[Zac Blair]

I was having a discussion with some people today about the golf near Aiken and we starting talking about Palmetto GC ... I've only been out a couple of times but had a blast on both occasions ... I felt like there are some awesome holes/greens/areas on the property with some very cool long views and sneak peeks of other holes. Curious to hear what everyones favorite aspects of PGC are

[Brad Engel]

Zac - It is impossible to heap too much praise on Palmetto, place is outstanding. I was just down there in December for the first time and for me, a couple of things stood out. I love that the course is playable off the tee. You won't lose a ton of balls and can manage recovery shots from the pine straw. There is a good balance of downhill tee shots where you could see the landing area with a couple of blind/blind-ish tee shots sprinkled in. As you mentioned, the greens are incredible. I like how they are small (or at least play small) and the mounding/green surrounds require a good combination of creativity and execution to navigate. Both of these feel necessary to help resistance to scoring given the course is on the shorter side. I also like how there are a few places on the course (such as the 9th green/10th tee or 12th green/13th tee) where you feel totally disconnected from the outside world and at the same time, there is the 3 hole whiskey loop right off the front steps of the main clubhouse.


Beyond the course itself, the other piece that stands out actually falls under your previous topic about what makes a great club. The fact that beers are $1.50 and the entire club has a low-key men's locker room vibe makes it a place you could roll up and play everyday!


-Brad

[ward peyronnin]

Unfortunately I have yet to play PGC but may I heartily recommend The Aiken GC whenever anyone travels there. It is a wonderfully charming and immensely efficient routing  featuring variety and a surreal separation from the nearby downtown proper all for under $40

[Sean_A]

All I need to do is think of the 4th green to smile. Many of the greens seem to float in that area where land meets sky. Thankfully the club maintains enough space for the greens to be properly appreciated.

Ciao

[jeffwarne]

1. Atmosphere-friendly,simple, low key, $1.50 beers,Hot dogs, small sandwiches like your mom made
2.Compact-tees close to greens, plenty of opportunities to see other members.One uphill walk up to 8 tee, one walk back (#3) one long walk to 16 tee passing right through the bar

2.Completely playable-wide corridors but incredibly challenging, Pretty easy to miss a green from 20 yards on multiple holes
3.Slope and tilt on greens make putting a challenge and firm greens make angles matter, and spin and distance control important to keep ball on green on holes that slope toward the player as well as away.
4.Varied and interesting greens that while loaded with slope/tilt as mentioned, are not burdened with my pet peeve of multiple internal contours that (seemingly)randomly deflect a ball forwards or backwards in a span of a couple yards of yardage variance-but at a Palmetto you do need to know about false fronts and greens that face away.
5.Easy to find a game with multiple daily dogfights that all play briskly, allowing plenty of room for other play.
6.very cool history-a place truly under the radar until this century(had no fway irrigation until 1988-had more texture previously due to sandy, non-monostand rough in the late 70's)

[Paul Rudovsky]

Absolutely the perfect example of a hidden gem (highest compliment IMO).


Played it 1st time in 2011..and I think 4 other times since.  Less "hidden" today than in 2011 but still so wonderful, especially in comparison with Sage Valley which is a few miles away (and hundreds of miles below)

[Peter Pallotta]

Posters as well-regarded as average golfer and most astute observer of the qualities and charms of the tier-two English course, Sean Arble, golf professional and sparkling Sirius radio host Jeff W, equally at home at the Bridges as he is all across GB&I at courses great and small, and good golfer Paul R, as well travelled a gca aficionado as can be imagined and with first-hand knowledge of just about every course that has ever featured on a Top 100 list, anywhere -- they all agree about how special Palmetto really is; and then Palmetto can also boast of original/early architects such H Leeds and A Mackenzie, as famous and revered as any of the most greatly respected designers of the Golden Age; and on top of all that, the course can list as advisors or restorers or renovators the very top names of this the 2nd golden age, namely Tom D and Gil H. In short, it features and offers everything that any golfer could possibly want in a golf course -- including a compact site and simple & inexpensive fare. And yet, for all this:

It seems precisely the kind of golf course that isn't being built today, or the kind of golf 'experience' that is being so heavily praised and promoted.

