Secession Golf Club---Beaufort, SC
Rankings as of January 16, 2010
-Ranked the 88th best modern course (Golfweek)
-Ranked the 11th best course in South Carolina (Golf Digest)
Secession is truly one of the great golf escapes. It is a private club located in the coastal region of South Carolina.
It is golf only…no pools, no tennis courts, no fancy frills, just golf. The clubhouse is very nice and understated.
Since the club is a national club, many of the members have pictures of their “home” clubs hanging on the walls.
Places like Pine Valley, Augusta National, Oakmont, and many more adorn the walls of this hang out area at this
golfing Mecca.
There are rooms at the clubhouse that visiting members can stay in while they are visiting and there are cottages
that can be rented. I had the great pleasure to stay in on the Blue-Grey Estates while visiting and let me just say, I
can not imagine a better golfing getaway cottage. In addition to 4 big bedrooms, a pool table, poker table, multiple
decks over looking a pond/lake, there were hickory clubs adorning the walls, authentic 1930’s clubs, persimmon
woods, and architectural drawings of the actual Secession Golf Club that could be studied while not actually playing
the course.
Concerning the golf course itself, it is a walking only links style course. Caddies are mandatory and add to the elite
level golfing retreat feel. Even though the weather in the region has seen a lot of rain around the time I played it,
the course still played relatively fast and firm. The course allowed many options regarding how to play shots and
the ground game is alive and well at Secession. It certainly plays true to its links style.
Time and time again, you will be facing down a forced carry over the marsh onto a small landing area which might
be a skinny fairway or small green. Either way, you need to bring your “A” game at Secession.
The greens are quite tricky. Quick in most spots and frequently odd shaped with what appears to be two distinct
locations for pins and approach shots.
One of the most eye catching elements of the course (in addition to the beautiful coastal/marshy views) is the
bunkering. Again, it seems true to the roots of golf and the Scottish style of the game with the pot bunkering.
Combining the coastal nature of the course, the fast and firm conditions, and the pot bunkering you have true great
golf experience that produces a very special golf getaway feeling.
The design of the course began with Pete Dye but ended with Bruce Devlin. It is rated 70.9/132 and plays about
6,500 yards from the Stuart tees, which were the ones I played.
Rankings as of January 16, 2010
-Ranked the 88th best modern course (Golfweek)
-Ranked the 11th best course in South Carolina (Golf Digest)
Secession is truly one of the great golf escapes. It is a private club located in the coastal region of South Carolina.
It is golf only…no pools, no tennis courts, no fancy frills, just golf. The clubhouse is very nice and understated.
Since the club is a national club, many of the members have pictures of their “home” clubs hanging on the walls.
Places like Pine Valley, Augusta National, Oakmont, and many more adorn the walls of this hang out area at this
golfing Mecca.
There are rooms at the clubhouse that visiting members can stay in while they are visiting and there are cottages
that can be rented. I had the great pleasure to stay in on the Blue-Grey Estates while visiting and let me just say, I
can not imagine a better golfing getaway cottage. In addition to 4 big bedrooms, a pool table, poker table, multiple
decks over looking a pond/lake, there were hickory clubs adorning the walls, authentic 1930’s clubs, persimmon
woods, and architectural drawings of the actual Secession Golf Club that could be studied while not actually playing
the course.
Concerning the golf course itself, it is a walking only links style course. Caddies are mandatory and add to the elite
level golfing retreat feel. Even though the weather in the region has seen a lot of rain around the time I played it,
the course still played relatively fast and firm. The course allowed many options regarding how to play shots and
the ground game is alive and well at Secession. It certainly plays true to its links style.
Time and time again, you will be facing down a forced carry over the marsh onto a small landing area which might
be a skinny fairway or small green. Either way, you need to bring your “A” game at Secession.
The greens are quite tricky. Quick in most spots and frequently odd shaped with what appears to be two distinct
locations for pins and approach shots.
One of the most eye catching elements of the course (in addition to the beautiful coastal/marshy views) is the
bunkering. Again, it seems true to the roots of golf and the Scottish style of the game with the pot bunkering.
Combining the coastal nature of the course, the fast and firm conditions, and the pot bunkering you have true great
golf experience that produces a very special golf getaway feeling.
The design of the course began with Pete Dye but ended with Bruce Devlin. It is rated 70.9/132 and plays about
6,500 yards from the Stuart tees, which were the ones I played.
