Charlotte NC to Greenville, SC trip recommendations.

[Bamm]

Going to drive down with a few buddy's for Discapalooza '18.
Picking up one guy at the airport in Charlotte. Might play one course local to that. Then down 85 to Spartansburg/Greenville.

What courses would you play? What courses would you avoid?

Here's some background info.

5 guys. Average to decent players. No "big" arms, prefer wooded/mix courses. (plus it's in late June, shade helps). Elevation changes are not a hindrance.

Schedule:
Thursday Morning: Charlotte Airport (Headed to I-85)
Thursday Afternoon: Spartansburg/Greenville Area (Have an apartment in Grenville that night)
Friday:Greenville/Spartansburg Area (within 30ish mile range of this anyway)
Saturday:Greenville headed back to Charlotte for return flight that afternoon

Thanks!.......................jb:thmbup:

 

[markmanchette]

I don't know if RL Smith is still open, for sure, but it is about two miles from the airport. It's a "mountainesque" course with some elevation, boulders in the creek, etc.

If it is closed, I'd recommend Hornet Nest. Probably 15 minutes away from the airport.

 

[melo]

I can't help, but I'm moving to Greenville next month, so I'm commenting to follow the recommendations.

 

[Bamm]

I don't know if RL Smith is still open, for sure, but it is about two miles from the airport. It's a "mountainesque" course with some elevation, boulders in the creek, etc.

If it is closed, I'd recommend Hornet Nest. Probably 15 minutes away from the airport.

R.L. Smith is a solid course as well as Hornet's Nest. Play them every time we come down to the area. Thanks!:thmbup:

 

[tbird888]

I played Timmons, Va Du Mar, and Grand Central Station in the G'ville/S'burg area when I was there last. I enjoyed them all, but if I had to replay some, I'd pick Grand Central and Timmons (more like a longer, more interesting Winton). I know there are new courses in the area on top of that, but have you considered driving south to Newberry to spin Stoney Hill? Truly one of the highlights of that trip.

 

[Bamm]

I played Timmons, Va Du Mar, and Grand Central Station in the G'ville/S'burg area when I was there last. I enjoyed them all, but if I had to replay some, I'd pick Grand Central and Timmons (more like a longer, more interesting Winton). I know there are new courses in the area on top of that, but have you considered driving south to Newberry to spin Stoney Hill? Truly one of the highlights of that trip.

Possibility. Would have to check with the guys and David to see if it's a possibility.
Any idea how long of a drive is it from Greenville to Stoney Hill?

 

[tbird888]

It's around two hours. I'd recommend a morning round at Grand Central, lunch at a bbq joint, and a nice relaxing drive south. It's not really much difference in drive back to Charlotte either. It's just backroads instead of highway.

 

[DavidSauls]

Charlotte is a world unto itself. Lots of great choices, be careful or you'll never get out of town. R.L. Smith (if it hasn't closed yet) and Winget (Plantation Ruins) are very fun courses, without being too brutal.

Greenville-Spartanburg has a bunch, too. I'd recommend Pipeline and Shoally Creek (Va-Du-Mar) in Spartanburg; Pipeline is beautiful, very hilly, wooded; Shoally Creek (used to be Va-Du-Mar, I don't know how it's listed here) has excellent variety of open and woods, and 2 sets of tees. Neither is killer-tough.

In Greenville, Grand Central Station is an excellent course with lots of variety. Timmons is an extremely fun short course, and might be just what you're looking for.

There are more in Greenville-Spartanburg, but I'd make sure you hit those.

Stoney Hill? We're about 1:15 down the road, and then a 2 hour trip to Charlotte---with a choice of interstate or pretty backroads, it's almost identical driving time, either way. It would have to be Saturday morning, with reservations. There are two overlapping layouts; I've been told to quit calling the Garnet Layout the "easy" one, but it's the "less hard" one and might suit. HOWEVER, if you're talking about THIS week (as in, starting tomorrow), be forewarned that a tractor breakdown followed by weeks of rain has left the course ragged; it's not unplayable, but parts of it have knee-high grass (other parts have been mown, and there's no grass in on the wooded holes).

