Road Trip to Augusta to Kiawah

[Mark Woodger]

Hi All,

I am thinking of taking a road trip starting in Augusta (to watch the masters, not play the course alas) and then onto kiawah for a few days. I am looking for suggestions for good courses that one would be able to play in the Augusta area and somewhere on the drive between Augusta and Kiawah.

any recomendations welcome.

many thanks in advance,
mark

[jeffwarne]

Drive to Charleston-then start.
Everything around Augusta will be jacked pricewise up till at least Tuesday .
You could perhaps play Aiken Golf Club for $75 (which is good, but normally less than 1/2 that.

[PCCraig]

Drive to Charleston-then start.
Everything around Augusta will be jacked pricewise up till at least Tuesday .
You could perhaps play Aiken Golf Club for $75 (which is good, but normally less than 1/2 that.

I would agree that you might as well just drive to Charleston/Kiawah and start there.

[Mike_Young]

There is only about three hours between the two at the most.....if I was trying to go half way or somewhere in between and miss the traffic of Masters...I would play Camden country club...in Camden SC....has some B7B's in town etc.....

[John Shimp]

Palmetto in Aiken. 175 masters week.

[john_stiles]

Palmetto GC and Aiken Golf club would be my pick.  If you have friends in high places, Augusta CC is also very good.

Never been fortunate enough to play Sage Valley.   It is even more difficult to access, and probably not possible around Masters week.  But there it is...another long shot option like Augusta CC.

Would also echo that Camden CC is a treat and very welcoming IMO. It is on the northeast side of Columbia, would be a good choice as well, and then you can zoom down I-26 from Columbia to Charleston.

Otherwise go straight to Charleston/Kiawah area.

[Mark Woodger]

many thanks for the very helpful input.

[cary lichtenstein]

16 miles from Augusta is a private club, Sage Valley. Terrific place to stay, eat and play if you know a member. Very much the same feeling as Augusta in topography, loblooby pines, grasses, and maintained even better.

[Kalen Braley]

....maintained even better.

Cary,

I must say this really stuck out when I read this...how do you get a better maintained course that Augusta.  Can you give us a few examples?

[jeffwarne]

....maintained even better.

Cary,

I must say this really stuck out when I read this...how do you get a better maintained course that Augusta.  Can you give us a few examples?

Their jackets are slightly greener

[Sam Morrow]

....maintained even better.

Cary,

I must say this really stuck out when I read this...how do you get a better maintained course that Augusta.  Can you give us a few examples?

I have a friend who played Sage Valley with some prominent tour players and they all said the course was better conditioned than Augusta also. Tough to imagine though.

[Anthony_Nysse]

....maintained even better.

Cary,

I must say this really stuck out when I read this...how do you get a better maintained course that Augusta.  Can you give us a few examples?

I have a friend who played Sage Valley with some prominent tour players and they all said the course was better conditioned than Augusta also. Tough to imagine though.

Sage is better maintainted than Augusta. Perfect from the entry gate to the lockeroom. But,
 Kinloch is maintained better than Sage and on the same turfgrass year round.

Tony Nysse
Asst. Supt.
Colonial CC
Ft. Worth, TX

[Kalen Braley]

Jeff, Sam, and Anthony...that all sounds fine and good, but it'd still be nice to see/hear some examples of how this is accomplished. 

[Sam Morrow]

Jeff, Sam, and Anthony...that all sounds fine and good, but it'd still be nice to see/hear some examples of how this is accomplished. 

Agreed, I wish I knew more about the place.

[Kalen Braley]

Jeff, Sam, and Anthony...that all sounds fine and good, but it'd still be nice to see/hear some examples of how this is accomplished. 

Agreed, I wish I knew more about the place.

This is saying like there is a hotter combo mom/actress/wife/more sexier woman alive than Angelina Jolie...it just can't be done!!!

[Anthony_Nysse]

Okay, heres a really good write up on Sage. Click on any pic to enlarge.

http://itinerategolf.blogspot.com/2008/02/sage-valley-golf-club.html



Tony Nysse
Asst. Supt.
Colonial CC
Ft. Worth, TX

[Kalen Braley]

Anthony,

Thanks for posting that.  While the course looks fantastic and a real treat to play, it didn't look to be beyond Augusta, or even equal to, in these eyes.  Thin patches next to tee boxes, yellow baked out grass in a few spots, scraggly conditions near the hazards.  I know this is nit-picking but man Augusta doesn't appear to have a single blade of grass that is out of place or not perfectly green.

[Anthony_Nysse]

Kalen,
  I know a many supts that have stated that Augusta pinestraw beds are full off weeds, and this was the week of the tournament.
  The tees that you say are "baked out" is the tifeagle coming out of dormancy. It tends to have a purplish look to it.

Tony Nysse
Asst. Supt.
Colonial CC
Ft. Worth, TX

[Kalen Braley]

Anthony,

Fair enough...I won't be quitting my day job anytime soon.  Computers and servers don't change much in appearance when they go dormant.   

[Ed Oden]

Masters week is the busiest week of the year at Sage Valley since the member turnout is so heavy for the tournament.  As a result, I believe they do not permit guests and limit play to members only during that week.  For what its worth, I have played Sage a number of times and walked (but never played) ANGC during the tournament about an equal number of times.  Both are flawlessly conditioned.  While declaring one better than the other is splitting hairs (or grass?), I would give Sage an ever so slight nod if for no reason other than it does not bear the scars of spectator traffic. 

I strongly concur with John Shimp's Palmetto recommendation.  It is an absolute joy to play.  In direct contrast to Sage, Masters week is the ONLY week during the year that Palmetto is open for outside play.  So its a rare opportunity to play a historic and otherwise very private club.

Ed

[jeffwarne]

If you read that blog, I'd say the author and I would strongly disagree on what makes a great place.
(of course it would be hard not to enjoy the course at Sage Valley)
To each his own.


I'll take Palmetto and its simplicity
 (although if our monthly newsletter reminds members to not change shoes in the parking lot again, I'm going to scream)