FROM THE NEWSROOM

Daniel Island Redefining
the Modern Golf Course Community

Retail, Business, School, Church Within Comfortable Walk,
Congestion-free
Drive in 4,000-Acre Island Town

TravelGolf.com Staff Report

CHARLESTON, S.C. (May 23, 2003) -- If the "good life" for some people means a comfortable lifestyle in a prestigious golf community, wouldn't an even better life also include practically everything else you might need in addition to golf? The developers of Daniel Island in Charleston, S.C., think so, and they're going to great lengths to provide it.

Daniel Island, a 4,000-acre island town situated between the Cooper and Wando rivers within the Charleston city limits, already boasts an acclaimed Tom Fazio-designed golf course, and work on a second private course, under the design direction of Rees Jones, is underway. But simply to label Daniel Island a "golf community" is to overlook everything else that makes it much more, including: a supermarket, bank, medical center, office buildings, a school and church - all within a comfortable walk or a congestion-free drive.

"In contrast to most golf developments, which are defined by a singular style of architecture and a network of streets circumnavigating the golf course, there's a sense of place here that defines a small town with much to offer beyond golf," said Matt Sloan, chief operating officer of The Daniel Island Company.

Daniel Island is a place where neighbors know neighbors, children ride bikes to school, and people actually sit on front porches. Distinctive neighborhoods feature a mix of home styles and prices, pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly landscaped streets and sidewalks that encourage neighborhood strolls and neighborly conversations.

The developers have planted more than 5,000 trees to replenish vegetation and created parks and green spaces that seem to pop up around most every bend in a tree-lined street. Whenever anyone feels a need to leave the island, historic downtown Charleston, rich with more than 300 years of history and charm and alive with a 21st century spirit, is just across the bridge.

"You get to know all of your neighbors on the island really quickly because the parks and the front porches draw people out of their homes," says resident Dale Gralski, who moved to Daniel Island with her husband from New York. "They really lend to the community feeling on the island."

That's exactly what Daniel Island's developers like to hear because it tells them their original concept is being embraced.

• Golfing in Charleston • Charleston course reviews • Charleston golf courses • Golf destination: Charleston

"Daniel Island represents a revival in the lost art of community-building," said Sloan. "Our emphasis is on a better place to live, work and play and a healthier lifestyle with more family time and less stress."

Of course, there's no denying the importance of golf to this urban tableau. The island's first course, a Tom Fazio-design, opened in November 2000 and was quickly named one of the top 40 real estate courses in America. Working with the Fazio design team, Daniel Island's planners made a conscious decision to shift the real estate/golf paradigm. By fronting many of the homes on the golf course, they were able to enhance the park-like feel of the community and preserve more backyard privacy for residents.

The island's second course is being built for members and guests of The Daniel Island Club, which boasts a 14-acre Golf Learning Center under the direction of former tour professional Ron Cerrudo.

"Golf on Daniel Island has its own character and feel," said Simons Cuthbert, the head golf professional. He attributes the distinctive quality to the width and placement of the golf holes, the massive trees, the open marshes along the fairways and the position of the holes along the expansive corridors of land. "It's a very memorable experience because the land and course are in such harmony."

Daniel Island is rich with history. It was first inhabited by members of the Etiwan Indian tribe and later by several prominent Charlestonians, including Robert Daniell, a governor of the Carolina colony. Long accessible only by boat, Daniel Island was farmland until most of the island was purchased in 1947 by the Guggenheim family as a fishing and hunting retreat. When Harry Frank Guggenheim died in1971, Daniel Island passed to the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation. In the early '90s, the Guggenheim Foundation sold the island to the Daniel Island Company, which is following the Foundation's master plan for the island's residential and commercial development.

"Our mandate is to develop responsibly," said Sloan. "But given the history and beauty of this land, I don't know how anyone could consider anything less."

Today Daniel Island is a traditional town, thoughtfully laid out and designed in accordance with the Foundation's guiding vision. It's also well connected to the 21st century, with its community-wide broadband fiber-optic network linking every home and building to the latest in video, data and telephone services.

In addition to the growing list of retail establishments, Daniel Island also includes a 10,000-seat tennis stadium, which is home to the Family Circle Cup; and Blackbaud Stadium, where the Charleston Battery professional soccer club plays its home matches. The island is also home to one of the state's most prestigious high schools (Bishop England), the quaint Providence Baptist Church (undergoing an expansion) and a growing list of businesses, including CIGNA Healthcare; Blackbaud, the world's largest not-for-profit software developer; and SunCom, a leader in wireless communications.

