At first glance Aiken is much like any other mid size American town. Along the three block high street there are the few bars and cafes, hardware store, scattering of gift shops, offices of lawyers and insurance agents, banks, a gas station etc. However, if one is in town long enough to notice the vehicles, people and gifts, it is clear there is one over-riding characteristic of Aiken which sets it apart...and that is equestrian pursuits of all types. However, it is probably fair to say polo is the prominent sport. Indeed, Whitney Polo Field was first used for the sport in 1882 and retains the longest consecutive period of play in the country.
The horse scene is the legacy of Aiken’s Winter Colony, which was the accidental result of the marriage between Louise Eustis and Thomas Hitchcock. Having spent much time in Aiken, shortly after their union in 1891, Louise convinced her husband to winter in Aiken. The wealthy financier quickly realized that the sandy, loam soil and mild winter climate were a perfect combination for training horses. Not much later Hitchcock invited William Whitney, a former Secretary of the Navy in President Cleveland’s administration and famous horse breeder, to Aiken for the winter. Thus, just a half hour walk southeast from the centre of town was born the Winter Colony, which eventually counted Astors and Vanderbilts among its many wealthy residents.
Bellying up to the centre of town is perhaps an even greater legacy of the Hitchcock’s. After a terrible riding accident which claimed the life of Louise in 1933, her husband decided to honour her memory by donating 1191 acres of land which is known as Hitchcock Woods. Today, the Hitchcock Woods Foundation manages about 2100 acres. To put the immense size of this park in perspective, it is nearly three times the size of New York’s Central Park.
Adjacent to Hitchcock Woods, Hopelands Gardens is another incredibly generous gift for public use. Within the park, this old stable was converted to a Hall of Fame.
Golf and golfers also owe Thomas Hitchcock a world of gratitude for early on he recognized the pleasures of golf. Accordingly, he laid out a four hole course off Whiskey Road, in the heart of the Winter Colony. By 1895 Herbert Leeds would complete an 18 hole design. When Dr A MacKenzie completed Augusta National in 1932 he was asked to convert the sand greens to grass and lengthen the course. It may be the case that D Emmet worked at Palmetto circa 1924, though I don't know any details. After decades of piecemeal work, in 2005 Tom Doak re-introduced some MacKenzie flare to the design by extending greens to the original size and reworking bunkers. The club is vigilant about preserving the playing characteristics of the course and with Gil Hanse as the consultant there is talk of re-grassing Palmetto with a newer strain of Bermuda.
In true Aiken style, Palmetto is not owned by the members. The club leases the land from the Whitney Trust which was set up by you guessed it, William Whitney and Thomas Hitchcock. By leasing the land to organizations such as Palmetto GC and Aiken Polo Club, Whitney protected the land for the benefit of sport which helps keep Aiken attractive and developers at bay.
The very inviting nature of the downhill opener belies the hidden terrors of the green. The false front is far more severe than it seems; making pin high approaches a very difficult two-putt. One of my favourite design features is evident; to the right is the back section of the 14th green which intersects the 1st fairway.
Covering flatter terrain, the second isn't as inviting as the first, but the bunker jutting out from the right is a more worrying hazard than it seems from the tee.
There are few courses which reel the golfer into the world of its architecture better than Palmetto's opening three holes. The 3rd is not only blind from the tee, but a beautifully placed bunker artistically conceals the dastardly nature of the green. These closer looks at the forward bunker and green offer the viewer a reasonable taste of the hole's delights.
More to follow
Ciao