 

[Streets]

Bamm! PM me and I'll try my best to meet you guys!

 

[Bamm]

Charlotte is a world unto itself. Lots of great choices, be careful or you'll never get out of town. R.L. Smith (if it hasn't closed yet) and Winget (Plantation Ruins) are very fun courses, without being too brutal.

Thanks David. Over the years we have played a huge amount of the courses in the Charlotte area. This year we decided to venture further south to the Greenville area and explore new ground. RL and Winget are some of our favorites and will definitely be in the mix for the Charlotte course.

Greenville-Spartanburg has a bunch, too. I'd recommend Pipeline and Shoally Creek (Va-Du-Mar) in Spartanburg; Pipeline is beautiful, very hilly, wooded; Shoally Creek (used to be Va-Du-Mar, I don't know how it's listed here) has excellent variety of open and woods, and 2 sets of tees. Neither is killer-tough.
In Greenville, Grand Central Station is an excellent course with lots of variety. Timmons is an extremely fun short course, and might be just what you're looking for.

Pipeline/Shoally/Timmons and GCS are all on my short list. Just wanted to make sure I had a few local's preferences as well. They all sound great.Which one of them should I schedule for Thursday afternoon and hope to get the other three in Friday?

There are more in Greenville-Spartanburg, but I'd make sure you hit those.

Of the courses not listed above, which is the next best in case one of these doesn't work out?

Stoney Hill? We're about 1:15 down the road, and then a 2 hour trip to Charlotte---with a choice of interstate or pretty backroads, it's almost identical driving time, either way. It would have to be Saturday morning, with reservations. There are two overlapping layouts; I've been told to quit calling the Garnet Layout the "easy" one, but it's the "less hard" one and might suit. HOWEVER, if you're talking about THIS week (as in, starting tomorrow), be forewarned that a tractor breakdown followed by weeks of rain has left the course ragged; it's not unplayable, but parts of it have knee-high grass (other parts have been mown, and there's no grass in on the wooded holes).

Saturday morning could be a definite possibility, it will depend on the return flight time out of Charlotte. It is scheduled for June 21st-23rd. If the guys think that Stoney Hill is something they want to try, I will give you a shout a week or so ahead of time if that's cool. Thanks for the advice guys!

 

[DavidSauls]

As for the 4 in Greenville-Spartanburg, it might be a matter of routing. Grand Central is furthest from Charlotte---on the far side of Greenville. The Spartanburg courses are on your way, and Shoally Creek is very convenient to I-85. It's the first one you can get to, so that might be the one for Thursday.

They've been building new courses like mad, so I don't know if I can give you a rundown of others in the area. Century Park (in Greer, between the two cities) has been completely re-designed since I played it, but people like it. Tyger River is a bit controversial; front 9 is short and wooded, back 9 is long and open. (It's somewhere between fairly good and very good, depending on who you ask). Foothills (in Easley; it might go by a different name) is another fun, fairly short course, with a disproportionate number of downhill throws---and uphill transitions walks, to earn them---but a bit confusing to navigate.

 

[DavidSauls]

Another option, particularly if you don't visit Stoney Hill, is to double back to Charlotte and play Camp Canaan on Saturday morning. It's in Rock Hill, a private course, only open on weekends. Assuming you haven't already played it on a Charlotte visit. It's one of my favorite courses, anywhere.

 

[sjberry2017]

Make the hour drive to Grand Central Station, and on the way there or back stop and play Foothills DGC in Easley (super close to Highway 123, no reason not to). I just moved to Memphis, but when I was going to Clemson I lived within a short walk of Grand Central and it is one of the best courses in SC. There are also five new, super tough holes, but the original 18 are still in place. The signage is all updated and new, and there was an A tier there May 19-20, so the course should still be in excellent shape. If driving an extra hour doesn't work for you, Pipeline in Spartanburg has a lot of shade and some super fun woods golf but a fewer longer holes (still a fun course, most of the longer holes are shorter shot combos anyways). Van-du-mar/Shoally Creek is also super fun. Timmons in Greenville is a great little course to wind down a day each day as well.

