating meant that by 1997, there were 182 names on the waiting list for a KKPOA boat slip. Members also recognized that the existing docks needed upgrading and the gas facilities were less than adequate.
North Marina Dock
Derek Massi, Boating Manager
In 1998, the KKPOA Board formed a special Lake Access Committee to obtain the maximum number boat slips for Keowee Key. After a year of petitions to Duke Energy as well as to local, county, state and federal agencies, Keowee Key was granted permission to install additional boat slips in Laurel Park, Chestnut Point, the North Marina, Spinnaker Cove and the South Marina in 1999/2000. Our inventory of 327 community boat slips is the largest of any community on the lake.
In 1999, the Keowee Key Boating Association (KKBA) was formed to represent boaters and their interests. The association continued to serve the boaters in Keowee Key until its dissolution in December 2017. The KKBA was instrumental in persuading the board to form a Boating Committee to represent member interests. The KKBA also made the case to hire a boating manager to oversee all boating facilities, create a five-year plan and manage the KKPOA boating budget. A great number of the boating facilities enjoyed today are a result of member actions through the association or committee.
By 2012, the South Marina building constructed in the late 70s had reached the end of its useful life and was replaced with the North Marina building containing the Skipper Store, Lakeview Room and the adjacent swimming pool.
To continue to provide first class boating services, the Keowee Key Boating Amenity embarked on an ambitious physical asset upgrade program. In 2017, an extensive renovation program was begun starting with the South Marina Fuel Dock and Pier. Since that time, almost all boating amenity physical assets have either been upgraded through total replacement or complete renovation. Following is a description of these upgrades: • 2017: South Marina Fuel Dock and Pier Replacement: This project included the replacement of the South
Marina Fuel Dock and Pier along with all utilities such as fuel line, water, power and septic line for the pump out station. The wooden fuel dock was replaced with our new style of dock consisting of concrete and PVC decking, which gives the dock a 50+ year lifespan. The fuel pump was also replaced during a later project in 2020.
• 2018-2020: 2020 North Marina Dock and Pier Replacement Projects: These projects included the replacement of 12 boat slips and pier at Dock #3, 60 boat slips at Dock #2, the North Marina Pier and the addition of a satellite staff building with public restroom. Both the North and South Marina fuel pumps were also replaced during this time. These new docks have aluminum frames with concrete decking. The Pier was built on an aluminum frame and sits on aluminum pilings that were driven 8-10 feet down into the lakebed. The deck on the pier is made of 100 percent PVC. These new dock structures in Keowee Key were built to stand the test of time, and they will be here for generations to come! • 2019: South Marina and Spinnaker Cove Dock and Pier Refurbishment Projects: These docks were completely refurbished by replacing dock posts, floats, rub rails, dock lights, dock ramps, and all electrical wiring and conduits. • 2020: North and South Marina Fuel Pumps: Both the North and South Marina Fuel Pumps were replaced in 2020, along with all new fuel lines and wiring. • 2021: Dry Storage Lot #7 Addition: Due to the high demand and waiting list for boat storage, a seventh Dry Storage lot was constructed in 2021, which allowed for 72 new spaces. There are now 520 Dry Storage spaces in Keowee Key for members to store their trailers and RVs.
• 2022: South Marina Boat Ramp and
Courtesy Dock — This was a project that began with a conversation back in 2019, between the boating manager, Derek Massi, and an official from Duke Energy. Out of curiosity, Derek queried as to why the early developers of Keowee Key had not been allowed to build a courtesy dock at the boat ramp to help members launch their boats.
The answer was, Keowee Key had never asked permission to build one.
It took several years to obtain the approval from 13 local and state agencies. Then in January 2022, our friends at Duke Energy informed us that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission would grant us permission to construct a courtesy dock at the South Marina Boat Ramp and provide our members with a safe way to launch and retrieve their vessels. We also did some revamping of the boat ramp itself and we now have a fine boat launch that every member can easily use.