Of course, there's also the golf, which invites members along twisting tidal creeks and salt marshes and into some of the island's most picturesque scenery.

Sloan eschews the term "new urbanism" when asked to characterize the development philosophy. "New urbanism suggests there's a trend guiding our plans," he said. "I think Daniel Island is less about trends and more about combining modern convenience with the best of traditional planning philosophies. The result is a community that offers a quality of life well worth living."

For more information, contact Julie Dombrowski, The Daniel Island Company at (843) 971-3531 or visit danielisland.com.

Daniel Island Announces Second Golf Course

Distinguished Architect Rees Jones to Design Championship Layout within Charleston Island Town

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Rees Jones will soon be joining Tom Fazio on Daniel Island, giving the island town in historic Charleston its second 18-hole golf course designed by one of golf's most distinguished architects.

"The addition of a Rees Jones signature course on Daniel Island reinforces our commitment to the highest quality lifestyle we can provide our current and future residents and members," said Matt Sloan, chief operating officer of The Daniel Island Company, which is developing the 4,000-acre island town within the city of Charleston.

The 7,093-yard, par 72 Fazio-designed course opened on Daniel Island in November 2000 and has been ranked among the top 40 real estate courses in America. "A second golf course, complementing the style and challenge of the Fazio course, will enhance the total golf experience on Daniel Island," Sloan said. "The combination of these two courses makes Daniel Island a strong candidate for anyone considering premier golf course communities in the Southeast."

"I'm delighted to be able to add to what Tom has started here," said Jones, one of the world's foremost golf course designers for more than three decades. "We have our own styles but share many of the same philosophies; so I would imagine the two courses will be distinctive while having some common features."

Jones has designed or redesigned more than 100 courses, many of which are recognized as among the best in the game. Among his more notable projects are the design or remodeling of a number of courses that have hosted major championships and significant PGA Tour events, including the Black Course at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, N.Y., site of this year's U.S. Open; Hazeltine National G.C. in Chaska, Minn., site of this year's PGA Championship and East Lake G.C. in Atlanta, site of this year's TOUR Championship.

Looking across the salt marshes and creeks and at the impressive stands of huge live oak trees and park-like vistas that will define his work on Daniel Island, Jones sees a colorful and inviting opportunity. "To have a piece of land presented to you that is so close to a major population base, but at the same time is so completely unspoiled, is a rare opportunity these days. I'm sure we'll take advantage of the long views, the contrasting colors and areas where the land meets the water as much as possible to create a memorable, highly playable course," Jones said.

Sloan said Jones' style embodies the time-honored values consistent with Daniel Island. "Rees' philosophy fits very nicely with our desire to blend amenities into a relaxed community setting."

Jones and his design team will begin the planning and routing phase of the project this fall. Construction is anticipated to start early in 2004, targeting an opening date in early 2005.

The new course will rely on Jones' classic style with multiple shot options to complement the challenging Fazio course, which hosted a U.S. Open qualifier this spring.

"I'm interested in classic ideas, honest challenges and courses that are beautiful and enjoyable to play for everybody," Jones said. "The ultimate measure of success is building uncontrived courses that have enough variety and character to hold the golfer's interest round after round. Those are the courses that stand the test of time."

The site for the new course is within Daniel Island Park on the northern half of the island, adjacent to the Fazio course and near the 14-acre Golf Learning Center at the Daniel Island Club. Daniel Island Park is a neighborhood of distinctive custom homes built in the Lowcountry architectural style. Many homes in the neighborhood feature views of the water, marsh, woodlands, golf course and parks, giving the setting a strong "romance factor," Jones said.

Daniel Island Park, as well as five other neighborhoods in the master-planned community, is within minutes of a wide range of services and amenities, shopping and dining on the island. Daniel Island is also home to the Family Circle Cup women's tennis tournament and a world-class tennis facility, professional soccer, and a wealth of recreational opportunities including boating, fishing, swimming and biking. In addition, a modern medical center, Class A office space, a prestigious private high school and a church combine to give Daniel Island a vibrant sense of community within a self-sufficient, small-town atmosphere.

For more information regarding Daniel Island, visit danielisland.com.