Sunday, Mar. 14, 2010

Harbour Town once again rated state's top golf course

Harbour Town Golf Links, host of the Verizon Heritage, has been selected the top golf course in South Carolina by the South Carolina Golf Course Ratings Panel.

Harbour Town, at Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island, has been chosen the state's best since the panel, composed of 125 members from throughout the state, began its rankings in 2005.

"I could play Harbour Town every day and never get bored," former U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk said in 2008.

Similar stories:

• Golf column: Strand stands out on Golfweek's best list

  Golf column: Strand stands out on Golfweek's best list

  T he Grand Strand dominates the list of South Carolina courses in Golfweek's 2010 Best Courses You Can Play issue released last week.

  The issue lists noteworthy layouts in each state that are open for public play, and seven of the top 10 courses in South Carolina are on the Strand.

  Caledonia Golf & Fish Club is No. 3, The Dunes Golf and Beach Club is fifth, Tidewater Golf Club is sixth, True Blue Plantation is seventh, the TPC of Myrtle Beach is eighth, Barefoot Landing's Love Course is ninth and Legends Resort's Heathland Course is 10 th .

• Alaon Blondin on Grand Strand Golf: Winter weather the culprit of damaged greens

  Alaon Blondin on Grand Strand Golf: Winter weather the culprit of damaged greens

  O ne of the coldest and wettest winters of the past few decades in South Carolina took its toll on many courses across the state, including some on the Grand Strand.

  Particularly hard hit were Pine Lakes Country Club and Oyster Bay Golf Links, which are in the process of recovering from damaged greens.

  "What that number [of courses damaged by the cold winter] is I don't know, but it was enough to raise attention," said Tim Kreger, executive director of the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association.

• Area golf column: Dustin Johnson in good position to make Ryder Cup team

  Area golf column: Dustin Johnson in good position to make Ryder Cup team

  I n eight days, Myrtle Beach resident Dustin Johnson just might be a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup Team.

  Entering this week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club, Johnson holds the eighth and final automatic qualifying spot based on U.S. team points.

  The Bridgestone and next week's PGA Championship at Whistling Straights in Kohler, Wis., are the final two events that award 2010 Ryder Cup points.

• Area golf column: Appeal to delay Deer Track North redevelopment

  Area golf column: Appeal to delay Deer Track North redevelopment

  R etired circuit court judge Thomas Cooper, acting as a special referee approved by attorneys in a case involving the former Deer Track North Course, reaffirmed his February ruling in favor of course owners McCray Smith and Jerry Pettus, setting the stage for the owners to redevelop the property.

  But attorney David Miller of the Bellamy Law Firm, who represents approximately 450 homeowners around the course in a class-action lawsuit, said he will file an appeal that will likely prolong the case for at least another year.

  The appeal would be to the South Carolina Court of Appeals, and it would be heard and ruled on by a three-judge panel.

• David Feherty to take part in World Am

  David Feherty to take part in World Am

  One of golf's biggest personalities will be headlining entertainment at one of the game's biggest events and parties.

  David Feherty, CBS Sports golf analyst, Golf Magazine columnist, author and renowned funnyman, will be appearing at the "World's Largest 19 th Hole" on Sept. 2 as a part of the 27 th annual Golf.com World Amateur Handicap Championship. It is being played on more than 50 Grand Strand courses from Aug. 30 to Sept. 3.

  "I think Feherty is a perfect match for the Myrtle Beach golf consumer and especially for the World Amateur players," said Steve Mays, marketing director for marketing cooperative Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, which operates the event. "He shares a passion for the game like the World Am players."

The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Resort, which staged the 1991 Ryder Cup and will host the 2012 PGA Championship, climbed to second.

Although the order changed slightly, the same courses from 2008 composed this year's top 10, which were announced Saturday night at the panel's awards dinner at Seabrook Island Resort.

"There are so many outstanding courses that you're really splitting hairs," said Michael Whitaker, the organization's executive director.

Sage Valley Golf Club in Graniteville finished third in the balloting, followed by May River Golf Club at Palmetto Bluff, Greenville Country Club's Chanticleer Course, Long Cove Club in Hilton Head, Secession Golf Club in Beaufort, the Dunes Golf & Beach Club in Myrtle Beach, Kiawah Island Club's Cassique Course and Yeamans Hall Club in Hanahan.

Architects of the top courses represent a Who's Who in the field. Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus combined on Harbour Town, and Dye designed the Ocean Course and Long Cove. Nicklaus also has May River to his credit. Robert Trent Jones Sr. produced the Dunes and Chanticleer.

Others include Tom Fazio (Sage Valley), Bruce Devlin (Secession), Tom Watson (Cassique) and Seth Raynor (Yeamans Hall).

Kiawah Island Golf Resort earned top honors among state golf resorts. Sea Pines placed second with Palmetto Bluff, Barefoot (North Myrtle Beach), Grande Dunes (Myrtle Beach) and Wild Dunes (Isle of Palms) following. Grande Dunes and Wild Dunes tied for fifth.

The Cliffs at Keowee Springs, a Fazio design which opened in 2009, debuted at No. 31. Four of the Cliffs' courses earned places in the top 50 and are ranked Nos. 3-6 among upstate courses.

Renovations helped Haig Point Club on Daufauskie Island jump 16 spots to No. 24. The Country Club of Spartanburg, which also was revamped, made the rankings for the first time at No. 34.

The panel is composed of golf enthusiasts representing a diverse range of occupations, handicaps and background. The panel's objective is to promote excellence in the state's golf course design and operations through competitive ranking, education and public advocacy (the author is a member of the panel).

The best courses, public or private, are selected every other year (even-number years) and the best courses you can play are chosen in odd-numbered years. Criteria used in the judging include routing, variety, strategy, equity, memorability, aesthetics and experience.

Information on past rankings can be found at scgolfpanel.org.