Rock Hill
Golf is a big deal in the Rock Hill area, with a number of courses by regional architects and one big PGA Tour name. That would be three-time U.S. Open champion Hale Irwin, whose input on Waterford Golf Club admittedly might’ve been more for name value than strategy.
Still, the result is a terrific design. So, too, are Clyde Johnston’s Springfield Golf Club, which features four holes on Sugar Creek and 44 bunkers; Ron Garl’s Regent Park, whose notable feature is its par-4 14th hole that tees off in North Carolina and finishes in South Carolina; and 27-hole Tega Cay, a hilly design by W.B. Lewis.
Worth a drive of just under an hour to the southeast is Cheraw State Park Golf Course, sister to McCormick’s Hickory Knob and another Tom Jackson product, which was named S.C.’s only Golf Digest “Best Value” course. Onsite cabins make stay-and-play packages a strong plus for families.
Waterford Golf Club
(803) 324-0300
Springfield Golf Club
(803) 548-3318, (866) 304-4653
Regent Park Golf Club
(803) 547-1300
Tega Cay Golf Club
(803) 548-3500
Cheraw State Park Golf Course
(843) 537-2215
Santee Cooper Country/Columbia
The beach is grand, but South Carolinas centrally-located system of man-made lakes offers an equally enjoyable combination water sports, outdoor recreation and challenging golf—all at budget prices.
Santee Cooper Country refers to the area around Lakes Marion and Moultrie, just south of Columbia, and the region has all the family-friendly attractions anyone could ask. A golfer can choose from a trio of lake-view courses—Santee National, Santee Cooper Country Club and Lake Marion Country Club—as well as inland jewels such as Wyboo Golf Club (by Greenville architect Tom Jackson) and The Players Club at Wyboo Plantation.
To the northwest of Columbia, the Lake Murray region also offers family-friendly amenities and affordable golf. While you explore the Golf Club of South Carolina at Crickentree and Cobblestone Park, both former private clubs that are now open to the public, the family can play on the lake, or spend the day in Columbia. Can’t miss attractions on the capital city include the Riverbanks Zoo, the S.C. State Museum, the Edventure children’s museum and the shopping and dining options of The Vista and Five Points.
Santee Cooper Country Club/Santee National/Lake Marion
(800) 344-6534
Wyboo Golf Club
(888) 245-9300, (803) 478-7899
The Players Club at Wyboo Plantation
(800) 538-0623
Golf Club of S.C. at Crickentree
(803) 754-8600
Cobblestone Park Golf Club
(803) 767-4159
Other attractions
Santee Cooper Country
(803) 854-2131, (800) 227-8510
Columbia Convention & Visitors Bureau
(800) 264-4884, (803) 545-0000
Darlington/The Pee Dee
Say “Darlington” to most sports fans and one response emerges: NASCAR. For more than 60 years, Darlington Raceway and its Legend of Darlington motor sports museum have been drawing fans of left-turn auto racing to the Pee Dee.
But NASCAR drivers love golf, and so do many of their fans. Former driver turned team owner Michael Waltrip and ex-driver/announcer Dale Jarrett, among others, have plenty of game on the links. For them, no trip to Darlington is complete without a quick golf getaway.
The top course in the area is the Country Club of South Carolina, a quick 10 minutes away in Florence. Designed by Ellis Maples, the course features woods, water and sand in abundance, with rolling terrain and a terrific 18th hole, a par-4 beast that wraps around a lake to an elevated, sloping green.
Also worth a round are Florence’s Traces Golf Club, which has 27 holes, and Oakdale Golf Club and Crossings Golf Club, as well as small-town favorite Governor’s Run in Lamar. No wonder the Southern 500 these days is run at night; more time for chasing birdies.
Country Club of South Carolina
(843) 669-1838
Crossings Golf Club
(843) 665-8040
Traces Golf Club
(843) 662-7775
Oakdale Golf Club
(843) 662-0368
Governor’s Run Golf Club
(843) 326-5513
Other attractions
Darlington Raceway
(843) 395-8900
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Making the rounds Read more
Bonus destinations in Rock Hill, Santee Cooper Country and the Pee Dee Read more
A complete directory of all courses listed Read more
Tommy Gainey: Playing to win Read more
WEB EXTRA: Clubhouse confessions Read more