DESIGN + RENOVATION
DOROTHY MAY HAVE said, “There’s no place like home,” but many clubs and resorts across the country are begging to differ. By providing comfortable accommodations that mimic a cozy, home-away-from home, they are able to better meet the demand for overnight stays. Be it a family vacation destination, an out-of-town wedding or a place to spend the night after a golf tournament, improved lodging facilities are the place to be. LOWCOUNTRY LODGING To help establish a greater following, the Golf Club at Briar’s Creek in Johns Island, S.C., added three cottages to its property in March 2020.
GOLF CLUB AT BRIAR’S CREEK Johns Island, S.C.
“Our owner, the late Bob McNair, always felt Briar’s could—and should—have a strong national membership,” says General Manager Clint F. Wood, CCM, CCE. “With that belief, the cottages were a necessity. They’re really our ‘hub’ for golf here at Briar’s Creek.” Conveniently located next to the driving range, the Robert C. McNair Performance Center and The Lodge, which houses the pro shop, each of the 1,200-sq. ft. cottages provides easy access to club facilities. Rooms are outfitted with four beds, four baths and an open kitchen/living room area. Two of the cottages are connected by a ‘dog trot’ porch with space for eating and socializing, two grills, a television and a fireplace. Wood describes their style as a coastal feel that is prevalent in the Lowcountry, with light hardwoods, dark cabinetry and white shiplap. “We didn’t want to call them Cottage 1, 2 and 3, so we named each one after a local seabird: Heron, Osprey and Ibis,” he says. Each outlet contains a significant piece of art dedicated to the featured bird. To further enhance the cottages’ outdoor setting, the club had initially planned a lighted putting green, but decided instead to increase the footprint and build a nine-hole putting course that is illuminated nightly. “We named the course ‘Churchill,’ after Bob MacNair’s affection for Winston Churchill, Churchill cigars and his desire to own a horse that won the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs,” Wood explains. Briar Creek’s cottages opened during the pandemic, and the club immediately put enhanced cleaning practices into practice. Wood has been pleasantly surprised by their regular use, particularly over the last 18 months. “The cottages have made it easier for our national members to use the club and provide a unique opportunity for all of our members to be here on the property without ever having to leave,” he says.
“The cottages have made it easier for our national members to use the club and provide a unique opportunity for all of our members to be here on the property without ever having to leave.” – Clint F. Wood, CCM, CCE, General Manager
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Club + Resort Business
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January 2022
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