Why South Carolina?

[Matt_Cohn]

Is there a particular reason why SO many of the exciting new/upcoming courses are in South Carolina specifically? Old Barnwell, Tree Farm, Broomsedge, Old Sawmill, Kawonu...


Is it just the obvious (available land, decent weather, accessible from east coast big cities)? Or is there anything else to it?

[Sean_A]

Is there a particular reason why SO many of the exciting new/upcoming courses are in South Carolina specifically? Old Barnwell, Tree Farm, Broomsedge, Old Sawmill, Kawonu...


Is it just the obvious (available land, decent weather, accessible from east coast big cities)? Or is there anything else to it?

Sand.

Ciao

[John Handley]

affordable land helps too

[Pierre_C]

Here are some reasons why S. Carolina.
1. economic growth
2. population growth
3. accessibility - airports
4. increase in retirees and/or second homes
5. topography


I joined a golf club in S. Carolina several years ago because I wanted to play golf in the winter.  I live in the Northeast and our golf season ends in Oct./ Nov. I had played my winter golf in Florida, but after a few years I decided I didn't want to play in Florida anymore.

The primary reason I decided on S. Carolina is easy of accessibility - 1 hour flight & 30 mins drive to the golf club.

[Tim_Weiman]

Is there a particular reason why SO many of the exciting new/upcoming courses are in South Carolina specifically? Old Barnwell, Tree Farm, Broomsedge, Old Sawmill, Kawonu...


Is it just the obvious (available land, decent weather, accessible from east coast big cities)? Or is there anything else to it?

Matt,


As Sean said, there is a lot of very good, sand based land for golf courses, but there are a couple other things I would mention about Aiken:


1) several nice restaurants
2) the bar scene at the Wilcox
3) the welcoming environment for Northerners


Tim

[Sean_A]

Is there a particular reason why SO many of the exciting new/upcoming courses are in South Carolina specifically? Old Barnwell, Tree Farm, Broomsedge, Old Sawmill, Kawonu...


Is it just the obvious (available land, decent weather, accessible from east coast big cities)? Or is there anything else to it?

Matt,


As Sean said, there is a lot of very good, sand based land for golf courses, but there are a couple other things I would mention about Aiken:


1) several nice restaurants
2) the bar scene at the Wilcox
3) the welcoming environment for Northerners


Tim

Aiken or no, if there is no sand there is no Aiken golf boom.

Ciao

[Chris Hughes]

Is there a particular reason why SO many of the exciting new/upcoming courses are in South Carolina specifically? Old Barnwell, Tree Farm, Broomsedge, Old Sawmill, Kawonu...


Is it just the obvious (available land, decent weather, accessible from east coast big cities)? Or is there anything else to it?

Sand.

Ciao

Yup.


A hospitable and sane business environment as well...

[Buck Wolter]

I wonder what took so long

[Tim_Weiman]

Sean,


That’s true, of course.


Tim

[Rob Marshall]

When I was not having any luck getting access to a club in Naples I contemplated moving to Charleston where I have family and I inquired about an out to town membership at Old Barnwell. It was very reasonable. I think $20,000 initiation and $3000 a year. Something along those lines.


If I remember correctly there is another club under construction in the Aiken area that was talked about on Michael Breed's radio show. I can't remember the name. It may have been a little closer to Charleston because they mentioned that they weren't even taking names at Bulls Bay.

[Tom Dunne]

When I was not having any luck getting access to a club in Naples I contemplated moving to Charleston where I have family and I inquired about an out to town membership at Old Barnwell. It was very reasonable. I think $20,000 initiation and $3000 a year. Something along those lines.


If I remember correctly there is another club under construction in the Aiken area that was talked about on Michael Breed's radio show. I can't remember the name. It may have been a little closer to Charleston because they mentioned that they weren't even taking names at Bulls Bay.

Sounds like Old Sawmill. Tyler Rae is the architect there.

[Tim_Weiman]

When I was not having any luck getting access to a club in Naples I contemplated moving to Charleston where I have family and I inquired about an out to town membership at Old Barnwell. It was very reasonable. I think $20,000 initiation and $3000 a year. Something along those lines.