The popularity of boating brings with it some challenges. The number of members wishing to get a slip at one of our community docks has once again led to a waiting list. Since we are limited in the number of slips we can have, the boating department has tried to ameliorate this by offering boat launch and retrieve services, short term boat slip rentals, and a boat valet service. They’ve also expanded their rental fleet to include a Tritoon with a 150hp motor
to accommodate members who are interested in watersports such as wakeboarding, skiing or tubing. Through community meetings and announcements, the Boating Committee is helping to facilitate boat partnerships where several members share in the ownership of a single vessel. This program has recently taken off in Keowee Key and soon will be commonplace throughout the community.
The Boating Amenity provides many services to our members, including assistance with boat maintenance, transportation, towing, battery replacement, and much more. The Skipper Store, which is located at the North Marina, is well stocked with a plethora of marine supplies, snacks, drinks, alcoholic beverages and Keowee Key Marina apparel. There are also pontoon, Tritoon, kayak, and paddle board rentals available at this location, which can be reserved in person, by telephone, or by visiting the Keowee Key website.
Representatives from other communities in the area have visited our Marina to get ideas for their own dock renovations, and many have started to follow the same style of construction that began right here in Keowee Key. Looking to the future, we will continue to renovate and/or replace our community docks to make our facilities the premier marina complex on Lake Keowee!
By Cindy McKean, FRC Communications Manager
Award-Winning Fitness and Racquet Center (FRC)
In 1997, the Fitness Center, then referred to as the Kourthouse, was purchased by Keowee Key to be a part of our community and the evolution from basic gym to a high-level fitness and racquet center began. And, wow, have we come a long way!
When it comes to fitness centers among private clubs, the Keowee Key Fitness Center is in a league of its own. In 2021, we placed 11th out of 50 top ranked fitness centers in the U.S. for Health and Wellness Facilities. Awarded by Club & Resort Business Magazine, our fitness center competed against some of the most exclusive fitness centers in the country!
Golf Fitness Training with Bryan Coker, FRC Manager
Being top ranked, you can imagine we offer the best workout experience for our membership.
Our equipment is state-of-the-art and rivals any fitness centers in the Carolinas. Our cardio equipment has a variety of options to meet everyone’s need; row machines, ARC trainers and free runners along with standing, seated, and lateral ellipticals. We have recumbent bikes, spin bikes, motorized treadmills and non-motorized treadmills. The FRC also brings cardio options with our racquetball court, basketball court (inside or out), our outdoor workout area and walking trails – all available to work up a sweat!
When it comes to strength training, we have the well-known Matrix brand. And our Keiser strength machines with pneumatic technology offer a stellar workout forgiving to the body with instant adjustable air weight. For those that prefer free weights, we have kettlebells from 10-70lbs, dumbbells from 1-100lbs and an endless supply of barbells and plates.
And talk about personal training! Each of our amazing staff offer specialties allowing them to help the members achieve their fitness goals. Offerings include strength training, individualized yoga, pilates reformer, barre and nutrition counseling.
Strengh Area with Keiser Equipment
New Lobby and Snack Bar
FRC Team and Management
Top Ranked
Keowee Key is Top Ranked by Club and Resort Business Magazine! In the April 2021 issue of the magazine, Keowee Key ranked #11 out of 50 of the Top Ranked Fitness/Wellness Facilities in the United States. The top 10 clubs are all located in either Florida or California, which means that Keowee Key is the # 1 fitness/wellness facility in the Carolinas. Being recognized by an industry magazine such as Club & Resort Business (C&RB) reflects the top quality that Keowee Key has achieved in fitness and wellness and adds to the attraction we have as a community.
At right: FRC Trainers L-R: Billie Sanders, Laura Sansosti, Caron Bey, Patsy Lowery and Leo Sanders Yoga with Laura Sansosti
When using a personal trainer, the initial meeting consists of identifying current fitness levels, then crafting a personalized workout. Members embark on a fitness journey with expert guidance.
Another quality service we offer is our monthy orientation of the entire facility, or you can learn the ins and outs of cardio or strength equipment at separate orientations. Members achieve their workout goals because we are here to help. We are proud of countless member success stories!
