Springfield Golf Club - Fort Mill SC

Just a few miles south of Charlotte, NC sleeps the bedroom community of Fort Mill that features an eye opening golf course, The Springfield Golf Club. The 6,906 yard par 72 course has been dubbed the best track in the Tri-County area. (The Tri-County area defined as Lancaster, York and Chester) In addition, The Charlotte Business Journal listed the semi private club as the toughest in the Charlotte area. In the fall of 2010 the course made significant improvements by upgrading the greens to ultradwarf MiniVerde.

Springfield GC is not your stereotypical flat South Carolina course, largely because the area flows into the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Course Designer, Clyde Johnson, eloquently describes the setting, "The graceful folds and contours that define the land near Fort Mill provide the perfect setting for a golf course whose design is timeless and playability consummate. The golf experience at Springfield will be as memorable as it is strategic and demanding."

As I approached the first tee I was paired up with Gene Roper, the Director of Golf Operations for Leroy Springs & Company, Inc. When I asked him what is the signature hole, he smiled and said, "all of them!"

After the chuckles, he expanded that the course is truly unique because no hole is alike. The course has dramatic elevation changes and 13 holes play over streams that feed into the Catawba River. He did finally share that the most photographed hole is the 176 yard par 3 4th. I didn't need to ask why because when I stepped on the tee, it was obvious it was the course-defining hole. It's an uphill par 3 over a stream and natural rock wall to an elevated green guarded by a "ball swallowing" sand trap on the left. I was so mesmerized by its beauty and its intimidating back pin placement that I forgot to snap a photo with my camera.

A few holes later on the 7th, Gene commented that the next 3 holes are our answer to Amen Corner. I later found out that this was a southern golf expression to describe three challenging holes, conjuring up the three famous holes at Augusta National. The 7th was a demanding 425 yard par 4 that required an accurate tee shot. Followed by an intimidating par 3 that featured a table-top green with sunken front bunkers. The final stanza on the front was a 90 degree dog left with hazards galore from sand traps in play off the tee to a creek and sand protecting the 9th green.

The back nine continues with the same themes of rolling terrain, elevated greens and tees and absolutely beautiful scenery. The finishing hole is a steep 528 yard climb up a par 5 that plays longer than the score card indicates. Going for it in two is out of the question so pick your shots to avoid the 5 bunkers strategically placed on the hole.

More information:
Springfield Golf Club
639 Hambly House Lane
Fort Mill, SC 29715
803-548-3318 or toll free
www.leroysprings.com

Other Leroy Springs & Company, Inc. owned courses in the area.

The Springfield Golf Club and Ft. Mill Golf Club are approximately 5 minutes apart. The two courses are approximately 15 minutes from Charlotte. The Lancaster and Chester courses are about 30 minutes from each other and they are about 45 minutes from the two courses in Ft. Mill (The Springfield Golf Club and Ft. Mill Golf Club). Lancaster and Chester are approximately 45 minutes from Charlotte.

Fort Mill Golf Club
101 Country Club Drive
Fort Mill, SC 29715
803-547-2044

Legendary architect Donald Ross designed the front nine of this semi-private course in 1947. The back nine, designed by George Cobb, was opened 12 years later. The 6,826-yard course features a driving range and a fully-stocked pro shop. The fairways are cut out of Bermuda grass, while the greens feature Mini Verde Bermuda grass surfaces.

Lancaster Golf Club
1821 Spring Club Rd
Lancaster, SC 29720
803-416-4500

This semi-private course features a front nine that was designed by famed architect Donald Ross and opened in 1939. Russell Breedin renovated the front nine and was the architect on the back nine which opened in 1964. Facilities include practice range, bar & grill, practice putting green, practice chipping green, and practice sand bunker. The 6,538-yard layout consists of Bermuda grass fairways and Bent grass greens.

Chester Golf Club
770 Old Richburg Road
Chester, SC 29706
803-581-5733

The Chester Golf Club is located in rural Chester County 6 miles west of I-77 off of exit 62, only minutes from Charlotte or Columbia. The course, which opened in 1971, was designed by well known architect Russell Breeden. It has matured very well and is known to many as a "hidden gem."

More information on all courses can be found at www.leroysprings.com/.