If I remember correctly there is another club under construction in the Aiken area that was talked about on Michael Breed's radio show. I can't remember the name. It may have been a little closer to Charleston because they mentioned that they weren't even taking names at Bulls Bay.

Rob,


The annual dues number for non residents is more like $4,500. Honestly don’t know the current initiation fee.


Tim

[J_ Crisham]

Is there a particular reason why SO many of the exciting new/upcoming courses are in South Carolina specifically? Old Barnwell, Tree Farm, Broomsedge, Old Sawmill, Kawonu...


Is it just the obvious (available land, decent weather, accessible from east coast big cities)? Or is there anything else to it?

Matt,


As Sean said, there is a lot of very good, sand based land for golf courses, but there are a couple other things I would mention about Aiken:


1) several nice restaurants
2) the bar scene at the Wilcox
3) the welcoming environment for Northerners


Tim

Tim,  I completely agree with your assessment of Aiken. Dinner/drinks at The Wilcox is really good. The Green Boundary is a restaurant club that has terrific food as well. Throw in Palmetto and Aiken GC and you have a really quaint town with world class golf - a mini Pinehurst with better Winter weather.

[Edward Glidewell]

When I was not having any luck getting access to a club in Naples I contemplated moving to Charleston where I have family and I inquired about an out to town membership at Old Barnwell. It was very reasonable. I think $20,000 initiation and $3000 a year. Something along those lines.


If I remember correctly there is another club under construction in the Aiken area that was talked about on Michael Breed's radio show. I can't remember the name. It may have been a little closer to Charleston because they mentioned that they weren't even taking names at Bulls Bay.

A few years ago someone tried to buy their way into Bulls Bay. Told them they'd write a check for the full initiation fee or even more, they just wanted to join right away without waiting.

They were politely rebuffed.

[Rob Marshall]

When I was not having any luck getting access to a club in Naples I contemplated moving to Charleston where I have family and I inquired about an out to town membership at Old Barnwell. It was very reasonable. I think $20,000 initiation and $3000 a year. Something along those lines.


If I remember correctly there is another club under construction in the Aiken area that was talked about on Michael Breed's radio show. I can't remember the name. It may have been a little closer to Charleston because they mentioned that they weren't even taking names at Bulls Bay.

A few years ago someone tried to buy their way into Bulls Bay. Told them they'd write a check for the full initiation fee or even more, they just wanted to join right away without waiting.

They were politely rebuffed.

I’m supposed to play there next week. Really looking forward to it. Fun layout.

[Frank M]

Does Aiken, SC supposedly being among the 5% least safest cities in the country help? Feel it would make the financials a lot more viable. The stat I see is chances of being victim of a crime is 1 in 25.


https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/sc/aiken/crime

The good news is a plethora of very upscale, high-end golf courses could potentially lead to a turnaround of sorts, maybe?

[jeffwarne]

Does Aiken, SC supposedly being among the 5% least safest cities in the country help? Feel it would make the financials a lot more viable. The stat I see is chances of being victim of a crime is 1 in 25.


https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/sc/aiken/crime

The good news is a plethora of very upscale, high-end golf courses could potentially lead to a turnaround of sorts, maybe?

Your chances are maybe 1 in 10000 at the golf courses involved or the areas a visiting golfer would frequent.
They might be even money for a resident in another rough area of town(like any city or town), hence the 1 in 25 over all average.


And to add to Sean's point
1.sand
2.afordable large tracts of land(was much so pre 2020)

[Jeff_Brauer]

https://www.visitmyrtlebeach.com/plan/about-us/area-history


A History Buff’s Guide to Myrtle Beach | Visit Myrtle Beach


Not unlike Pinehurst or maybe Augusta, someone just decided to build a resort there.  The golf boom started after a hurricane in the 1950's

[PCCraig]

Cheap rural land that has some sand and some movement. But mostly cheap rural land.

[Craig Sweet]

Nothing will be cheap down there in a year or two.

[Ronald Montesano]

Halfbacks...


Folks who retired to Florida, or who wanted to retire to Florida, but it got too expensive, and they missed more than one season each year, so they went Half Back to their origins.


South Carolina lost its textile industry and went broke, so lots of land and all the other, aforementioned stuff.