During Masters week, I was a part of a group from Coyote Creek Golf Club that headed south from Fort Wayne, IN for a Masters practice round and some Spring golf. We would spend a night in Knoxville, TN, two nights in Columbia, SC, and end the trip with a very relaxing three night stay at an "under the radar" resort in Santee, SC.
Since the Midwest weather had not yet been favorable for any golf, we set out on the last day of March, a Saturday morning, driving five and a half hours to the Knoxville, TN area where we played a mid-afternoon round of golf at Knoxville Municipal Golf Course.
Like nearly all mid-south golf courses, Knoxville Muni was in need of some grass-greening warmth of the sun and on this beautiful Spring day, the course was full of golfers with Spring golf fever.
Since the Midwest weather had not yet been favorable for any golf, we set out on the last day of March, a Saturday morning, driving five and a half hours to the Knoxville, TN area where we played a mid-afternoon round of golf at Knoxville Municipal Golf Course.
Like nearly all mid-south golf courses, Knoxville Muni was in need of some grass-greening warmth of the sun and on this beautiful Spring day, the course was full of golfers with Spring golf fever.
Knoxville Municipal Golf Course Par 5 1st Hole
We checked into our Knoxville hotel and quickly found a restaurant where we could watch the semi-final games of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.
After spending the night in Knoxville, we headed a little over four hours south to Blythewood, SC for an afternoon round at Cobblestone Park Golf Club, home course of the South Carolina Gamecocks. Cobblestone park is a beautiful, rolling golf course and was brimming with activity on this warm Sunday afternoon.
We were less than thirty minutes from our next hotel in Columbia, SC where everyone (except me) prepared for the trip to Augusta, GA in the morning. Having seen practice rounds and a final round at the venerable course before, I spent the day doing what the Logo Ball Traveler was born to do -- play golf!
After spending the night in Knoxville, we headed a little over four hours south to Blythewood, SC for an afternoon round at Cobblestone Park Golf Club, home course of the South Carolina Gamecocks. Cobblestone park is a beautiful, rolling golf course and was brimming with activity on this warm Sunday afternoon.
We were less than thirty minutes from our next hotel in Columbia, SC where everyone (except me) prepared for the trip to Augusta, GA in the morning. Having seen practice rounds and a final round at the venerable course before, I spent the day doing what the Logo Ball Traveler was born to do -- play golf!
While the rest of the group enjoyed the sights at Augusta National, I played three average Columbia area courses: Charwood Country Club in West Columbia, Indian River Golf Club in West Columbia, and Oak Hills Golf Club in Columbia. With the first tee time at Charwood, I played quickly and headed over to Indian River for another quick round. I was at Oak Hill Golf Club by early afternoon and completed a nine-hole round by 4:00. Sadly, Indian River, with no logo balls, was added to the Logo Ball Traveler's Hall of Shame.
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And then it was back to the hotel where the crew met up and headed to the Texas Roadhouse for dinner. Finally to top off a busy day, we watched the final game of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the hotel's pub.
Randy Mathias, Taco Stonebraker, Gus Gutoskey, Dan Meese, Jerry Yoder, Tom Putman, Jimmy Sprandel
So in three days, Logo Ball Traveler added five courses to his list, the boys experienced Augusta National, we watched the semi-finals and final of the Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament and we prepared for a Tuesday morning drive to Santee, SC where we would spend three days at the Lake Marion Golf Villas.
Santee Cooper Resort
Santee, SC is a golf destination that flies a bit under the radar. Located five minutes from I-95, Santee Cooper Resort is one of the better values in golf. Here's what our package included:
There are 14 courses from which to pick; we chose the courses in close proximity to the villa. The meals are stunningly good and the golf courses, while not Top 100, are a good challenge, not killers, and well-maintained.
All this for an April, 2018 price of $496 per person.
The pro shop at Lake Marion has one of the most extensive shoe collections anywhere and many of us used our gift cards on a pair of golf shoes.
Each villa has a full kitchen and two bedrooms with full baths with two doouble beds in each bedroom. There is a living room with a flat screen TV. Each bedroom has a smaller flat screen TV.
And there are good restaurants in the area for the day or two you will not be eating at the resort. We had a good meal at Clark's Inn and Restaurant.
