Golf Club at Briar’s Creek, Johns Island, S.C

DOROTHY MAY HAVE said, “There’s no place like home,” but many clubs and resorts across the country are begging to diff er. By providing comfortable accommodati ons that mimic a cozy, home-away-from home, they are able to bett er meet the demand for overnight stays. Be it a family vacati on desti nati on, an out-of-town wedding or a place to spend the night aft er a golf tournament, improved lodging faciliti es 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 cott ages to its property in March 2020.

“Our owner, the late Bob McNair, always felt Briar’s could—and should—have a strong nati onal membership,” says General Manager Clint F. Wood, CCM, CCE. “With that belief, the cott ages 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 . cott ages provides easy access to club faciliti es. Rooms are outf itted with four beds, four baths and an open kitchen/living room area. Two of the cott ages are connected by a ‘dog trot’ porch with space for eati ng and socializing, two grills, a television and a fi replace. 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 aft er a local seabird: Heron, Osprey and Ibis,” he says. Each outlet contains a signifi cant piece of art dedicated to the featured bird. To further enhance the cott ages’ outdoor setti ng, the club had initi ally planned a lighted putti ng green, but decided instead to increase the footprint and build a nine-hole putti ng course that is illuminated nightly. “We named the course ‘Churchill,’ aft er Bob MacNair’s aff ecti on 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 cott ages opened during the pandemic, and the club immediately put enhanced cleaning practi ces into practi ce. Wood has been pleasantly surprised by their regular use, parti cularly over the last 18 months. “The cott ages have made it easier for our nati onal 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.

GOLF CLUB AT BRIAR’S CREEK

Johns Island, S.C.

“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