Columbia SC- Anything of note?

[Matthew MacKay]

Any advice on Columbia area golf?  Any courses of note?

[jim_lewis]

Matt:  

If you can gain access, there are three private clubs in the Columbia  "area" that I can recommend.  The closest is Woodcreek Farms in Elgin, just outside of Columbia down I-20
East.  It is a little-known, but surprisingly good Fazio course built on some very sandy terrain. A little further east is Camden Country Club, a fine old Ross course with a fairly liberal guest policy. About an hour south is the Pametto GC in Aiken.  If you must stay close to Columbia and access is a problem, try the University Club in Blythewood just north of Columbia. Not great, but not bad.  I've played two or three other private clubs in Columbia but I don't remember anything special about them.  If you have military connections, you might try Fort Jackson.  Stay away from the Windemere club, PB Dye at his worst. That exhausts my knowledge of Columbia. Maybe Daryl Boe or Matt Ward (who attended USC) can help.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Matt,
The Columbia CC is an Ellis Maples design. I played there several years ago, before they restored it, and it was a good day. I don't know what your definition of special is but CCC has some very good holes and hard to read greens. I don't think you'd be sorry if you chose to play it.
   

[Mike Hendren]

Maurice Bessinger's Piggy Park - Home of the Flying Pig.  Just ignore the Rebel Flag if it's still flying.

Oh, you meant golf courses.  Never mind.

Mike

[Mike_Trenham]

Wow Matt Ward is a Gamecock also!

Timberlake is a very nice Willard Byrd design up on Lake Murry.  Can't remember much but it was the one place we could get excited about playing when the price was right, while I was at USC.

I played most of my golf at Oak Hills, where I cleaned the range for free golf.  Oak Hills is also a decent DJ Devictor design.

Both are about a 3 on the Doak scale which makes them pretty average.

Linrick was the favorite among the cheaper venues when I was there but conditioning was pretty lacking.  Charwood had two holes along the highway that looked pretty good at 30 mph, they got overseeded everything else was really unmaintained on dull terrain.  One of my more memorable lessons in marketing from my college years.

[Matthew MacKay]

Thank you for the advice.  I leave tonight with some friends from university for our annual trip somewhere "down south".  As of now we are scheduled to play Oak Hills, Golden Hills, Crickentree, and Mount Vintage.  The first three sound very average while Mount vintage seems a little more intriguing.  More of a social trip than anything else.  Last couple of years we stayed in Aiken where I fell in love with Aiken Golf Club but the boys wanted a more vibrant night life, hence the move to Columbia.

Matt

[john_stiles]

in Columbia,

Forest Lake is an older private course that was enjoyable ....but I just mention as no one has.  It would probably be impossible at this late date.

If an hour to Aiken for the wonderful Aiken Golf Club was being considered,   Musgrove Mill  (north at exit 51/52 on I-26)  might take less time than Aiken GC from Columbia, as MM is very close to I-26 versus drive into Aiken. Musgrove is very good.

Other than Piggy Park,  another local treat is  Rush's for  some tasty burgers & chicken.  Also try Bernie's chicken near the stadium.  Oh...... in downtown area, try the Blue Marlin.
The area around Blue Marlin on Gervais St. has numerous bars and restaurants within walking distance.

[Mike Hendren]

John et al,

I'm guessing Aiken Golf Club plays second fiddle to Palmetto as I have never heard of it.  Is it as idyllic, in a simple way, as its web-site portrays it?  I really like the pics.

Mike

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

LSU baseball is there this weekend.

[Matt_Ward]

Wow ... I finally get recognized as a Gamecock. Hope they don't pull the el-foldo routine when they tip-off tonight against Memphis in the NCAA!

I've been back to my alma mater quite a few times and many of the layouts already mentioned are worth a look.

Let me also mention from a public perspective you have Richland County's LinRick Golf Course just north of town. I used to play it plenty of times when at school and the layout isn't that bad. If memory serves -- the long par-5 16th was really a neat hole as it double-doglegged throgh the pines.

Couple of others worth noting -- try Persimmon Hill in Johnston-Saluda -- about 60-75 minutes due west of Columbia off Hyw 378 -- again if memory serves. The course is loosely patterned after ANGC -- two of the par-5's play over ponds -- I believe the 8th and 11th holes and the fees were always quite reasonable -- save for Masters time when tee times become a bit more difficult to secure.

I always enjoyed Columbia CC -- as previously mentioned an Ellis Maples design. One of my professors -- a good friend -- used to say that he thought Columbia CC was the best in the immediate area. I won't go that far but the layout is quite strong -- especially if you play from the tips.

If you have access you can also try Fort Jackson's golf course. There were a few changes made to the course -- I believe Maples might have done that too.

Clearly, if you can gain access to Musgrove Mill in Clinton you will play one of the finest clubs in South Carolina that is VASTLY UNDERRATED from a national perspective IMHO. Turboe previously posted pictures and analysis on the course.

Enjoy Columbia -- if you're looking for some night life (a demanding thing for such a small town) I would recommend heading to Five Points which is no more than a mile from the center of the Univrsity. Plenty of beer joints and some decent grub as well. Ah -- those college days never leave you.

[Jim Franklin]

Mt Vintage is okay, the greens are great though. The LPGA plays there. Right across I20 (sort of) is Sage Valley which is far superior. If you can get on that one, do so.

[john_stiles]

Mike H and others,

I agree with original post by Matt....Aiken GC is very enjoyable. There is a lot of variety and greens are interesting. Some good par 3s, some wonderful par 4s, a good short vexing driveable par 4.... variety of shots.  Don't let the short yardage fool you.  (My guess is that it will packed during upcoming tournament week ....call ahead)

You need to play it if you have time. No need to bypass Palmetto but AGC is worth playing. AGC is very close to downtown.....maybe 5 minutes max from 18th at Palmetto to 1st tee at AGC.

The other post about Five Points ....bingo!   Five Points is also a fun night life area....probably a 'younger' set than the Gervais hangouts .....

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

Dont know how I missed this thread.

All information I see here is good.  Probably too late for Matt anyway as it sounds like he was headed down this last weekend.  

I think Columbia might be one of the worst cities I have ever seen for overall quality of the public golf courses, from what I have seen.

I hope Matt will post a response upon his return, to let us know how it all went.

I am sure you will enjoy Mount Vintage Plantation, and someone mentioned Sage Valley.  Good luck getting on, it is EXTREMELY Private.  But a great track.

[Intsey]

I'm heading to Columbia in 2 weeks. Is Muscrove Mills though to get on?

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

I'm heading to Columbia in 2 weeks. Is Muscrove Mills though to get on?

Assuming you mean Musgrove Mill...

There are ways to get on.  When were you going to be down in Columbia?  Musgrove Mill is about 1.5 Hrs Northwest of Columbia.

[Intsey]

And yes I did mean Musgrove Mill in Clinton. I'll be in Columbia SC Sun. Apr 4 through Tues. Apr. 6.

Any thoughts???

[Brock Peyer]

Turboe, I mean, Daryl, how is Mount Vintage Plantation?  It looks good in the magazines.  Can't say that I have heard much about it here in Atlanta via word of mouth.

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

Brock,

I think it is a wonderful place.  I didnt know what to expect when I headed down there, it is designed by local Greenville architect Tom Jackson.  And Tom can do some great things, but he has also done some highly mediocre projects as well, so I didnt know what to expect.  It had just opened and there was no hype in the magazines or no LPGA event there at that time.

But I was very pleasently surprised when I played it.  It had some nice flow to it.  And a great feel all about the club grounds.

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