[William_G]

great place
fun course
great turnstand

pro is great (Brooks)
classic clubhouse
low maintenance
variety of shots to play
all good

[Michael Pelliccione]

ZB,
 
I think the boys summed up Palmetto perfectly thus far!
 
When you think of a course that you could legit play every single day for the rest of your life the list becomes REALLY short.   I would bet Palmetto falls on that short list.
 
The amount of variety tee to green is some of the best in the country.    The green complexes are wild which makes it a blast for trying out crazy putts.   Would say this is the defense of the place.
 
Short walks tee to green make it a very doable walk when trying to do 36.   
 
Playable in the sense you don’t get beat up.   If you only have your C game that day chances are you’ll still manage an ok score.    Wide fairways and lots of angles make this a forgiving golf course. 
 
The club itself is VERY relaxed.   Simple clubhouse only has a formal dining area with a KILLER men’s locker room.   What more do you need?   Awesome porch set up as well for post round drinks.
 
Pro shop (A+ logo) has everything you need with a great little half way house with cheap beers and hot dogs.
 
Great to see the success Palmetto has had over the past few years and even better they landed in the Golf Magazine top 100!

[David Jones]

All of the above. I've only visited once and loved it. A warm welcome and you feel at home there immediately. Easy to walk, playable from every tee and amazing fun around the greens.


There's a great piece on Palmetto by Michael Bamberger


'One of the pleasures of Palmetto is that you can play to your handicap there. Onecrooked-hitting visitor last week was pleasantly surprised when he realized he had played 36 holes with a single ball, even though you can hit driver on 14 holes. There's only one pond on the course, and it's barely in play. The fairways are generous, especially to right-handed slicers. There's really no rough. But the bunkers are nasty, and each hole, pretty much, gets more and more difficult the closer you get to the cup. Augusta National's the same way.The greens at both places were designed by MacKenzie. You can run your ball up to every green at Palmetto, and ladies of a certain age can hit those little line drives that will skip along for 150 yards on Palmetto's firm fairways. A golf course on which you can find your ball and play to your handicap? What a concept!'

I'd thoroughly recommend the piece here -

https://vault.si.com/vault/2007/04/16/old-school

[Mike Sweeney]

Here is a great old thread on Palmetto:


https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,51673.0.html


I mentioned in there that some people thought that Palmetto GC was missing an "all world hole". I disagreed then, and still do:




I played Palmetto just the one time, and I was allowed to play in their "Dogfight". I love that place and wish it was logistically easier to get to.

Zac,

As you explore models for your club, I would visit The Fields GC which is west of Atlanta:

https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,68790.msg1658758.html#msg1658758

I can't believe that I am at "45 years of playing golf", and I think we make too much noise around public vs private. I enjoy "fun places to play golf". That includes some mixture of golf course, architecture, and the members/players playing said course. The Fields and Palmetto both fit that for me. Good luck with your project. I give you a lot of credit for sticking to it.

[JC Jones]

Absolutely the perfect example of a hidden gem (highest compliment IMO).


Played it 1st time in 2011..and I think 4 other times since.  Less "hidden" today than in 2011 but still so wonderful, especially in comparison with Sage Valley which is a few miles away (and hundreds of miles below)

Lots of Hidden Gems in the GOLF Top 100....am I missing any others?

[Tommy Williamsen]

When I was a national member at Musgrove Mill, I would drive down to PGC. It is a great place and club. There are, however, a few holes that make me scratch my head, including 15 & 18. I can't decide if I like them or hate them.

[Rob Marshall]

Are they open to unescorted guests in the summer? How is the drive from Charleston?

[Craig Disher]

Are they open to unescorted guests in the summer? How is the drive from Charleston?

It's an easy drive from Charleston, a little over 2 hrs. Except during Masters week guests need to play with a member.