Group exercise classes provide a wide range of workouts including yogalates, aerobics, barre/pilates, chair yoga, zumba, cardio kickboxing – there is something for everyone. Our highly qualified group class instructors are dearly loved by our members. The group class schedule is packed full of 53 classes every week, with enough assortment to appeal to everyone’s level of fitness. And if 53 classes aren’t enough, we have a fitness on demand room which
streams over 199 workouts, such as spin classes, core work, dancing via a 150-inch screen TV…you name it, you need it, it is here!
The 25-meter Junior Olympic heated indoor pool is also a member favorite! It is busy all week with either lap swimming, recreational use or our always popular water aerobics classes! The glass enclosed pool facility gives the feel of the outdoors.
Did we mention tennis and pickleball? On site, we have 12 lighted tennis courts and two unlighted courts including eight Har-Tru clay courts, four Omni grass courts and two hard courts. Since pickleball is rising in popularity, we have grown our facility to eight courts. Our two certified teaching professionals provide instruction and assist with all recreational, social and competitive programming for both sports. Tennis and pickleball league teams will vouch our facilities are among the best you will see anywhere in a private community.
We now have eight new Shuffleboard and three Bocce courts available for year-round play and they are quite popular with our members and their guests. From social play to friendly league competition, it’s always a fun gathering and is very family friendly.
Helping members maintain an active lifestyle is what we are all about at the Keowee Key Fitness Center! Massage and chiropractic services are available to our members in a private environment. We also offer retreats and specialty workshops on a regular basis that support wellness. Maybe you’ll need physical therapy after knee replacement or rotator cuff surgery. Good news! We have ATI Physical Therapy offices on site exclusively for Keowee Key members to use!
As we celebrate the Keowee Key 50th anniversary, our focus is not just where we are today but what the fitness future holds for our membership. This is an exciting time to be a part of Keowee Key and we are poised to embrace the future of fitness for all!
Tony Bonitati at the finish line.
Top Innovator Award
Keowee Key Fitness and Racquet Center was honored as Top Innovator in Recreation & Fitness in Club and Resort Business Magazine’s December 2020 issue. A triathlon held in October that year boosted member participation and provided an outlet for fitness in a pandemic-friendly format. The event was held lakeside with the 500-meter swim in the lake. The 15-mile cycle was beachside on stationary bikes and the 3.1-mile run was on the Leisure Trail. A video captured the excitement of the top-notch event. Bryan Coker, fitness manager, noted this event’s energy was contagious. It’s now held annually!
By Patricia Robertson, Keowee Key Tennis Association (KKTA) President
Tennis Everyone
Love is in the air when it comes to tennis at Keowee Key — and not just when it comes to score keeping. The full-service amenity boasts a top-notch, beautifully maintained tennis facility nestled among a multitude of trees.
Fifty years ago, when Keowee Key was in the early phases of development, the first tennis courts were built down at the South Marina in Marina Villa. Later, when the Kourthouse was purchased by Keowee Key, the community gained two tennis courts behind the now named Fitness and Racquet Center (FRC) building. Over the years, additional courts were built to accommodate the growth of the community and meet the high demand for tennis.
Today, our amazing complex includes 14 courts—eight clay, four synthetic grass and two hard-surface, all lighted for night play. State-of-the-art ball machines are available, as well as a hitting wall. Pavilions and bleachers are interspersed throughout the facility for spectator viewing and social gatherings.
Supported by a welcoming, active and organized tennis community, Keowee Key offers a year-round schedule of tournaments and social gatherings that would make a player’s jaw drop. Two seasoned tennis professionals, Brad Huff and Ward Snyder, manage lessons and clinics, and work with teams competing in USTA (United States Tennis Association) leagues.
The Keowee Key Tennis Committee (KKTC) is a volunteer board that recommends the overall programming and offers advice and assistance to enhance the facilities. The Keowee Key Tennis Association (KKTA) is the social arm for the tennis community. This volunteer board organizes and manages the annual schedule of events such as tournaments, exhibitions, and socials. The variety of social functions include club championships, Mimosa Women’s Mornings, Bloody Mary Men’s Mornings, Clemson collegiate tennis trips, gatherings to watch televised tennis finals, Tennis Fun Fridays, an annual dinner-dance and a holiday brunch.
