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By
Claudio DeMarchi
With
all the doom and gloom of the economy front
and center in the news these days, it is
easy for many to put thoughts of a winter
golf vacation on the back burner. But, as
the temperature drops and the snow piles
up, we tend to scheme up some way to pull
off that much needed break from winter and
to loosen up those well-rested golf muscles.
Now,
there really is no need to scheme. If the
economy has got you down and you're wondering
how you might afford to get away, the solution
is right here! Set pretty much in the center
of South Carolina (right off of I-95 at
the south end of Florence) is a pretty young
lady by the name of Lisa that is waiting
to set you up with a golf package that will
cost you less than it would for you to stay
at home.
Starting
at about $55 per day from now through to
February 8th, 2009, when you contact Lisa
at Swamp Fox Golf, she will be able to put
you on some of the finest courses that the
Florence area has to offer. There are about
20 courses in this area of South Carolina
known as the Pee Dee County, which is named
after a native tribe that originally inhabited
this area. You can thank the course owners
(and Lisa's efforts) for coming up with
such great rates during these times. These
owners have seen the opportunity to get
you down to their neck of the woods where
you will find things a little less crowded
and a lot less expensive. All daily packages
at the Ramada Inn/ Young's Plantation include
accommodations, full hot breakfast, a round
of golf with cart plus all the southern
hospitality you can handle.
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Cheraw
State Park GC
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The
Traces Golf Club
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Beech
Creek Golf Club
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You
can't help but to be impressed with
the quality of courses that are included
in the unbelievable $55 rate. Leading
the pack would be the Cheraw State
Park Golf Course located about
40 minutes from Florence, but well
worth the drive. One of South Carolina's
best kept secrets, this Tom Jackson
design offers a bold layout that unfurls
through the long leaf pines along
the banks of Lake Juniper. The course
has earned the prestigious Audubon
Sanctuary Certification, and also
boasts being only one of 40 golf courses
in the USA that has earned the Golf
Digest's Super Value Award.
Of
all the courses in the area, one of
the more popular amongst golfers visiting
the area is The Traces Golf Club.
Designer Ron Garl has left his signature
on another South Carolina masterpiece
here. The Traces is a 27-hole complex
that offers golfers a great mixture
of holes with both tight tree-lined
fairways as well as those with generous
landing areas. The Traces is an overseeded
and meticulously maintained course
with mature receptive greens. Don't
be fooled by the holes with generous
landing areas – they will quickly
jump up and bite you if you take it
for granted. You will not be disappointed
here!
Governor's
Run CC is another in the area
that you will not want to miss. Newly
appointed head professional Scott
Somers will be implementing some course
improvements as they prepare to host
a Sunbelt Tour Pro Am charity event
this coming July. For those golfers
looking to improve their game - and
who isn't - Scott is in the process
of establishing an "America's
Favorite Golf School" with both
PGA and USTGF instruction. This 3-day
golf school, including lodging at
the Ramada Inn, is only $345.00 per
person.
Beech
Creek Golf Club is another favorite
with four of the finest finishing
holes that you will find anywhere.
Shannon Greens, with one of
the only island greens in the area
and likely the friendliest golf professional
in the business - Dave Burton - is
always a memorable stop. The Hartsville
Country Club is a private club
which is accessible through Swamp
Fox Golf, and falls into the "fun"
category with wide fairways, fast
but true greens, and lots of water
and sand.
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Did
I save the best course in the area for last?
Yes. Can you play it on the $55 per day
package? Well, not really. You will have
to pay a little extra to play this course,
but believe me, it is worth every penny.
In fact, I put The Country Club of South
Carolina in my list of top courses in
the State. Noted designer Ellis Maples worked
his magic on this course and created a championship
layout equal to anything the south has to
offer.
Despite
the flat land he had to work with, Maples
managed to give players a number of elevation
changes and challenges over the 7,000-plus
yards that the course maxes out to! The
front is tough, but the back nine is where
the course really flexes its muscles. Water
and sand are plentiful - in fact, there
are so many bunkers on the 8th hole that
you might think that you in the Iraqi desert.
Every hole here is a delight, but Number
18 ranks among my favorite closing holes
in golf. Pound for pound, this former Nike
Tour Stop is one of the best tests of golf
in the State. This private course is also
meticulously maintained, and you don't need
to worry about that "private"
member status – Lisa can get you on.
You
should have a smirky grin on your face by
now; perhaps a golf trip is back on the
agenda for this winter. You can visit Swamp
Fox Country Golf at www.swampfoxgolf.com
or give Lisa a call at 1-800-845-3538 she
will be pleased to take care of you.
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