South Carolina's Tega Cay on the comeback trail

By Shane Sharp,
Contributor

TEGA CAY, S.C. -- It was just five years ago, but it feels like a lifetime to long-time Tega Cay Golf Club head professional Dean Sigmon. The fairways of his venerable 18-hole, mountain-style golf course were browning out, the bunkers were in disrepair and the clubhouse could have been mistaken for an edifice from "That 70's Show."

"We had gotten to the point where we were like, 'who is going to come and play Tega Cay?'" says Sigmon. "We knew we weren't going to survive on just local play. We were built in 1971 and here it was 1998 and nothing had been done to modernize the golf course. We were going through some ownership changes and money was tight."

Money no longer appears to be an issue. A recent ownership change has breathed new life into the Tega Cay Golf Club, and duffers from Huntersville to Rock Hill, S.C. are taking notice. Gone is the antiquated clubhouse. In its place is a new, traditionally styled structure that opened in May 2002. Rounding out the physical plant improvements is the "Champions" Pavilion, which opened last November to host group outings, cookouts, and other functions.

The $5 million Renaissance began two years ago with the opening of the Grande View Nine - a roller coaster layout that has since become the crown jewel of the property. The Pines Nine - part of the club's original 18-hole layout - was outfit last summer with new greens, tee boxes, cart paths, and pine groves. A new practice center opened along with the Champions Pavilion, and even the bunkers on the Cove Nine were outfit with new sand.

"This is the new Tega Cay," Sigmon says. "We are ready to compete with the other high-end daily fee and semi-private courses around Charlotte. The niche here, I think, will be our service. Our Carolina Charm service program makes sure that every golfer is treated like a member. We try to meet all their needs from the time they pull up to the bag drop to the time we clean their clubs."

And there's plenty to enjoy in between. The Grande View Nine starts with a dramatic, downhill par 4 that sets the tone for the entire 3216-yard layout. The elevated tee box is perched over a fairway that narrows to nape at the landing area. A small lake in front of a bulkheaded green provides some drama on the approach shot and keeps long knockers from going for the green off the tee.

The next two holes -- a drivable par 4 and a short, downhill par 3 - give golfers a legitimate shot at a low number from the get-go. The best two holes on the Grande View, however, might be the two par 5s, No. 7 and No. 8. The seventh is the shorter of the three-shotters at 477 yards from the back tees. The hole's length, elevated tee box and downhill approach make it the best birdie opportunity on the nine. The eighth is a bit stouter at 500 yards, and is virtually impossible to reach in two because of the sharp dogleg right.

"Almost everyone who plays here wants to take a stab at the Grade View course," says Sigmon. "All told there are seven elevated tee boxes, so it is like playing mountain golf without having to go to the mountains."

The Pines Nine is a bit more conventional than the Grande View Nine, but still manages plenty of elevation changes, uphill approach shots, and tight doglegs. The most notable aspect of the layout is its bunkers - or lack thereof. As part of the recent remodeling, all sand traps were removed and replaced with grass. The Pines Nine offers enough challenge without them, especially around the severely sloped green complexes.

"Most players don't seem to miss them," muses Sigmon. "I think the course functions better without them, and it makes maintenance that much easier."

The town of Tega Cay is just a 20-minute drive south of downtown Charlotte via I-77 south, and the golf club is tucked along the banks of Lake Wylie. The course is open to the public, year round, and discounted rates are available for Tega Cay residents. Individual and family memberships are also available, as are discounted season ticket booklets.

Directions: Take I-77 south to exit 88 and take a right off exit ramp onto Gold Hill Road. Continue 3 miles to second light. Continue straight through light to Tega Cay entrance and veer right at entrance onto Tega Cay Drive. Clubhouse and Golf Club are 1.5 miles on the left at Molokai Drive.

January 13, 2003

Shane Sharp is the National PR Director for Buffalo Communications, a golf and lifestyle media agency. He was a writer, senior writer and managing editor of TravelGolf.com from 1997 to 2003.