Whether members are simply interested in the occasional afternoon game with friends or are seasoned tennis aficionados who prefer regular league play, there’s an abundance of opportunity to play tennis at Keowee Key. The community offers an impressive year-round tennis program that includes KKTA events, USTA league play, social tennis, open (block) play, and a
unique program for inexperienced players — the Novice Tennis Program.
USTA league play can be found in full force here. League teams are organized by skill rating and compete with likerated teams throughout the area. To be rated, members may take advantage of a free skill evaluation from our racquet professionals. Keowee Key offers league teams at many age levels (40+, 55+, 65+, 70+, and 75+) and skill levels (3.0, 3.5, and 4.0), including multiple formats (women’s doubles, men’s doubles, mixed doubles, women’s combo, men’s combo and women’s tri-level doubles).
The team captain organizes practices, lessons, matches, and socials. The player commitment typically includes practice once a week throughout the year, plus matches during league seasons. Practices might include clinics with one of the pros to hone skills and work on strategy. There’s a team for everyone at Keowee Key!
Like teams, social groups play on a regular basis, without the pressure and are loosely organized based on skill rating. There are men’s, women’s, and mixed opportunities. Another gateway to social tennis is open play, where residents simply show up and rotate in. Open play is co-ed and scheduled on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday mornings, Tuesday evenings, and for inexperienced players, Thursday mornings. The organized rotation process allows players to play with and against multiple players.
If you’ve never played tennis, it’s not too late to learn! The FRC, the tennis pros and the KKTA offer an introductory program that includes a monthly orientation, the Tennis Connect Program, Tennis 101 and the Novice Tennis Program. Tennis Connect ensures new players are connected to all the goings-on in Keowee Key tennis by assigning new players to an active member of the tennis community.
There’s also a free, monthly, two-hour orientation session that allows new players to meet the pros, receive a free skill evaluation to self-rate for USTA league play, learn to use the Court Reservation System and sign up for the Court Report. They also become acquainted with the tennis complex and the various court surfaces, learn how to reserve and use the ball machines, properly sweep the clay courts and much more.
Whether you’re a casual or dedicated player or want to take up this wonderful sport for the first time in your life, the Keowee Key tennis community offers something for everyone.
Tennis and Pickleball Pros Brad Huff & Ward Snyder
John Walker, Pickleball Club & Committee Board Member
The Exciting Sport of Pickleball
It was 2009 when the fun new sport of pickleball was introduced to Keowee Key. The first games were played on a makeshift court on the concrete patio beside the indoor swimming pool. As interest grew, pickleball court lines were painted on the tennis hard courts. In 2011, the first invitational event with the Upstate Pickleballers from Greenville was held at Keowee Key.
In 2012, a community plan was proposed that called for the construction of four clay tennis courts, construction of the Northside pool and renovation of the administration building. Four pickleball courts were added to that plan, and the plan passed. Play on the new courts started in October 2012.
The Keowee Key Pickleball Club was founded in 2013, promoting multigenerational fun, fitness and fellowship for all skill levels with 138 members. Monthly Pickleball Orientation sessions were offered for people new to the sport, and that continues today. Pickleball Club took additional steps to further develop the sport for the entire Keowee Key community. 2014 and 2015 saw increased Pickleball participation along with a desire to improve pickleball play. This prompted volunteers to organize a basic skills workshop to increase levels of play proficiency which further stimulated Pickleball’s growing popularity. Player Development, an all-volunteer program,
was evolving starting with a small number of participants and one trainer. The program today uses all eight courts to serve 32 participants, plus 16 trainers.
In 2015, the Board of Directors formed the Keowee Key Pickleball Committee to provide advice and assistance in enhancing and promoting pickleball within Keowee Key and to assist in developing long range plans. The committee is responsible to approve court usage requests, overseeing facility maintenance and programming that is in the best interests of the Keowee Key community.
Starting in 2016, plans were developed for four additional courts which were approved in 2019. A groundbreaking ceremony happened in July 2020, and the courts including a new Pavilion officially opened for play in September 2021.
With the increasing numbers of participants of varying ages, interest in competitive play has grown. Ladder Leagues have developed with numerous Keowee Key Club Championships held throughout the years as well as an increasing number of interclub events. The 8th Annual Keowee Key Pickleball Classic Tournament this October will host more than 200 participants, from Keowee Key and the eastern United States.
