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[Ed Oden]

Adam, thanks for the thread and some outstanding photos.  I'll supplement them with a few of my own (sorry for the date stamp). 

The approach to #2.


A little closer view of the #3 green.


#4 from the tee.  While the left side may in theory offer a more favorable angle of approach, in my experience, the cant of the fairway is so severe that almost all balls end up on the right side of the fairway or in the right rough.  So I am not quite sure there is as much strategy here as portrayed. 


#9 from the tee.  The other par 3 get all the attention.  But this one is, in my opinion, the best of the lot.


From behind the #13 green with #12 in the distance.  For what its worth, I see no problem with #13.  Palmetto is not a particularly difficult course.  So #13 (along with #3 and #8) provides a bit of challenge amid the fun.


A closer view from the #16 tee.


The #18 green complex with the clubhouse overlooking.


Ed

[Jay Kirkpatrick]

I bet this place looks stunning in the early summer.  The terrain and routing remind me a bunch of Augusta CC.  If anyone ever needs a fourth, I'll make the 5 hr drive in a heartbeat.

[Adam Russell]

Ed-
 Thanks for the extra pics. Incredible the difference in presentation. I didn't recognize #2 in the first pic until further study - the rough left of the fairway bunker and the greenside rough would make the hole play much different than one connected fairway like I experienced. #9 (par-3 uphill) you called #8 had the left side pot bunker shaved down to collect, and made it easier to see. When we played the grass was higher, and I couldn't distinguish the bunker. I thought it was just a depression. When I missed left, I thought I was okay, but the bunker got me. As far as #4, I really think a short 4-iron draw from the back tees into the hill (which I don't have in my bag  ) would put you into a better scoring chance than down further right. The angle is so shallow coming from the right on that green. #13 is a good hole, it is tough, but it was just the least favorite out there for me. Very good pictures for comparison - Loved the backwards shot of #12 from #13 green

Jay-
 I'm trying to work out a date at Augusta C.C. right now, and I was curious about the comparision between the two courses as well. Hopefully I'll be able to report back with another picture thread in about a month.

[jeffwarne]

Adam,
a 4 iron off #4 tee?
I saw in the newsletter they had changed the tees there a bit due to congestion
Where's the back tee now? It used to back up to # 14 tee
It's about 270 or more(downhill) to that left bunker-I've always hit driver down the right

[Jay Kirkpatrick]

Adam,

Augusta CC is a must visit.  The terrain and atmosphere look very similar to Aikin.  Obviously, the bunkering is a little different given the architect.  I've only played ACC once but I was very impressed with my trip.

Jay

[Mark Arata]

I was waivering about paying the freight to play this during Masters Week, but no more.....thanks boys!

[Mike_Cirba]

There is something about the sparse number of bunkers as well as their placement...and I think there is also something about the natural landforms only periodically broken by obvious man-made features...that is very elegant and gutterally direct, isn't there?

[Michael Whitaker]

Ed Oden Quote:  "Palmetto is not a very difficult course..."

Rest assured Palmetto can can test the best. We held the SCGA Amateur Championship there in 2006 and only one player was under par after four rounds... Jeffery Goff with a -3 total of 277.

Here is a link to the results: http://www.scgolf.org/amateur/history/2006.shtml

[Ed Oden]

Ed Oden Quote:  "Palmetto is not a very difficult course..."

Rest assured Palmetto can can test the best. We held the SCGA Amateur Championship there in 2006 and only one player was under par after four rounds... Jeffery Goff with a -3 total of 277.

Here is a link to the results: http://www.scgolf.org/amateur/history/2006.shtml

Michael, my comment wasn't intended as a slight.  I don't equate difficulty to quality.  I would make the same statement about NGLA, which is as good as it gets for me.  While I am sure Palmetto can be set up to play tough, most places can under the right conditions.  In my opinion, Palmetto is not a difficult course as typically set up for regular play.  To my eye, that's part of what makes it so much fun.  Would the course have the same charm if it were an unrelenting beast?

Adam, thanks for correcting me on hole number.  I will fix my earlier post.  As for club selection on #4, a drawn 4 iron may keep you on the left side, but will leave you with a long approach.  I play the hole as Jeff Warne does.  I'll take my chances with a short iron from the right side or even the rough over a long iron from a hanging lie.

Ed

[ed_getka]

Adam,
   Thanks for taking the time to share this course with us. Being new to the southeast I now have another course to add to the list.

[Adam Russell]

Jeff,
 I played up with my dad on that hole because you could barely see the natural gully from the back tees, which do back right up to 14. From the back you can only see the top line of the wash. From the front tee there it looked like a 4-iron down the left.  I figured that was the original tee, plus dad was in my ear because I three-jacked on #3 and he two-putted, so I had to bring him back down to earth 

[chipoat]

I haven't played or seen Palmetto in over 30+ years.

