The Golf Club at Wescott Plantation in North Charleston a convenient, user-friendly play

By Brandon Tucker,
Senior Writer

View large image | More photos

The eighth hole at Wescott Plantation in North Charleston is a short par 3 playing over water. (Brandon Tucker/GolfPublisher.com)

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. - One of the Charleston area's newest golf courses has steadily gained a reputation as a solid play among locals and visitors looking for a quick round of golf near their airport hotel or before they hit the skies.

Though The Golf Club at Wescott Plantation won't blow you away in any particular category, it offers a suitable mix of positives: a convenient location in North Charleston, solid golf course conditions and a playable design for any handicap, with just enough tricks to keep things interesting for everyone - enough so to be a favorite of corporate golf outings and local players.

"It's well-groomed for $50," said local 18-handicapper Billy Mitchell, who plays here regularly and takes advantage of the discounted rate for South Carolina residents. "It's not overly difficult either. I'm a 100 shooter, and I know when I come out here I have a shot at breaking 100."

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If you go

Golf Club At Wescott Plantation - Burn Kill Course in Summerville

5000 Wescott Club Dr
Summerville, South Carolina 29485
Dorchester County
United States

( no ratings ) | Tee Times

Golf Club At Wescott Plantation - Black Robin Course in Summerville

5000 Wescott Club Dr
Summerville, South Carolina 29485
Dorchester County
United States

( no ratings ) | Tee Times

Golf Club At Wescott Plantation - Oak Forest Course in Summerville

5000 Wescott Club Dr
Summerville, South Carolina 29485
Dorchester County
United States

( no ratings ) | Tee Times

• River Club on the Ashley - Semi-Private in Summerville
• Legend Oaks Golf Club in Summerville
• Coosaw Creek Country Club - Semi-Private in North Charleston
• Eagle Landing Golf Club - Semi-Private in Hanahan
• Yeamans Hall Country Club - Private in Hanahan

That doesn't make Wescott Plantation a gimmie course by any means for lower handicaps. The blue and black tees are plenty long enough for any hitter, and the Burn Kill/Black Robin combination combines for a stiff 74.3 rating. The course opened in 2001 and features a long, modern yardage. There are five sets of tees, and the blacks can play as long as 7,200 yards, depending on the combination you play. There isn't a great deal of visible land moving, many of the holes take on their natural contouring and several have almost no contour.

Michael Hurdzan designed all three nines, and the Black Robin sets itself apart from Burn Kill and Oak Forest. It's the tightest and most difficult of the nines, though its yardage is comparable to its neighbors.

The Black Robin's difficulty is in its many opportunities for high numbers. Most holes are lined on either side by woods or wetlands, and doglegs around landing zones mean alignment and distance control are key. One member of our foursome watched an otherwise solid nine-hole score go down the drain after carding a 10 on the par-5 fifth hole, thanks to three shots that found the woods.

The par-5 ninth hole is another sneaky-tough hole. Its yardage, 486-532 yards, tempts longer hitters to go for it in two, but the fairway bottles up the further it goes, and hitting driver is a risky play.

Back-to-back solid holes on the Oak Forest make for some of the most memorable holes at Wescott. The seventh is a sharp dogleg right par 5 that requires two near-perfect shots to reach the elevated green. The shorter par-3 eighth hole plays with a small lake running along the left, but a tree guards a right-hand side bailout.

Wescott Plantation: The Verdict

Wescott Plantation is a serviceable, well-maintained option in the North Charleston area just minutes from the airport. It won't blow you away like Charleston's top golf courses on Kiawah Island or Wild Dunes, but mid-to-high handicappers will enjoy its wide fairways, straightforward playability and modest pricing. Low handicappers will appreciate good course conditions tee to green and a championship yardage.

The club has facilities that can especially cater to big events, with three separate nines, large practice grounds and a spacious, banquet-ready clubhouse.

Peak season rates for non-residents top out at $89.

Where to stay in Charleston

Be sure to stay in downtown Charleston, about 20 minutes from North Charleston, so you can be in the heart of all the action. This historic and vibrant city is regarded as one of America's friendliest, and there's no shortage of shops, world-class seafood restaurants and hopping bars at night. The Renaissance Hotel is within walking distance of it all on Wentworth Street. It's the newest upscale hotel in the historic district but captures the charm of Old Charleston. Rooms feature spacious bathrooms with exceptional showers, and there is a hearty breakfast served each morning. A workout facility and pool is onsite, and valet parking is available to all guests.

If you're looking to stay near the airport, the North Charleston Inn provides easy access to the major freeways and is just around the corner from the airport. It also features a hot breakfast and a pretty courtyard with plenty of plant life and an outdoor pool.

Fast Fact

Wescott Plantation hosted the season-ending NGA Hooters Pro Golf Tour event in September.

More photos

October 26, 2007

Brandon Tucker is a Senior Writer and Special Projects Editor for the WorldGolf.com Network, where he contributes not only golf and travel articles, but photo essays, videos and more. His golf travels have taken him across the U.S., including more than 50 Myrtle Beach-area golf courses, and to such destinations as Scotland, Wales, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany and Malaysia.

Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management.