Founders Club at St. James Plantation
St James, North Carolina 28461
Brunswick County
Phone(s): (910) 477-8500
Fax: (910) 253-3014
Website: www.theclubsatstjames.com
They changed the name of The Gauntlet to The Founders, but the name change didn't make the course any easier. It's deserved: average golfers will find more than their match here. Architect P.B. Dye designed the green complexes here with something ethereal in mind.
"I think he was smoking something," joked Founders head pro Rob Brothers. It isn't the length, 6,863 yards from the back tees, that does you in, though it's longer than most courses along the Grand Strand. The fairways are wide, but once you approach the greens, the long, strange ride begins. There are nasty bunkers, deep and foreboding, and many of the bentgrass greens drop off sharply. Some of them drop off n all sides, into other nasty hazards, including an abundance of water on the back nine.
Mother Nature has her say: when the tide rolls in, the water hazards get bigger, and the wind can get wild in the afternoons.
Golf course details
- Holes: 18
- Designed by: Greg Letsche, P. B. Dye
- Public/Private: Semi-Private
- Year opened: 1991
- Golf Season: Year round
- Guest Policy: Open
- Tee times welcomed: Yes
- Fairways: Bermuda Grass
- Greens: Bent Grass
Facilities
- Pro in house: Yes
- Driving range: Yes
- Rental clubs: Yes
- Rental carts: Yes
Green fees price ranges
- Week days: $70 - $80
- Weekends: $70 - $80
Course policies
- Metal spikes allowed: No
- Dress code: Proper golf attire required.
- Credit cards accepted: VISA, MasterCard Welcomed
Length, slope and rating for each tee
Tee | Par | Yardage | Slope | Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|
I | 72 | 6863 | 137 | 74.1 |
IV | 72 | 5104 | 116 | 65.2 |
II | 72 | 6279 | 128 | 71.1 |
III | 72 | 5776 | 124 | 68.9 |
V (W) | 72 | 4765 | 121 | 68.3 |
III (W) | 72 | 5776 | 134 | 74.4 |
IV (W) | 72 | 5104 | 125 | 70.1 |
V | 72 | 4765 | 113 | 63.7 |
II/III | 72 | 6066 | 126 | 70.4 |
III/IV | 72 | 5438 | 119 | 66.8 |
V/VI | 72 | 4236 | 111 | 62.3 |
V/VI (W) | 72 | 4236 | 115 | 65.6 |
VI | 72 | 3886 | 106 | 60.9 |
VI (W) | 72 | 3886 | 106 | 63 |
I only heard about this place after meeting up with an old buddy of mine from the Army. Never heard of it before. But by golly, I'll be coming here a LOT more after discovering this hidden jewel. You have to see it for yourself to truly understand. Pictures don't do justice.
One word of warning-this course is not for the faint of heart. It is challenging!