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2024 Helene Interrupted Heart of Dixie Tour: Kooky COLLETON RIVER DYE COURSE
John Foley:
From someone whop admires your course tours a lot, cant wait to see all of your thoughts. Crossroads should be interesting and we never talk enough about C3! Wish you would have gotten out to Camden as I hear hear very good things about it.
Sean_A:
Thank you John.
Colleton River Dye Course tour cont
Holes 1-7 are good for sure, but it is from the 8th that the course clicked for me. A tough par 5, the water down the left may discourage folks from keeping to this line. Some trees and two clumps of bunker madness down the right plus the final carry bunkers essentially create a classic penal hole. There is nothing to do except execute. A look down the fairway from well beyond the tees.
I spent a lot of time peering down fairways trying to determine what was going on. I have to believe that on such a flat site, Dye intentionally created confusing landscapes.
Behind the small and undulating green. As was the case on a few holes such as the 4th, somewhat hidden bunkers line one side of the green. In this case there are several bunkers on the right (left in the photo) which foil what I thought was the safe area to hit when in doubt. There is no safety on the 8th other than the green.
A decent length par four fulling breaking from the trees takes us back to the house. Sand is everywhere on 9, but there is an enticing arm of the fairway hanging on the left beyond the huge bunker below the fairway. Bunkering below fairway height is another feature of the design which I find intimidating.
If we keep left there is a view of the green available. Coming in from the right is a recipe for disaster.
The drive completely sets up the approach on the 10th. There isn't any way to completely avoid the influence of Lake Alice on the approach, but the risk can be mitigated with safer play down the right.
However, a well placed tree negates bailing too far right. On the far side of the berm separating 10 & 11 is more sand!
More to follow.
Ciao
ward peyronnin:
I first played this course in the early 2000s and have long maintained that it is the most "fun" Dye course I have played demonstrating that those two words are not mutually exclusive.
Looking forward to the wrap by our esteemed and talented friend
Matt Kardash:
I have heard from people that Colleton River is a hidden Dye gem. Some people think very highly of it. I remember Tim Liddy saying it was actually one of his favourite Dye courses. Based solely on photos it has a Harbour Town meets Whistling Straits vibe. Kind of reminds me also somewhat of Dye's course at Barefoot, except Colleton River appears a lot more intricate in its detailing, leading me to believe Dye spent a lot more time here.
Sean_A:
Colleton River Dye Course Tour cont
The 11th swings us back to the house. This par 5 isn't short and we played into a a bit of wind so I found the hole tough. The green too is a bit unusual in that it is fairly large. Two good shots would leave this sort of approach for me.
The green is surrounded by bunkers, but there is plenty of room to push a low shot onto the green.
12-14 zip out to a peninsula. This three hole loop features about 800 yards of something different. The wind plays a more prominent role, but there is also more daring architecture in play.
I am not sure it is possible to avoid the marsh carry for the approach.
If dry there is more forgiveness on the carry than it appears. This hole reminds me a lot of Kiawah Ocean Course.
The short 13th strikes me as a classic links par 3. The wind can hit the ball more ferociously than anticipated. There is room out there, but less than it seems.
The visual signs point to the 14th being a legger right. No, the hole bends left around a mound to a raised green. There is serious trouble left and right. Even though these holes tore me up, I was sad to head away from this section of the property.
More to follow.
Ciao
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