Putting Course Debuts at South Carolina Facility
BY: RICHARD HUMPHREYS
A new 18-hole putting layout opened earlier this summer at Lake Marion Golf course in Santee, South Carolina, designed by Kris Spence. The 35,000-square-foot green is located behind the clubhouse and has been named Palmetto Traverse. It was inspired by the Himalayas putting course at St. Andrews and Thistle Dhu at Pinehurst Resort.
“The green includes almost every feature a golfer might experience when playing golf around the world,” said Spence. “I think this will especially appeal to those golfers staying on the property wanting something else to do following their round on the course.
“The design should provide some wild fun, with putts as long as 260 feet possible and over some of the most varied terrain I have ever designed into a putting surface.”
The complex has been constructed with USGA-standard subsurface drainage and rootzone and topped with a Tifeagle Ultradwarf surface. It also features a pair of small bunkers within the surface area, and a small central grassy island with a sitting zone and landscaping. The internal contours include plateaus, terraces, swales, rolls, valleys spines and slopes.
“We have been looking for ways to make the overall experience at our facility better and more exciting,” said Todd Miller, general manager of Santee Cooper Resort. “The trend in putting course construction caught our attention and we happened to have the perfect piece of property to build something extremely unique for our area, and for the state of South Carolina for that matter.
“We expect the Palmetto Traverse will be a big hit with the many travellers on Interstate-95, as well as families from Charleston, Columbia and the surrounding area. A green fee for the 18-hole putting course will be included in all-inclusive, stay-and-play packages booked through Santee Cooper Golf & Travel.”
