Course at Cherokee Plantation

The course at Cherokee Plantation has been inspired by the great traditional links courses of Britain, still widely recognised as the most thorough test of skill and patience in the world of golf.

The greens are at the core of the design with great variation in flag positions - some easy and some extremely tricky. They have all been designed so that the ball can be run onto the green, many of the green surrounds being cut short to encourage a wide array of recovery shots. For once... [more]

The course at Cherokee Plantation has been inspired by the great traditional links courses of Britain, still widely recognised as the most thorough test of skill and patience in the world of golf.

The greens are at the core of the design with great variation in flag positions - some easy and some extremely tricky. They have all been designed so that the ball can be run onto the green, many of the green surrounds being cut short to encourage a wide array of recovery shots. For once, the power of the lob wedge will have limited application. The emphasis is on creativity in shot making. Firm, fast greens and slick surrounds will reward the accurate shot and punish the wayward.

The course, at under 7000 yards, is far from long, by modern standards, but with five par threes and with such emphasis on accurate approach play, the course will have its own stout defenses. A good course should challenge players to hit the full range of shots. With this in mind, it is important that golfers choose the correct tees from which to play.

The setting of the course is the plantation itself, the philosophy of the design being to blend the golf unobtrusively with the beautiful setting to preserve the character of Cherokee, as Olmsted intended. Bunkers have been kept to a minimum, a total of only 35 in all, although each one has been sited to introduce great strategic bearing on the holes. Defined in the rules of golf as hazards, the revetted (sod wall) bunkers at Cherokee are just that and are best avoided. Better players may, however, find that the fairway bunkers are often just beside where the ideal shot needs to be. Strategic golf is a game of risk and reward.

The grasses used in the rough are the native grasses of the region. Chosen for their appearance and their hardiness to withstand drought and heat, the can also be cut close enough to allow recovery shots to be played without endless searching for balls. The design of the greens punishes those not approaching from the correct angle, so position play will be of paramount importance. THe design intention is that corridor of playable grass should be wide enough for most players to enjoy the game free from deep rough. Areas out of play should look wild. Indeed, over all of the course, grass will be allowed to dry out when the weather permits - all of the selected grasses able to tolerate drought easily and to thrive in conditions where they are not overfed or over-watered. The ball should be allowed to run. Golf is played on grass not colour.

It is hoped the course will be as much fun to play as it was to design. Cherokee Plantation has long been recognised as being a special place. Time will tell if golfers agree.

Donald Steel and Tom Mackenzie - Golf Course Architects

  genem - 4/30/09
This is a VERY private FABULOUS course. We were the only players on the course. It get very little play because the club only has 17 members. AWSOME!!!