From the very beginning, the Keowee Key Pickleball Club continues to be socially active with numerous events like our most recent Margaritaville themed party with more than 200 in attendance. All eight courts were packed with players and there was plenty of delicious food, drink and laughter.
The Keowee Key Pickleball Club membership is well over 400 and still growing. With the emphasis on fun, fitness and fellowship, Pickleball Club provides great social activity where you can meet new friends. The sport is so easy to learn in a very short time and then you’re hooked. We look forward to many more years of pickleball fun ahead and, more of what we love!
Original courts
Lenore Malin, Volunteer Professional
Building New Trails
While some of the amenities in Keowee Key can trace their origins back 50 years, mankind has been walking upright for at least 3.6 million years! At Keowee Key we are a walking community. The original leisure trail that curves around the lake shore about 1.3 miles one way was built around 1990. The trail is actually not owned by the community but is accessed by a recreational easement for use by our members. The easement is a part of member properties in Unit 21. The leisure trail has been our most popular amenity, and it would be impossible to assess the miles that have been walked there since its inception.
When my husband Bill and I settled in Keowee Key, we were delighted to have so many amenities to experience here, and we too enjoyed the leisure trail, but the idea of getting into our car and driving to go somewhere for a walk in our own community or even to visit neighbors on adjacent streets seemed a bit unreasonable to us, since we live surrounded by a natural park-like setting.
Most of the roads in our community end in pipe stems and are without level shoulders; it was difficult to walk anywhere on the south side without walking along South Flagship Drive, one of the most heavily traveled roads here. Despite this, there were many energetic folks that still ventured out on South Flagship onto the uneven shoulders with their dogs or even pushing baby carriages. Safety was becoming an issue.
The idea of offering a trail on the south side of Keowee Key has percolated for a long time. At first, a suggestion was made to utilize the space under the Duke Energy power lines, and there is actually a cleared but unpaved path there now. In 2012, Hayes Cross chaired the first Southside Walking Trail Committee. Working with the planning committee, the threephased trail design created by a Clemson engineering class, was presented in a series of community forums in 2013 and 2014 and, sadly, was not endorsed by general consensus.
Several years later, in a meeting with the community construction manager, we were shown that same design for the walking trail that had been completed in 2011, We created presentation for the Board of Directors explaining how trees were overcrowding and damaging our roadways and the need for a safe pedestrian path.
Lori Nelson and Tina Bullard with dog Ellie.
Southside Trail
Coincidentally, South Flagship was scheduled to be repaved, and with the support of an energetic board, the idea caught fire with the opportunity to give a facelift to the road with new guard rails, overhanging tree removal, and the creation of a new trail. Knowing that the most requested amenity prospective buyers desired was a walking community provided the incentive for designing the new trail, using medians where possible and the addition of a designated and clearly marked pathways where the trail followed the road itself.
The Roadside Improvement Committee was formed to oversee the all the construction aspects of the roadwork, tree clearing, safety standards and guardrails as well as the development of this trail that now stretches nearly the length of South Flagship for 2.3 miles one way. The celebration for the new Southside Trail was held on April 29, 2018, and it is used every day, bringing a new vibrancy to the community.
After the successful completion of this new trail, the Board of Directors requested plans for additional possible routes throughout Keowee Key and gave the go ahead for the construction of the Northside Trail that runs 0.8 miles one way from the FRC along North Flagship and Tall Ships Drive with a connection to the Leisure Trail via the North Marina area. Happily, the planning committee has reviewed further potential routes with the intent of building several more walking trails in the next few years. It just took getting started and the persistence of committed volunteers, and now we will reach our goal of making Keowee Key a true walking community.
Laura Havran, Shuffleboard Coordinator
Shuffleboard Then & Now
Shuffleboard originated in the 15th Century in England as a tavern game of shoving a coin down the table and stopping as close to the edge as possible. Plenty of drink and money were wagered on the game of “shove board.” In the 1840s, the game made a leap from tabletops to the deck of cruise ships as recreation directors were challenged to come up with games that would entertain passengers. The coins were replaced by weighted disks and long sticks were added to slide these weights. Markings on the new deck courts allowed for scoring. In 1924, the game made another leap and arrived onshore in Daytona Beach, Florida, ground courts were built and consistent rules were created.
