Smithfields Country Club – Played June 2021
- Rankings: None of my four lists
- Location: 100 Pine Ridge Drive, Easley, South Carolina
- Year: 1984
- Original Architect: William Lewis
- Course Access: Private
- Walking Rules: Carts Available
Score Card Information:
- Black: 6,796 yards, Par 72, 73.5 Rating/137 Slope
- Blue: 6,516 yards, Par 72, 72.0 Rating/133 Slope
- White: 6,145 yards, Par 72, 70.3 Rating/130 Slope
- Yellow: 5,471 yards, Par 72, 67.9 Rating/119 Slope
- Red: 5,069 yards, Par 72, 69.8 Rating/120 Slope
I played Smithfields Country Club a couple times back in my high school days in matches against Easley High School. They fielded some very solid teams then and they were always competitive matches.
Flash forward to today and Smithfields Country Club is a reciprocal club with my home club. Since our club has Bent grass greens and Smithfields employs Bermuda grass, the aeration schedules are different. My buddy Fred and I took advantage of this to visit once our club punched the greens. We got out on a steamy Friday so I could finally take photos of this challenging driving golf course.
Hole 1 – 355 yards – Par 4
You can see from the photo below that your round will be challenging off the tee. This will be a theme for the entire day. In my opinion, the trees are overgrown and need to be managed more. There is a bit of room on the left that is out of sight.
Hole 2 – 418 yards – Par 4
It’s hard to find this fairway with anything but a really accurate tee shot. The trees are in play on each side and can really block you out.
Hole 3 – 424 yards – Par 4
Here’s one of the most open tee shots. You really feel as if you can let one go on this straightaway hole.
Hole 4 – 366 yards – Par 4
It’s all about precision with the tee ball here. Too far down the fairway and trees come into play. The farther up the left with a draw you can go the better.
Hole 5 – 486 yards – Par 5
With a fairway that slopes from right to left and a dogleg right bend, the fade is best here if you’re playing a driver. If you hit the fairway, the second shot is a green light special.
Hole 6 – 194 yards – Par 3
The green is a big target on this par 3, but beware because OB lurks just right of the green. Smithfields Country Club is well-known locally for a crazy amount of OB.
Hole 7 – 326 yards – Par 4
Fred is a long hitter and went for this green. Too bad it hit a path and we never found it. I played the conventional way but still had a tough putt on the tiered green.
Hole 8 – 176 yards – Par 3
The encroaching trees make a left to right shot pretty tough here. This is a good example of the tree management needs.
Hole 9 – 523 yards – Par 5
I hit driver at the right section of those trees and we never found it. It’s a silly tee shot. You need to keep it up the left and then avoid the pond fronting the green.
Hole 10 – 404 yards – Par 4
You can see it all here in this tee shot photo. It plays all uphill after you leave the elevated tee.
Hole 11 – 158 yards – Par 3
This par 3 stood out as different from the others. The green is partially obscured and a narrow target. I liked the look of it.
Hole 12 – 422 yards – Par 4
You’ll want to keep it up the right side with the left sloping fairway. Other than that, this one is nondescript.
Hole 13 – 503 yards – Par 5
A good drive can run for days here. Make sure to keep it up the right side as you can get into trees on the left.
Hole 14 – 299 yards – Par 4
This is the most interesting hole at Smithfields Country Club. Go for it or lay up? Both options can yield birdies or bogeys aplenty.
Hole 15 – 207 yards – Par 3
Step up and hit a good here or you’ll be diving into the bag for another ball.
Hole 16 – 501 yards – Par 5
This is the most ridiculous hole for sure. It’s a hard dogleg right, but it’s tough to hit driver. If you lay back too far a tree blocks out your second shot. It requires far too much precision and luck. No thank you!
Hole 17 – 360 yards – Par 4
This hole shares a tee with the first hole. Thankfully it is a large teeing ground and you can move around to get a better angle with the overhanging trees.
Hole 18 – 394 yards – Par 4
The landing area is blind, so it’s helpful to know it bends slightly to the right. With a big green, you should be able to get a birdie putt.
If you sensed some things I don’t like about Smithfields Country Club, you’re correct. It needs tree removal/management and there is far too much OB with the residential setting. On the other hand, your handicap will travel pretty well if you’re a member. The greens were in really good shape as was the rest of the course. If you like a challenge, check it out. I always say you should make your own opinions of golf courses!