You may or may not know, but I played college golf for the shortest of stints at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia before I moved on to Clemson.
While I was on the college golf team we had quite a few courses in the area that were considered our home courses. I want to take some time to talk a little bit about them. These blurbs will serve as my reviews of the courses since I don’t anticipate getting back to take any pictures.
In addition to the Macon courses, I wanted to highlight my two “home courses” from my time at Clemson even though I didn’t play college golf there. I hope you enjoy.
Barrington Hall Golf Club
We played this course quite a bit since it was relatively close to campus. Funny enough, once my career ended in my freshman year I ended up working here through my sophomore year so I got quite a few rounds in on this track.
I really enjoyed working with the pro, Hal. He ended up taking me to a Masters practice round and getting me Tour Championship tickets. Needless to say, I enjoyed both of those experiences.
The course was opened in the early 90’s. It has some solid holes, but also some funky ones. I can’t speak much to the current conditioning since I haven’t played it in 11 years. Some of the reviews online were not spectacular. I can say it was usually in decent shape when I was there.
Healy Point Country Club
This Gary Player course was our private club home. It was usually in excellent shape and was a challenging course.
The most memorable hole for me was the par 5 third that played around a large pond. I also remember the 18th which has water all around and is an excellent example of target golf. You have to make a decision on your tee shot that will affect the rest of the hole. Overall this is a solid track that will challenge most players.
The clubhouse is quite nice and it always felt like a relaxing Southern club.
Houston Lake Country Club
We only played this course a couple of times and I honestly don’t remember much about it. I would suggest checking out their website.
Oakview Golf & Country Club
I won’t hold back on this one. This is one of my least favorite courses I have played. The first hole is ridiculous in my opinion and there are others that are funky. The conditioning of the course was never very good. Now I believe that I always need to see something myself to make a decision, but if you want my advice just skip this course.
Riverside Golf Club
This is another course I don’t feel qualified to discuss. When I was there it was a normal public course. It was nothing fancy, but I remember most of the holes being fair. It wasn’t ever tricked up.
It has since undergone a massive renovation to take the course private. I am not sure how that went, but I can only imagine it made the course that much better. I would like to see this one again if possible.
Boscobel Golf Club
This golf course was my first employer in the Clemson area. Being a college student on a budget I still needed to work at a course to take advantage of the free rounds and take advantage I did!
The course is quite short, but that does not mean it is a pushover. It traditionally has some of the fastest greens in the area. I have seen many people putt balls off of greens. There are plenty of birdie opportunities throughout the course, but plenty of doubles also lurk.
Some of my favorite holes are the par fives. I can get to at least two of them in two. Their true test lies in the greens where you will have some of the hardest putts you have ever faced. I definitely recommend this track if you are visiting Clemson.
The Walker Course at Clemson University
This is the official home course of the golf team. You get decent rates here as a student as well. It is a fun college golf course with some challenging holes. The course’s best feature is that a few holes play along Lake Hartwell providing some scenic views.
The most notable hole is the par three seventeenth. It is on the lakeshore and has bunkering around the green to resemble a tiger paw when looking overhead.
My favorite hole is the par five sixteenth. It plays from an elevated tee that gives you a view of the lake and other holes on the course. You can really bomb a tee shot from here. There is plenty of room off the tee and the view fills you with confidence.
Keep in mind that on game days they use the driving range as a parking lot. On fall Saturdays everything takes a backseat to Clemson football. Go Tigers!!!