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Aiken-area Golf CoursesIn Aiken, you're so close to
Augusta, the home of The Masters, that you can almost smell the azaleas at
Amen Corner. Sadly, your percentage chance to play at Augusta National is
optimistically described as zero or less. Thankfully, golfing options
abound in the Aiken area, which is home to some formidable new courses.
Aiken is in the heart of "Thoroughbred Country." This means
that when golfers aren't playing golf, they're breeding and riding horses.
Aiken's downtown area boasts some fine restaurants and is blessed with an
old-world, old-South charm. The area has always been a highly rated
retirement center, so if the average age of the foursome in front of you
is 92 and they're all taking the slow boat to the 19th hole, don't be
surprised. Decent people all, they'll probably let you play through.
You'll find a variety of courses around here, including young and
fantastic Cedar Creek, venerable Midland Valley Country Club and wonderful
Houndslake.
The soil is sandy, and pine forests dot the prevailing country scenery.
You'll find bermudagrass on the greens and fairways throughout. Allendale County Golf Course Allendale County Golf Course, formerly Allendale County Country Club, opened in 1952. The course was designed by Walker Smith, a millionaire with a glass eye who made his fortune in the hat business. Smith, a left-hander with a chronic and incurable slice, designed the course to suit the game of a left-hander with a chronic and incurable slice. So if you're a southpaw and your stock shot is a big, booming, out-of-control fade, you'll love Allendale County Golf Course. Joe and Audrey Vuknic purchased the course in 1993 after many years running a course in the Hilton Head area. Their renovation project is almost complete. Set in rolling, fairly open terrain bordered by farmland and pine forests, the wide fairways provide comfortable landing areas off the tee. The small to midsize sloping bermudagrass greens, however, will test your ability to read putts. Some greens are protected by bunkers. The Vuknics operate a small pro shop, bar and snack bar. There's also a practice putting green. Gone are the days when, according to local lore, Mr. Smith would instruct the greenskeeper to pull the flags out of the holes when a group he disliked was on the course. The atmosphere these days is friendly and relaxed. The calendar features five tournaments a year plus a weekly captain's choice scramble in which, as we discovered the hard way, the aristocracy of Allendale County is more than happy to lighten your wallet. Walking is allowed anytime, and you won't need a tee time. Approximate cost for 18 holes, including cart, is $15. Rental clubs are available. Bogeyville Golf Course Bogeyville Golf Course opened at least 35 years ago. The H.D. Wyman-designed course features bermudagrass fairways and greens. Some holes are set in wooded terrain; others are wide open. Water hazards come into play on some holes. The course offers challenging golf in a peaceful country setting. Terrain is undulating, particularly on the back nine. We found Bogeyville (what a desperate name for a golf course!) somewhat remote, though the many dedicated golfers who were playing in the middle of the week in the heat of the day apparently found it extremely accessible. You'll certainly encounter plenty of variety on this course, including some remarkable holes, such as a par 5 on the front nine that literally makes a U-turn. The front nine opens with a reachable par 5. Water and bunkers come into play on this mature course bordered by pine trees, water and thicket, although there's decidedly more water and thicket on the back nine. The greens are predominantly flat; make sure, however, that you keep them in front of you because disaster lurks behind some of the greens. It's difficult to sum up Bogeyville's charm any better than the poet who penned the following on the scorecard: "Golf is a fun, relaxing, competitive sport. Enjoy Bogeyville to its fullest potential." Walking is allowed anytime, and you may book anytime as well. Approximate cost, including cart, is $14 weekdays, $18 weekends. Bogeyville is definitely off the beaten path or far from the maddening crowd--whichever makes most sense to you. The following directions should help: From Aiken, take U.S. Highway 1 N. past I-20 and look for a signpost for the course on your left. Take an unimproved road for about 3 (bumpy) miles, and the course will miraculously appear on your right. Cedar Creek Golf Club Cedar Creek, an Arthur Hills design, opened in 1992 as part of a new upscale residential development. The fairways and greens are bermudagrass. Most holes are bordered by trees, and water, wasteland and creeks frequently come into play. With Cedar Creek, the well-known and respected Arthur Hills has given the golfing world a fine modern course. Challenges come from significant elevation changes, large hilly greens with surrounding bunkers, the occasional mound and some holes where you must hit the fairway or green. You may find yourself flirting with out-of-bounds on a few holes if you're wayward off the tee. For a modern course, the design is not overly tricked-up or difficult. If your last name is Daly and your first name is John, you'll want to play from the tips--a whopping 7206 yards. Thankfully, Arthur Hills also remembered the short hitters in the world: There's a 1000-yard difference between the championship and men's tees. Comparatively speaking, you'll have more fun from the men's tees if you're a mid- to high handicapper. If you're in the Aiken area, make sure you play this course. You may
like it enough to plop down some cash for a house on the 18th! The course