In 1986, with 870 full-time residents in Keowee Key, the game of shuffleboard came to the leisure trail on the Northside with the building of six courts. Three leagues were formed. On the hillside overlooking the leisure trail courts, there were terraced steps that were used for observing shuffleboard games. Residents brought their folding chairs, watched games, indulged in cocktails and cheered on their favorite teams.
Over the years, game observation became a thing of the past, the terraced land was reclaimed by the homeowner above and flowering shrubs were planted. By 2015, the sport had diminished to only one league in the Community and about 20 full-time players.
However, shuffleboard in Keowee Key was not dead. There was still an avid group of “silver haired assassins” as they affectionately became known. They were wickedly skilled at shuffleboard and presented a great example and challenge to the incoming Baby Boomers that were retiring to Keowee Key. With the influx of fresh blood, shuffleboard grew in popularity. League membership went from 38 to 92. The demand for more and better courts resulted in shuffleboard making the leap from the Northside to Southside in 2021. The new lakeside shuffleboard court location at Chestnut Point rivals the cruise ship decks on many levels. Today in 2022, there are eight shuffleboard courts, 168 shuffleboard players with three leagues with open night play.
Shuffleboard is a game of skill, which takes practice (think pocket billiards,) and is an excellent sport for many people of all ages, and ability. It’s easy to learn the basic rules, but difficult to master. If the laughter and competitive banter during league play is any indication, the leap in popularity at Keowee Key has been a good one.
Chestnut Point Shuffleboard is a popular Keowee Key amenity used not only by multiple leagues, but by families, visitors, and social groups. Chestnut Point Park is an ideal venue that features picnic facilities, parking and a breathtaking view of Lake Keowee.
Dennis Miller, Bocce Enthusiast
Bocce The “New” Old Game
Bocce is an ancient game that is new to Keowee Key. The first known documentation of bocce was in an Egyptian tomb painting that depicted two boys playing (circa 5,200 BCE). The game spread throughout the Middle East and Asia where it was adopted by the Greeks and passed on to the Romans. Since then, Italians have embraced and claimed ownership of the game. Today, any city or town with even a modest Italian American community will have its Bocce clubs. Restaurants, Bars, and social clubs frequently have Bocce courts out back.
Bocce has been enthusiastically embraced by the Keowee Key community where more than 30 teams played in the inaugural spring 2022 league! League play isn’t the only way to enjoy the game. It’s great fun to gather a few friends and enjoy a nice Chianti over a spirited game. A substantial group of us gather at the courts in the early evenings with that intent in mind. And the setting for the courts is absolutely beaucolic. We enjoy a peninsula view of the lake surrounding us as we socialize and play.
While Bocce is a relatively new addition to the plethora of leisure activities at Keowee Key, there was a semblance of it at Chestnut Point where there were several courts intended for a similar game of French origin called Petanque. However, these were unused and had deteriorated over time. While planning the redevelopment of Chestnut Point as a community park, the Board of Directors wanted to create an area that focused on family outdoor activities, and they recognized the game of Bocce would be an ideal addition. In 2021, two courts were constructed.
From the onset, the community expressed strong interest in learning this “new” old game and clamored for instruction. To accommodate this interest in the particulars of the game, we scheduled a few sessions of Bocce 101 (a four-credit course with a fun final exam). Those sessions were very quickly oversubscribed making it necessary to schedule a dozen classes to accommodate the more than 200 members participating! The initial interest was so intense that a third court was built in 2022 with a fourth on the way.
The beauty of the game is that you don’t have be a great athlete to be a great Bocce player. It is enjoyed by all levels of athleticism and all age groups. This does not mean it isn’t competitive. Rather, everyone can join in the competition and the resultant camaraderie it develops among the players. What the game does require is skill and strategy. It also requires an ability to absorb and dish out the good-natured ribbing that seems to come naturally to all players.
Adding Bocce to our list of amenities is one more example of the partnership between members, Board of Directors and management in meeting our members evolving interests.