We played Lake Marion Golf Course, a little over an hour from our Columbia hotel, the afternoon of arrival. Designed by Eddie Riccoboni, it opened for play in 1978. It has five sets of tees including one set for the ladies. The men's yardages range from 4772 to 6413 and the slope from the back tees is only 120. Lake Marion has pine tree lined fairways and 47 bunkers. It's a very playable course -- you can see what needs to be done from each tee. Lake Marion Golf Course is within walking distance of the Pro Shop, practice green and range. The range is lighted for late into the evening practice.
On day two, we traveled west of I-95 to Santee National Golf Course, just eight minutes by automobile from the villas. Santee National is a step up in condition from Lake Marion Golf Course and has Champion Bermuda greens which were faster than the Miniverde Bermuda greens of Lake Marion. Designed by Porter Gibson, it opened for play in 1989. It has four sets of tees including one set for the ladies. The men's yardages range from 5472 to 6917. Santee National is more difficult than Lake Marion with a slope from the back tees of 130. Water comes into play on nine of the holes and most holes are tree-lined. This course is a little more tricky for the first time player.
- Three nights at the Lake Marion Golf Villas (along the first hole of Lake Marion Golf Course)
- Three rounds of golf at three different courses with $5-$10 same day replays and range balls
- Daily Breakfast Buffet
- Two home-cooked all you can eat and drink meals (a BBQ & Beer night and a Pasta & Beer night)
- $50 gift certificate at the Lake Marion Pro Shop
- Use of the new pool in season
There are 14 courses from which to pick; we chose the courses in close proximity to the villa. The meals are stunningly good and the golf courses, while not Top 100, are a good challenge, not killers, and well-maintained.
All this for an April, 2018 price of $496 per person.
The pro shop at Lake Marion has one of the most extensive shoe collections anywhere and many of us used our gift cards on a pair of golf shoes.
Each villa has a full kitchen and two bedrooms with full baths with two doouble beds in each bedroom. There is a living room with a flat screen TV. Each bedroom has a smaller flat screen TV.
And there are good restaurants in the area for the day or two you will not be eating at the resort. We had a good meal at Clark's Inn and Restaurant.
We played Lake Marion Golf Course, a little over an hour from our Columbia hotel, the afternoon of arrival. Designed by Eddie Riccoboni, it opened for play in 1978. It has five sets of tees including one set for the ladies. The men's yardages range from 4772 to 6413 and the slope from the back tees is only 120. Lake Marion has pine tree lined fairways and 47 bunkers. It's a very playable course -- you can see what needs to be done from each tee. Lake Marion Golf Course is within walking distance of the Pro Shop, practice green and range. The range is lighted for late into the evening practice.
On day two, we traveled west of I-95 to Santee National Golf Course, just eight minutes by automobile from the villas. Santee National is a step up in condition from Lake Marion Golf Course and has Champion Bermuda greens which were faster than the Miniverde Bermuda greens of Lake Marion. Designed by Porter Gibson, it opened for play in 1989. It has four sets of tees including one set for the ladies. The men's yardages range from 5472 to 6917. Santee National is more difficult than Lake Marion with a slope from the back tees of 130. Water comes into play on nine of the holes and most holes are tree-lined. This course is a little more tricky for the first time player.
On day three, we drove to Santee Cooper Country Club, just south of Lake Marion Golf Course adjacent to Lake Marion. The drive is about two and a half miles and takes about seven minutes. Santee Cooper is the sister course to Lake Marion and is the more scenic of the two. It has steeper elevation changes, doglegs both left and right and risk/reward par fives. It is set among tall pines and native foliage and has a memorable final hole with views of Lake Marion. It has five sets of tees including two for the ladies and four for the men (one set has both a men's and a ladies' rating). The men's tees range from 5031 to 6578 with a slope of 129 from the back tees. Designed by George Cobb and opened for play in 1967, it is conditioned along the lines of Lake Marion Golf Course and has the same Miniverde Bermuda greens.
Each evening at the resort was spent playing cards, consuming beer, taking in the highlights of the day's Masters happenings and watching baseball. A great place and a great time of the year for a buddies trip.
We packed the vehicles, ate an early Friday morning breakfast, and headed north, making it back to a blustery Fort Wayne, IN in twelve hours.
All in all, it was an economical trip and close enough to easily get to in a day's drive. I have no doubt Santee Cooper Resort will become a staple for the boys of Coyote Creek Golf Club.
We packed the vehicles, ate an early Friday morning breakfast, and headed north, making it back to a blustery Fort Wayne, IN in twelve hours.
All in all, it was an economical trip and close enough to easily get to in a day's drive. I have no doubt Santee Cooper Resort will become a staple for the boys of Coyote Creek Golf Club.
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