Having just completed a delightful three day Lowcountry Golf Cruise I thought I would take a few moments and share various observations from the experience.
The Inn at Palmetto Bluff near Hilton Head Island is a special place. It is understated, casual, comfortable with a myriad of amenities, including an excellent Nicklaus designed golf course. In many ways it feels like a more intimate Cloister Hotel (Sea Island) experience. The May River Golf Course which sits alongside the Inn is a delight to play. Unquestionably better than a resort course as it meanders through old growth tress and alongside tidal marshes. The facility also provides an excellent caddie program in conjunction with Caddiemaster, which for me is always a strong indication of a pending superior golf experience.
The town of Beaufort, S.C. which was the filming location for much of the movie Forrest Gump is a delightful, Lowcountry coastal river town. With a unique location which provides deep water access and mooring it has a charm and ambiance that is a delight to encounter. It is a ideal stop on a journey such as we made for it has appeal to both golfers and non golfers alike.
It is somewhat unusual to take six people as we had on this trip, from various aspects of the golf industry and in any given geographic region play two courses which none of the group have ever played…but that is what we did with May River and Chechessee Creek. I have heard much about this Coore/Crenshaw design over the years and was delighted to finally play it. It is a terrific walking course, challenging for all levels of golfer…one of these courses you could play every day and not get bored. It would not beat you up unduly and one that to which I would gladly return. The clubhouse, while similar to May River, in a very traditional Lowcountry style, is slightly more low key…but all very comfortable.
One of the very interesting aspects of Chechessee Creek was their relationship with the Outpost Club which is a recently formed Golf Society in keeping with the traditions of those in the British Isles. They are taking the concept one step farther however by building the Outpost Lodge at Chechessee Creek, adjacent to the clubhouse. The lodge has 12 en suite bedrooms and is available for both Outpost members and Chechessee Creek members to book for overnight accommodations.
My interest is peeked from a business sense and how these two concepts will co-exist in harmony. These are challenging times in the golf industry and for private clubs in particular. Chechessee Creek for whatever reason had not gained the membership levels required as we entered the recent choppy economic waters and this relationship with the Outpost Club is certainly thinking outside the box. Both entities are attractive and appealing to different golfers in their own right. Both can deliver value and experience for people with differing needs…the challenge as I see it is how the respective memberships and staff’s work together and communicate, understanding and respecting the needs of each other, while recognizing that together they are much more viable than separately. I applaud their innovation and wish them well.
The glue that holds this travel experience together is Freedom. She is a delight to sail on board. For a group of 4 couples, she is ideal with plenty of public space to relax and enjoy the vistas surrounding you. The crew were outstanding. The food creatively prepared and designed with the individual preferences of the passengers in mind.
In closing, a wonderful experience that can be customized to fit the needs of the group. More images may be viewed here. Details of our Lowcountry Golf program may be viewed at our website.
About the Author: Gordon Dalgleish is the Co-Founding Director of PerryGolf, the leading provider of international golf vacations. You can find him on Google+
