The Belfair golf experience begins with one of the most beautiful and memorable golf course sites on the east coast of the U.S. Among the most distinguishing natural elements at Belfair is Hidden Lake, a 42-acre freshwater lake classified as one of the most significant Colonial Wading Bird Rookeries in South Carolina, and the spring nesting home for hundreds of herons, egrets and the endangered wood stork.
Dating back to 1811, Belfair Plantation was a country estate and working plantation and its magnificent entryway, the Avenue of the Oaks, was planted in 1927.
On the West course, Fazio achieved a blend of modern and classical philosophies from the Golden Age. Generous fairways, a la Ross at Pinehurst No. 2, add strategy to the tee shot and open fronts to greens favor the run-up shot. Few, if any, forced carries over water hazards help keep the ball in play and ample, greenside bail-out areas allow less-skilled players to avoid penal hazards guarding the greens.
False fronts, deceptive swales, shaved chipping areas and numerous pin settings require precise approach shots, as well as imagination and a soft touch around the greens. The putting surfaces, aprons, chipping areas and fairways are maintained to play firm and fast—creating shot options and demanding skilled shot-making and wise course management. A miss in the wrong place will likely find a penal bunker, an awkward lie or a sharp repelling slope alongside landing areas, approaches and greens.
The somewhat controversial 493-yard par-5 7th hole features a curiously familiar, Augusta-type pond that offers the golfer three options following his tee shot. The first of these is a heroic, shot directly to the green for a possible eagle. The second is a long- to medium-iron to a rather narrow strip of sloping fairway that runs along the right side of the pond—leaving a short, but awkward, downhill pitch over a greenside bunker. The third—and most sensible option for the average player—is a short-iron layup and another short iron to a shallow, difficult green.
Next, it’s across the causeway to Belfair island, the site of holes 13, 14 and 15 that play out to, along and back from the scenic tidal marshlands of the Colleton River. Hole 13 presents a 576-yard, par 5—the second in succession—with a landing area guarded on the right by Belfair’s version of Pine Valley’s Hell’s Half Acre, a rough, sandy expanse dividing holes 13 and 15.
Then it’s back across the causeway for the final trio and one of the most challenging and dramatic finishes in the Southeast. The short, 159-yard 16th features a very shallow green surrounded by marsh, nasty little bunkers and troublesome swales. Now, hold on tight and try to finish. The pretty 17th is a 388-yard cape hole that plays from left to right over a sizable duck pond—allowing the golfer to bite off as much as he dares to set up a short second shot to a postage-stamp green guarded very closely by bunkers front and salty wetlands to the rear.
The treacherous 18th hole at Belfair West is as long as the 17th is short. Measuring a healthy 448 yards, the home hole seems to play longer as it is often swept by coastal breezes. With the tee boxes positioned on another causeway, the drive must carry a broad stretch of marshland and find the center of the fairway (don’t wander left) followed by the most challenging approach shot on the course, to one of the most difficult greens in the Lowcountry. Crowned and elevated about 10 feet, it drops off on all sides to closely shaved swales that dare the player to flop or bump-and-run it to the pin. For the average player, a five is quite acceptable on this dastardly finish.
West Course
Par: 72
Yardage: 7,080
Year founded: 1996
Architect: Tom Fazio
East Course
Par: 71
Yardage: 6,956
Year founded: 1999
Architect: Tom Fazio