[Mike Hendren]

Palmetto makes the short list for the “course you could play every day” question.  The vibe suits me to a T.  That said,  could the final four holes be considered a bit of a  let down?


Bogey

[jeffwarne]

Palmetto makes the short list for the “course you could play every day” question.  The vibe suits me to a T.  That said,  could the final four holes be considered a bit of a  let down?


Bogey

Nooooooooooooo.
15 is an all world green-a sure candidate for a green most likely to be missed from 20 yards-long your first time, short your second
16 a long diabolical par 3 that really requires a great shot to hit the green-either craftily run up, or super high and soft from 212
17-deceptively tough with a green that runs away again
18-maybe-I liked it better before the bunker left center eliminated the chance to run one up or into the valley just short on the tee shot(Of course I can't do that anymore anyway)Still a wonderful compact finish with a birdie chance.


Additionally, the proximity to the clubhouse on all 4 holes makes the "sum greater than its parts" in that stretch with three of the 4 greens visible from the clubhouse as well as three of the four tees.
To say nothing of a possible clubhouse stop after 15 and a cool 3 hole post round loop.

[Sean_A]

Gotta say, that transition from 15 to 16 is very awkward...dont like it. Do members ever start on 16?

Ciao

[jeffwarne]

Gotta say, that transition from 15 to 16 is very awkward...dont like it. Do members ever start on 16?

Ciao

Thats actually a great idea ..in some ways.....
.other than I really like the beer stop at 15.
Itd be 7 par 4s in a row, and 8 in a row counting the 465 yard 6th/9th(par 5 for member play)

[M. Shea Sweeney]

I was having a discussion with some people today about the golf near Aiken and we starting talking about Palmetto GC ... I've only been out a couple of times but had a blast on both occasions ... I felt like there are some awesome holes/greens/areas on the property with some very cool long views and sneak peeks of other holes. Curious to hear what everyones favorite aspects of PGC are

From a golf architecture perspective Palmetto offers a great deal- its all there to be seen. Subsequently, to me, it plays similarly to courses that are regarded as well done, inspired, and thrilling to play.


Palmetto is authentic- as is Aiken. Aiken is dripping with history, and Palmetto happened because of what happened in America during a most impactful period both in golf and the world at large. It's quietly proud of the fantastic history, well documented by the great Tom Moore, yet operating in its own skin.


Folks who enjoy the simple aspects of golf "experience" generally gush over Palmetto. The maintenance is not over the top- but almost always in fine condition- yet YOU HARDLY EVER ARE DISRUPTED BY CREW.


Which is interesting because the experience is pretty limited in the context of the popular modern golf experience.
For example:
You can't order a mixed alcoholic drink; there isn't a hidden Palmetto bottle of whiskey on the tee box of hole #2 - Whiskey
there are no cottages; there is no dinner service
there is no elaborate practice area- the range doesn't turn into some sophisticated 6 hole course
there are no caddies
there are no bicycles to ride to go fishing in the pond on hole #12
the clubhouse has aluminum siding


I can't sell guys on going there- I don't try. Its a gentle part of the world - FDR went to Warm Springs, Eisenhower to Augusta, and Cot Campbell and Dogwood Stables to Aiken. It's a wonderful place to relax- now add in a really well done golf course.


Palmetto is unapologetically itself at all times. And to put an explanation point on things- they have Masters concession prices all year long.

[Steve Wilson]

I remember the Dixie Cup at Palmetto and Aiken very well.  I also remember telling everyone at breakfast that I woke up screaming.
"Why?" Someone queried, thus volunteering to be my straight man.
"I dreamed I was above the hole at Palmetto." 


Great fun, but if memories are correct it wasn't enough to just hit the green, you had to be in the right spot.
There's one green which has a feature, not immediately discernible, that acts as a bearing race.  Bill Steele and I watched another player's shot find that feature and be funneled all the way across the green.  Our response was hearty laughter, not at his fate, but just at the glorious architecture. 

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