What struck me about the pictures was 1) I didn't see any caddies and 2) how much $$$ has been put into both the golf course AND the clubhouse.

In 1976, PGC was the epitome of "shabby gentility"; the old locker room was virtually unchanged from Aiken's pre-WW II glory days.  You could get a sandwich at lunch but not much more than that.  The golf boom starting in the 1980's that really got some money attached to it in the '90s wasn't even on the radar screen.  Palmetto and Fishers Island were very much similar in those days.  Now both of them have fancy new locker rooms, etc.

Caddies and pull carts don't usually exist in the same venue.  Can you get a good looper at Palmetto anymore?

[Adam Russell]

chipoat,
 I didn't ask, but since I'm a caddie, I was looking. There wasn't a caddyshack a far as I could tell. If there used to be a crew there, they seem to have gone by the wayside. The course was fairly busy but void of white jumpsuits. It would seem like a good place to have a program...

[jeffwarne]

chipoat,
 I didn't ask, but since I'm a caddie, I was looking. There wasn't a caddyshack a far as I could tell. If there used to be a crew there, they seem to have gone by the wayside. The course was fairly busy but void of white jumpsuits. It would seem like a good place to have a program...

No caddies-never in my experience dating back to 1978 there.
Most Palmetto members are far too frugal for that. (thankfully so)
Chip-the lockerroom/pro shop was exactly as you describe until last year(except you could not get a sandwich- a hot dog machine only)
I preferred it the old way-still great, just slightly less unusual now.

lately it seems every other newsletter is chastising members about where they change their shoes.
Simpler the better in my opinion-still pretty simple though

[RE Blanks]

These are the first pictures I have ever seen of this course on GCA.   It is a great place.  I have not been back since the work has been completed but looks very very nice.  Anyone going to Augusta should put this first on their list to play.  Lots of history at Palmetto.  I hope they did not mess with the pro shop or clubhouse.  I dont remember the locker room looking like that.  Also, why didnt you take a picture of the urinal in the mens locker room with the wall mounted ashtray??  Classic...

[Rob Rigg]

Looks like a very challenging set of one shotters at Palmetto - all with at least fairly formidable distance and strategic merit, yet still unique.

Great pics!

[Mat Hickey]

Has anyone seen the link to this thread from the palmetto web site? thanks for the photos.

[john_stiles]

Would agree with Ed that it is not an unrelenting beast, and that is much of the charm, always trying to better your play on a course that doesn't yield many easy birdies.  You just know you could have done better.  The course drains well, and generally plays very firm and fast.

The newly renovated (2007?) golf shop and snack bar are a little more formalized than before.  Still the snack shop offers only nice sandwiches, hot dogs, drinks, and snacks.

Also, on hole #4,  would agree to get as close as possible, and probably need to get inside 150 yards to have a decent shot at the green.  The left side of fairway is a much better angle for approach though.  Even for a long hitter,  you need something (hybrid/4/5 wood) drawing and going 230-240.   If your drive is shorter, and you are back at a 175-200 yard approach,  the second at #4 becomes very difficult.

Thanks for the photos.  As we all know from TV and our photos that the elevation changes are 'flattened out.'  The course has quite a bit of rise and fall as you play.   But,  it is not a difficult course to walk.

Homer Stiles

[Richard Hetzel]

Ahhhh, great pics.....one has to LOVE golfing in the low country!

[Eric Smith]

Bump

Just 21 more days Dixie Cuppers - can't wait!

A neat write-up about the Palmetto Golf Club by SI's Michael Bamberger can be found here...

http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,1608483,00.html#

Where I loved seeing this...



"Palmetto sometimes yields vintage gutties after a hard rain."

 

[JC Jones]

Solid BUMP Eric.  I cant wait to play this gem.

[Tom MacWood]

Here is a picture from a 1932 magazine. Mackenzie (and Miller) redesigned this course (which is cross town) while they were building ANGC. In this picture it appears the greens were still sand.

[David Stamm]

A neat write-up about the Palmetto Golf Club by SI's Michael Bamberger can be found here...

http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,1608483,00.html#

 
 

Just the thought of Rees's pieces being allowed to work on a place like this makes me cringe. Why does he continue to get employed at these places??

[Joe Hancock]

Solid BUMP Eric. 

You utter anything closely resembling this remark while we're sharing a room, you'll be out in the hallway in a heartbeat......

[JC Jones]

Solid BUMP Eric. 

You utter anything closely resembling this remark while we're sharing a room, you'll be out in the hallway in a heartbeat......

Unless Eric is also in our room, you shouldn't have too much to worry about; and there is little chance he will be.