hosted the 1995 NCAA Division II National Amenities at this top-notch facility include a practice green, practice range, pro shop, locker room, bar, beverage cart and rental clubs. We do not recommend walking this course, although you can if you like. The approximate cost, including cart, is $30 weekdays, $38 weekends. Highland Park Country Club Highland Park opened its golf course in 1903. Bermudagrass covers the fairways and greens. The layout winds through some pretty pine forest and is mostly flat. Venerable Highland Park is just a three-putt from booming downtown Aiken. While wandering around this ancient course, we almost felt the presence of the ghosts of great golfers striding along the fairways, a fleet of doting caddies in their wakes. Sadly, this excellent layout could use some sprucing up. If someone with a love for old traditional courses would revamp it, perhaps Highland Park could become one of the better tracks around. Still, if you're in the area and want to see a wonderful traditional layout and have some fun, take the time to play Highland Park. Amenities include a practice green, pro shop, locker room and rental clubs. You can walk anytime. Approximate cost, including cart, is $14. Houndslake Country Club Houndslake Country Club is primarily a private club that offers playing privileges if you stay at the Guest House adjacent to the course. The Guest House itself is more than a hotel, offering more of a resort or corporate getaway-type ambiance. Otherwise, this course is for the members. Joe Lee designed all three nine-hole courses at Houndslake. The first two opened in 1974; the third nine, in 1979. The courses are set in rolling terrain bordered by homes and pine trees and feature bermudagrass fairways and greens throughout. Lee is well-known in Florida, especially for his courses surrounding Disney World near Orlando. You won't find Mickey or Goofy at Houndslake, but you will find three fine, mature courses that rival any in the Midlands for character and quality of design. You can't go wrong with any of these courses. Adding to the challenge at Houndslake is a mysterious wind that bounces off the tall pine trees and creates a swirling tempest at times--just like a well-known course in nearby Augusta. Amenities include a practice green, practice range, pro shop, bar, snack bar and rental clubs. You can walk these courses and book a round with your reservation at the Guest House. Approximate cost for 18 holes, including cart, is $35 weekdays, $40 weekends. Azalea Course The Azalea Course is an interesting beginning to the trifecta, offering mostly straightforward holes with wide fairways and large greens. Fairways and greens are guarded by some large bunkers. This nine rewards solid driving and accurate iron play. Dogwood Course This second nine at Houndslake offers a little more challenge and elevation change. It features one of the most wonderful and picturesque par 5s in the Midlands--the 509-yard 7th. Smack it downhill off the tee toward a small lake, then decide whether you want to go for it or lay up off a downhill lie. Once you're on the large green, two-putting is a serious challenge. Play the course for this hole alone and you'll be quite happy. In places, this nine is a little narrower off the tee, with more out-of-bounds. Laurel Course The Laurel Course is the newest, most challenging and least developed of the three courses. If you liked the first two nines, you'll enjoy this course even more. Each hole is unique and fun, offering a variety of shot-making opportunities. The par 5 No. 7, just 435 yards from the white tees, is very reachable for the mid-handicapper. Midland Valley Country Club Midland Valley Country Club opened in 1965. The course was designed by Ellis Maples. Jim Ferree, who used to play on the Senior Tour, is the director of golf. Greens and fairways are bermudagrass. Midland Valley is one of the better courses in the Aiken area. We found an excellent traditional design and a well-maintained, mature track. If you haven't played an Ellis Maples course, definitely try this one. Attention to detail is evident here: The course is meticulous, and yardage markers indicate the distance to the back, middle and front of the green. Towering pine trees and shrubs add to the ambiance, and water comes into play on a few holes. Maples made excellent use of the sandy undulating terrain to produce a course with great variety and challenge. Maples courses are often defined by midsize sloped greens protected by a bunker or two, one of which might front roughly half the green. Thus, pin placement can play a significant role in what type of approach shot you should play. If the pin is behind the bunker, risk it and go for it, or play it safe and aim for the unprotected part of the green. You'll also find some fun and exciting driving holes where shot placement is often more important than brute strength. Fans of mature, traditional courses will love Midland Valley. Amenities include a practice green, practice range, pro shop, locker room, bar, snack bar and rental clubs. Walking is allowed anytime, although the elevation changes will test your stamina. You can book anytime as well. Approximate cost, including cart, is $30 weekdays, $35 weekends. Paw Paw Country Club Paw Paw, a quality Russell Breeden layout, sits peacefully in the heart of Bamberg County about 40 miles southeast of Aiken. Bermudagrass covers the fairways and greens. We found a predominantly flat track, with shallow greens and fairway bunkers providing most of the difficulties. The fairways are lined with old Midland pines. You'll see the occasional mound here, but the challenge off the tee is keeping the ball straight down some relatively narrow fairways. You'll also need to be accurate on your approach shot; if you miss the green here at Paw Paw, only a good chipping game will keep your score from ballooning. There's more water on the back nine than on the front. Enjoy the difficult finishing hole--a 446-yard par 4 with just enough water to make you nervous. When you're looking for a straightforward yet challenging course should you find yourself in Bamberg, stop by the Paw Paw. Amenities include a practice range, putting green, pro shop and snack bar. You can walk this course anytime if you wish, but it's a hike. You can book up to seven days in advance. Approximate cost, including cart, is $25 weekdays, $27 weekends. Sweetwater Country Club Sweetwater, a Russell Breeden design, opened in 1981 about 35 miles from Aiken. The course sits amid rolling terrain, although many of the fairways are flat. Bermudagrass covers the fairways and greens. Water comes into play on a few holes. Sweetwater boasts a fine design that's benefited from some improvements. The course is fair and not tricked-up. We found decent variety in a relaxed and pretty setting. The fairways vary in width, the greens in size and shape. A couple of greens are noticeably shallow; others are protected by large bunkers. Chipping areas are mown around the greens. Overall, Sweetwater is a thoroughly playable course. If the round isn't going as well as planned, the par 5, 471-yard 18th could lift your sagging spirits. It's uphill, but big hitters should reach it in two quite easily. Amenities include a practice green, practice range, pro shop, handicap computer and snack bar. Walking is allowed anytime. Approximate cost, including cart, is $21 weekdays, $28 weekends.
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