The tour pushed north some 30 miles to Beaufort. I could easily have stayed in Bluffton and day-tripped up to Beaufort to play Chechessee Creek club, but I wanted to take a day to walk around the town and see some of the antebellum homes clustered around Pigeon Point. The second oldest city in South Carolina, Beaufort retains much of its 19
th century charm. At its heart, the county seat is a small town despite the suburban growth of strip malls and box shops on the edge of town. The number of islands which make up the county seem innumerable, although I am sure someone has made a final tally. A very enjoyable day was had and the Rhett House Inn topped it off in southern style.
The next morning, I retraced my steps south to play Chechessee Creek Club…which isn’t on an island! I knew very little about the course except that it is an early Coore & Crenshaw design. I say early, but CCC was built nearly ten years into the C&C partnership, circa 2000. The course took me by surprise in that it completely depends on trees for the routing. I believe the idea was to eventually remove only enough trees to showcase specimen trees such as the magnificent live oaks and maintain healthy turf. Northerners such as myself can appreciate live oaks not only for their beauty, but also because they don’t lose their leaves in the fall. The leaves fall throughout the year which doesn’t result in the messy leaf hell which often plagues golfers in the north.
The greens are obviously of the push-up type; however, the fairway shaping is subtle and mainly for the purpose of drainage. I only noticed raised fairways in a handful of areas, yet most fairways were slightly raised and sand capped. The effect is that it may feel like the course is a week of hard rain and a high tide from being consumed by the tidal marsh. The juxtaposition of playing over firm turf which looks and seems as if should be damp takes some getting used to.
An amiable opener turning left, the hole gets interesting at the green. Definite shades of Yeaman's Hall.
I am not sure why trees near both sides of the tee have been allowed to remain on the short 2nd. The reader can see we had a broody, heavy air day. I haven't sweated so much on a golf course in some years.
Despite the trees, an open front green will allow for a well judged low runner to make its way to the putting surface.
The 3rd doglegs right, but the green is clearly in view like a beacon in the fog. There is an interesting trench bunker down the right which seems heavy handed given the trees.
The approach.
Water is a well used theme throughout CCC. The green is a bit different as it doesn't seem to stand as proud as most of the greens.
Once again the green is on view from the tee, but this time the enticement level is heightened due to a lack of trees down the right.
C&C covered the cheating down the right angle quite well.
The line of charm is certainly the way for most to play this hole.
More to follow.
Ciao