Enjoy the ‘links’ at Patriots Point

Fall in love with the links at Patriots Point

story by Bill Bauer | photos courtesy of Patriots Point Golf

Links style golf courses are often found along coastlines, their open, undulating fairways winding through windy tracts of land lacking in trees. They are generally firm and fast and subject to those changing winds coming in off the water.

Although it has some fairway defining trees here and there that create a scenic setting for a round of golf, make no mistake: Patriots Point Golf Links in Mt. Pleasant, SC, is a links course.

The course runs beside the Charleston Harbor on the Ashley River at the foot of the Ravenel Bridge. Playing just minutes from Charleston, an affordable round of golf is accompanied by views of the downtown skyline, Shem Creek and Fort Sumter.

The 1980 Willard Byrd design features a par-72 championship layout that ranges from 5,100 to 7,000 yards and is popular among locals and visitors.

“We average about 40,000 rounds a year between our members and guests,” said Brad Parker, general manager. “PPGL is a busy place all year long.”

Relatively flat fairways with very generous landing areas enable you to let it out off the tee. Approach shots are the key to scoring at PPGL, especially on the par-5 holes that are reachable in two if you play from the tee that suits your game.

“After a good drive your scoring club is in your hand, but be aware of the wind,” warns Parker.

It’s not only the tide that rises and falls. As the temperature changes, so does the speed and direction of the wind. Choose your club wisely, he advises.

A few trees line some of the fairways at Patriots Point, but the hazard they represent pales when compared to the scenic views of the downtown Charleston skyline, Fort Sumter and Shem Creek.

Many courses have nicknames for the holes that challenge your game. The last three holes at PPGL could easily be called “the terrific trio” as they face Charleston Harbor on your return to the clubhouse. Sixteen is easily the most difficult par-4. While it is not long at 388 yards, the fairway is bordered by marshland on the left and a tidal pool on the right that eventually stretches across the fairway. Be cautious with your drive, stay to the left to set up your approach to a green protected by three bunkers.

Labeled “The Best Par 3 in the Lowcountry,” the picturesque 17th hole plays from 150 to 95 yards to a crowned, island green perched precariously in the Charleston Harbor.

“You can hit a 7 iron in the morning and a wedge in the afternoon,” says Parker describing the changing wind conditions.

It is the shortest of the four par-3s, but easily the toughest. Aim for the middle of the green, two-putt and move on.

Eighteen is a beautiful par-5 that is best played as a three shot hole. The marsh and

Patriots Point Golf Links is a typical links style course where blustery winds coming in off the ocean can often be the biggest hazard. river lining the left side of the fairway steer you to the right off the tee. Be careful if you try to get there in two. Four bunkers short of the green protect it on the right, and two sit between the green and the marsh on the left. Challenge yourself to stay in the middle and hit a short iron to the large green, hoping for a one putt.

PPGL is a full service golf facility with a 19th hole and a practice area that includes a lighted driving range, with multiple targets, a short game area offering shots up to 70 yards, and a putting green that is typical of greens on the course. Brandon Ray is on hand to provide instruction at the “Swing Shack,” which houses a state-of-the-art learning center. n

Go online at www.patriotspointlinks.com/ book-tee-time or call 843.881.0042 to book a tee time.

Lake Lessons at 50

BY DARI MULLINS

Passing milestones often causes us to pause and reflect on the journey traveled thus far. This past October I turned 50. Even though my “age is just a number” philosophy still prevails, passing the halfcentury mark does warrant some reflection.

With each passing year we acquire more experience and, hence, more wisdom. For me, living life on the water has produced countless lessons that I realize are useful in daily life regardless of where we may be. As I counted down the days to my Big Day I contemplated what life has taught me and condensed those lessons down to one per decade. I’m sharing those with the hope they prompt you to create your own list of life lessons learned.

LESSON ONE You know yourself best — trust your gut and go with it

My first decade on the lake was spent exploring and learning. From swimming to skiing, I was in the water as often as possible. I learned to ski when I was five, and when I was eight I wanted to start slalom skiing like my parents. Traditionally the easiest way to learn to slalom is by dropping a ski. After trying unsuccessfully many times, I began asking to try a deep-water start. We didn’t have a child-sized slalom ski (I’m not sure they even made them in the 1970s.), so my parents knew a deep-water start would be especially difficult. My mother finally convinced my father to let me try. I got up the second time. No matter what others say, always trust your gut.

LESSON TWO

You will never have the same minute twice — cherish all of them

My second decade, for the most part, was a good one. I enjoyed enhancing my slalom skills and competing in tournaments while attending school. Many moments passed that will never be repeated, even as I was doing the exact same thing. Every water ski pass back then was different, just as every sunset on the lake now, while similar, is never exactly the same. The time with your loved ones and doing what you love will never be duplicated. Cherish every moment.

LESSON THREE Things aren’t always as they seem — watch out for mirages

As time and technology have advanced this lesson is even more relevant today than when I was in my third decade. On the lake it has always been pertinent. For a boater, the most dangerous obstacles in a lake are below the surface. You may be in the middle of the lake. The water may look deep, but just below the surface there may be a rocky sandbar that can stop you in mid-motion, cause lots of damage and possibly result in injury. When driving on the water, you have to watch out for these spots. Life is the same way. Always be aware of what lies under the surface of a person, a situation or an opportunity. Things aren’t always as they seem.

LESSON FOUR You can’t control everything — you can only control your reaction to it

Storms can appear on the lake out of nowhere and totally derail your plans for the day. The fourth decade of my life did that just as when I went through a storm over which I had no control. I made the decision then not to let those circumstances define me, and I charted a new path for myself. In life, just like on the water, when storms appear on the horizon, you must determine your best course and act accordingly.

LESSON FIVE

Treat others like you want to be treated

Never in my lifetime have I seen the need for this life lesson more. Known as the “Golden Rule,” I see it ignored on the lake and in society all the time. Fishermen get angry at the boats making big wakes. The wakeboard boats get angry at the jet skiers jumping behind them. The water skiers get angry at the tubers messing up the water. Everyone is different. If we could just learn to respect people despite our differences, then our world would be a much better place … both on and off the water.

As we close out 2020 — one of the most challenging years for all of us — I hope you can take a moment and reflect on the lessons you have learned this year. Then resolve to put them into practice as we enter 2021.

Dari Mullins is marketing coordinator and office manager at the Seneca location of Watersports Central where she enjoys sharing her love of the water, boating and sports with people of all ages.