Pee Dee Country - Northeast South Carolina Golf
Great Golf Without the Ocean Prices
By Brian Weis
Pee Dee Country is a seven-county region, named for the original Native American Pee Dee Indians who inhabited it long ago. In the heart of the region is Florence most famous for the Darlington Raceway, NASCAR's oldest speedway. For golfers who drive to Myrtle Beach, Charleston or Hilton Head Island kno the region as great golf courses without the ocean prices. For many it is an ideal stop for a warm up round or two. Do not overlook this region as a destination in itself, as it features almost 30 golf courses.
Where To Play
The Country Club of South Carolina
The small town of Florence is located at the intersection of two major highways I95 and I20. The crown Jewel of the area is The Country Club of South Carolina. Built in 1968, the Elllis Maples designed course winds thru several small lakes and Black Creek. Many greens are tucked into hollows surrounded by dogwoods, azaleas and old-growth hardwoods. Mature trees draped with Spanish moss line the fairways and monster bunkers call for target golf. Host of the 2007 state Am, the semi-private course is open to the public.
CC of South Carolina features the most feared hole in the area. The monster par 4 14th climbs a three to four story hill. Take and extra club and a half or you might find your ball coming up shirt and rolling back down the hill another 30-50 yards.
On property are spacious 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom condos with course views and of Lake McDonald.
Four Tees: 76062, 8887, 6062 and 5292 Yards
Slope/Rating: 141/74.8
Rates: $65 with golf package
Designer: Elllis Maples
The Country Club of South Carolina
3525 McDonald Boulevard
Florence, South Carolina 29506
843-669-0920
The Traces Golf Club
The Traces is a 27 hole championship course located just off I20 (exit 137) that can be played in any combination.
The Woodlands Course was designed by Lakeland, Florida native, Ron Garl. This 9 features the property's signature hole, the par 3 4th. The 175 yard hole forces you to carry a large pond and massive sand trap. Bring you're a game because water comes into play on 5 of the 9 holes.
The Meadows Course is a mixture of parkland and link style golf. Five holes are completely open with the remaining heavily lined with pines and hardwoods.
The Creekside Course is appropriately named with water on almost every hole. Beware, water is not the only obstacle. Golfers will need to navigate tree lined fairways, rolling hills and big undulating greens to post a good score.
4 Tees: 27 Holes
Architect: James Goodson/Ron Garl
Rates: $40-$30 depending on season
The Traces Golf Club
4322 Southborough Road
Florence, SC 29501
843-662-7775
Other Courses In The Area
Beaver Creek Golf Club
Darlington
393-5441
Bishopville Country Club
Bishopville
484-3675
Clio Country Club
Clio
586-9361
The Crossings Golf Club
Florence
665-8040
Darlington Country Club
Darlington
393-2146
Dusty Hills Country Club
Marion
423-2721
Foxboro Golf Club
Lydia
332-0613
Fox Creek Golf Club
Hartsville
332-0613
Governor's Run Golf Club
Lamar
326-5513
Hartsville Country Club
Hartsville
332-1441
Lake City Country Club
Lake City
374-3415
Marlboro Country Club
Bennettsville
479-7741
Oakdale Country Club
Florence
662-0368
Pineland Country Club
Nichols
526-2175
Sandy Point Golf Club
Hartsville
335-8950
Swamp Fox Golf Club
Kingstree
382-3436
Twin Lakes Country Club
Dillon
774-3740
The Wellman Club
Johnsonville
386-2521
Eats and Treats
Red Bone Alley
The food is fresh and innovative South Carolina regional cuisine. Closely tied to the land, sea and rivers that abound in the region, South Carolina's cuisine is influenced by hundred of years of French, Mediterranean, African, English and West Indian cooking.
The dish to die for is The Low Country Shrimp and Grits. Your mouth will water just reading the menu."Our popular creamy, cheese grits loaded with spicy fried shrimp, seared ham, mushrooms with green onions.
1903 West Palmetto Street
Florence, SC 29501
(843) 673-0035
Where To Stay
Hilton Garden Inn Florence
2671 Hospitality Boulevard,
Florence, South Carolina, USA 29501
843-432-3001
What Else To Do In The Area
Darlington Raceway Tour
The "Track too Tough to Tame," NASCAR's oldest super speedway has been the site of many legendary
races. Hourly tours of the track will show you history, tradition and family fun!
Open 7 days, 9 am-5 pm. Tours: Adults $5;
Children 6-12, $3; 5 & under Free.
Darlington Raceway Stock Car Museum and NMPA (National Motorsports Press Assoc.) Hall of Fame
Take a trip back in time to relive the magical moments that have made NASCAR racing the world's greatest spectator sport. See and learn about the pioneers of the sport and the historic cars that carried them to greatness. NASCAR souvenirs in the gift shop.
Open 7 days, 9 am-5 pm.
Admission: Adults $5; Children 12 & under, Free
1301 Harry Byrd Hwy.
Darlington, SC 29532
843-395-8900
Rants and Raves
Fran Willis, Executive Director of Pee Dee Tourism Commission summed it up best when she said "while this area is a great place to visit, it is even more amazing place to live." Great golf, affordable prices and a year round golf destination makes this region a must visit. When should you go? Well if you want
to see the Azaleas bloom, book your travel for this coming spring.
Article Tags: Pee Dee Country, Florence South Carolina Golf
Revised: 12/21/2010 - Article Viewed 33,584 Times
About: Brian Weis
Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.
As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.
Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.
In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.
On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.
Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.
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