As far as breweries/food, 13 Stripes in Taylors is absolutely awesome, and Brewery 85 off of I85 in Greenville proper is super chill. While their taproom isn't the best, Thomas Creek is one of the OG SC breweries and worth the time. Food wise Barley's downtown Greenville has awesome pizza, the Velo Fellow is a somewhat quirky, off the beaten path type place with English/Scottish pub food, and Pour is a huge multi tap self serve beer/wine bar.

 

[BrotherDave]

**** Tyga River, that course sucks. Front 9 is wooded but short, easy and boring and the back 9 is just open fields of weeds. Pipeline, Grand Central Station and Shoally are waaaaaaaaay better.

What's this somber tone about RL Smith all about? Is it in RIP danger?

 

[DavidSauls]

What's this somber tone about RL Smith all about? Is it in RIP danger?

Some Charlottan can answer better, but apparently it's going to be shut down for some sort of construction, utility probably. I'm not clear if that means they're losing the whole course, or just part of it, in the long term. (Hornets Nest was gone for, what, a year or two? Then re-designed).


On the Charlotte facebook page recently, it said they are supposed to get a month's notice before it shuts down, and they haven't got that notice yet.

 

[Streets]

Make the hour drive to Grand Central Station, and on the way there or back stop and play Foothills DGC in Easley (super close to Highway 123, no reason not to). I just moved to Memphis, but when I was going to Clemson I lived within a short walk of Grand Central and it is one of the best courses in SC. There are also five new, super tough holes, but the original 18 are still in place. The signage is all updated and new, and there was an A tier there May 19-20, so the course should still be in excellent shape. If driving an extra hour doesn't work for you, Pipeline in Spartanburg has a lot of shade and some super fun woods golf but a fewer longer holes (still a fun course, most of the longer holes are shorter shot combos anyways). Van-du-mar/Shoally Creek is also super fun. Timmons in Greenville is a great little course to wind down a day each day as well.

As far as breweries/food, 13 Stripes in Taylors is absolutely awesome, and Brewery 85 off of I85 in Greenville proper is super chill. While their taproom isn't the best, Thomas Creek is one of the OG SC breweries and worth the time. Food wise Barley's downtown Greenville has awesome pizza, the Velo Fellow is a somewhat quirky, off the beaten path type place with English/Scottish pub food, and Pour is a huge multi tap self serve beer/wine bar.

I agree with all of this :hfive:

 

[Streets]

**** Tyga River, that course sucks. Front 9 is wooded but short, easy and boring and the back 9 is just open fields of weeds. Pipeline, Grand Central Station and Shoally are waaaaaaaaay better.

:clap::clap::clap:

I agree with your assessment of Tyger River.

Pipeline is probably my second favorite course in the Upstate.

 

[Streets]

I'd like to throw in Shave over in Seneca as well. Might be a bit more out of the way than you want but it's challenging and along with Timmons (Greenville) and Foothills (Easley) it's one of the Upstate's OG courses.

Also, Bamm's played Pipeline, I took him out there a few years ago!

 

[Bamm]

Thanks for the info guys! Hopefully setting the schedule this week. Much appreciated.....................jb

 

[Bamm]

Had a great trip! Played Holston (didn't take enough water for 27 holes:doh::\) then Century (nice little course). Friday had an awesome breakfast at Biscuit Head in Greenville then played Timmons (Great course), Foothills (Nice) and Grand Central Station. All three solid courses.
Saturday met my man Streets and we took down a three team doubles match at Pipeline and ended the weekend at Shoally.
The only course I wouldn't probably go back to play again would be Holston. Open, hot, nothing about it really sets it apart, nothing special. Not bad, just not special.

Thanks to all that gave us advice, you all knocked it out of the park!..............jb:thmbup: