South Carolina’s role in American history can be regarded as either prominent or
dubious depending on one’s point of view and whether one resides north or south of the Mason-Dixon Line. South
Carolina was one of the thirteen original states of the
United States of America, and
it was the first state to formally leave the Union in 1860 following President Abraham Lincoln’s
abolishment of slavery. When Confederate troops fired upon Union forces at
Charleston’s Fort Sumter in 1861, it signaled the start of
the Civil War. South
Carolina is the home of James Dickey, Strom Thurmond,
Pat Conroy, Vanna White, shrimp and grits, beach music, sweet tea and American
golf.
True, there has been more than a little 19th hole debate over this last
point. But the fact remains that the South Carolina Golf Club was founded in
Charleston in
1786, played by Scottish émigrés in a park known as Harleston’s Green. More than
220 years later, South
Carolina remains the Golf Capital of the South, and it
is rated as the country’s preferred destination for golf travelers.
Once again, the evidence is quite clear. South
Carolina offers 380 golf courses from the Atlantic beaches to the
Blue Ridge
Mountain foothills. There
are classic courses steeped in history, groundbreaking designs that helped
re-define golf course architecture, and modern-day courses that serve as
touchstones for the game’s next generation. While great courses abound in the
Midlands and Upstate regions, much of the international attention on South Carolina is focused on the Atlantic coast and its
great triumvirate—Myrtle Beach, Charleston and Hilton Head
Island. All are distinctly different, yet they share a commonality
of stunning natural beauty and rich history. Golf has played a major role in the
evolution of all three.
Outstanding courses, prestigious tournaments, memorable events and a host
of colorful characters all make South
Carolina well worth celebrating. In the words of
legendary University of South Carolina golf coach Puggy Blackmon, “When people
think of South
Carolina, they think of golf.”
No argument there.
SECTIONS:
Myrtle Beach | page 2
Charleston | page 4
Hilton Head Island | page 6
SIDEBARS:
Respecting the Classics | page 8
The Cliffs | page 9
