Golf-South.net, your link to the Traveling Golfer.

By Claudio DeMarchi

As the name might suggest, the region in South Carolina known as the Olde English District is engulfed in history and tradition. You, too, can discover this for yourself! Get off the Interstate and travel the back roads to discover the true spirit and charm of the Olde English District. Revolutionary War and Civil War battle sites, period homes and historic monuments abound in the region settled by the English in the mid 1700's.

Bisected by I-77, the Olde English District is located between Charlotte, North Carolina and Columbia, South Carolina. The district is dotted with picturesque areas like Winnsboro SC, which features the longest continuously running town clock in the United States, Old St. David's Church in Cheraw SC, and the spider lilies at Landsford Canal State Park.

When it comes to the golf courses in the Olde English District though, you don't have to venture too far off the Interstate to find some of the best that the region has to offer. With most of the courses not more than 10 minutes off the Interstate, the stretch of Interstate 77 between Rock Hill, SC and Columbia has over a dozen top notch courses.

For those of you driving from, let say, southern Ontario - you can get to the Rock Hill area in a solid day's drive of 12 or 13 hours; I've done it more than my fair share of times.

Flying is simple too! Air Canada, US Air and Delta all fly non-stop from Toronto to Charlotte and 20 minutes driving from the airport will have you there!

When I visit the area, I call on our good friend Rick Saucier of Golf Packages of South Carolina to help with the accommodations. Rick's office is located in the Columbia area and has been packaging golf in South Carolina for many years. In fact, he's able to help you out with a golf package in virtually any part of the State, but tells us that the I-77 corridor has become a hotbed for golfers looking for something a little different and away from the more crowded traditional destinations.

"Dollar for dollar you are not going to find a better deal," says Rick. "And the fact that we have relationships with some clubs like the Windermere Golf Club allows players access to exclusive private country clubs that give the true southern flavor."

The Windermere Club is not only one of my favorite clubs in the area, but ranks as one of my top five in the State! Everything is first class here. Pete Dye and P.B. Dye created a classic beauty on some 200 acres of gently rolling fairways, some tree lined. Others will tempt your fate with one of the half dozen lakes that you likely want to avoid. A good sand game is essential to scoring well here; there is plenty of it.

This course has many great holes, but they truly saved the best for last. Lake Windermere provides the backdrop for my two favorite holes. Number 17 is a 158-yard ½ island par three, sand makes up the other side so there is no bailing out. If you have ever played #18 at Pebble Beach you will see a lot of similarity on Windermere's 18th. No matter what set of tee's you played on the rest of the course, do yourself a favor and move back to the tips for this tee shot.

Another course that you don't want to miss just up the road from Windermere is a course that will have you thinking that you are in the mountains of West Virginia. The Golf Club of South Carolina at Crickentree has been the site of US Open qualifying events. This is one tough course. Mountainous characteristic are everywhere, rolling fairways, lakes and streams, side hill and downhill lies. The fairways are generous, although hitting the right spots off the tee will go a long way in keeping you out of the shade of the old oaks trees (and pines) that line most of them.

Rick tells us that he has added a couple of new properties to the fold, the Edgewater Golf Club opened in 2008 and provides golfers with as much challenge as they can handle with over 7,100 yards of tee to green. Cobblestone Park is another welcome addition. Another P.B. Dye creation for the Blythewood area, this one has 27 holes – a must add to your next trip through the Olde English District.

Other courses I've played, and highly recommend, include Springfield Golf Club, Regent Park Golf Club, Waterford Golf Club and Fort Mill Golf Club. These are courses that offer some great thrills, are well designed and maintained, and give a visitor a real sense of what makes this part of the state so different.

The Windermere Club

GC of South Carolina at Crickentree

Cobblestone Park

Springfield Golf Club

Regent Park Golf Club

Springfield, for instance, flanks Sugar Creek and it's a sweet treat to play, offering 44 bunkers and four different types of grass. Most of its holes border the creek and the fourth hole, a 176-yard, par-3 test, requires an accurate shot over the creek bed to an elevated green with a stone wall in front and a left-to-right slope. It's hard to call any of Springfield's a favorite because they're all excellent.

Most Canadians would like Regent Park; mainly because they like the work designer Ron Garl has done in Canada - Wooden Sticks just outside Toronto is a good example of his genius. Garl has made Regent Park just as unique mainly because he had two states to work with – the course actually meanders through three North and South Carolina counties. Regent Park's generous fairways are nestled between a hardwood forest and the rolling terrain allows for some impressive elevation changes. There's also water on nine holes, just to make the day here that much more interesting.

Give Rick a call at 1-888-501-0954 or visit www.golfpackagesofsc.com and he will get you all set up. Make sure that in planning your itinerary that he leaves you some time to explore some of the South Carolina backroads.

02/10