…under Architecture Timeline and Courses by Country.
Because of this web site’s crummy
search engine , I can’t find past discussion threads on this Nicklaus design. Some of you have played it - Michael Whitaker’s SC state raters group was there as well as a group of folks from Golf Week a few years ago – and I would very much like to hear people’s thoughts on this design.
Personally, I put forward May River as my favorite Nicklaus design in the U.S., mostly because it is the type design that I would like to play it all the time as it strikes the ideal balance between challenge and fun (though I haven’t seen it, I understand the same might apply to Mayacama Golf Club in Napa where Nicklaus, Lipe and Bowman again teamed up).
The lasting attribute at May River is that the golfer can always get his club on the ball – short grass abounds and Green Keeper Chris Johnson presents the course in a manner consistent with its (beautifully) rustic Lowcountry environs. Whether the golfer has the skill to play all the interesting shots around the green is another matter but the good news for its members is that they will never tire of learning the very shots required.
Golf Week doesn’t have May River in its modern top 100, which is a complete mystery. Of course, the same rating has the world class Ballyneal as #43
so who knows what they are looking for
Like with most courses, what might raters miss who only run around a course once or twice? This could be especially true for courses in the Lowcountry where features that shriek for attention would be woefully out of place. For instance, only in talking with Jim Lipe did it become evident the thought and attention to detail that went into the fairway area around the central bunker on the 10th hole. Tee balls that just sneak past it on the right get an extra boost and push to the right, setting up the perfect angle into this par five green in two. Does one really pick up on the subtle several foot change in elevation within the fairway after just a round or two? I sure didn’t, especially as I headed left every time. Hopefully, our upcoming Feature Interview with Jim Lipe will shed further light on the subtleties of this design.
The May River Golf Club is a private club found within the 20,000 acres of the Palmetto Bluff. The good news is that guests of the luxe Inn at Palmetto Bluff can arrange to play a game at May River. Once again, we see that the golf riches in the Lowcountry (Ocean Course, Yeamans, Charleston CC, Harbour Town, Long Cove, Chechessee Creek) far and away exceed the coast here in the Tar Heel state where we have nothing remotely close in quality. The prospect of a Coore & Crenshaw course joining the Nicklaus course at May River in a few years makes me gnash my teeth all the more.
Cheers,