Scot Sherman has started a restoration of the golf course at Camden Country Club in the South Carolina Sandhills.

“The course is one of a handful where both Walter Travis and Donald Ross have worked – beginning over 100 years ago,” said Sherman. 

Originally known as Kirkwood Links, Travis designed the 18-hole course in 1922 as a new amenity for the adjacent Kirkwood Hotel. According to Sherman, Travis created sand greens with contour, a design element that was not widely seen in the South at the time. As golf grew in the South, turfgrass greens became the standard, so Kirkwood Links decided to cultivate turf on their layout. Since Travis had passed away in 1927, the club reached out to Ross in 1939 when considering a redesign. Ross had a light workload that year, so he was able to spend a lot of time overseeing construction at the new Camden club.

Camden CC was originally known as Kirkwood Links, with Walter Travis’ 18-hole layout being built in 1922 next to Kirkwood Hotel (Photo: Camden Country Club)

For the 1939 redesign, Ross used some of Travis’ concepts and features, especially in relation to the greens. “This mixture of Travis and Ross influence truly makes Camden’s course unique,” said Sherman. “I have been fortunate to work on several Ross courses, and this layout is special. It is a study in exquisite routing, strategy, aesthetics, simplicity and a timeless challenge on every putting surface. When coupled with the wonderful site set among the Sandhills region of South Carolina, this is a course worth restoring, preserving and showcasing – its design will easily stand the test of time.

“So far, the club has focused on turf conditions and restoration of native sandy areas. Looking ahead, the club has a wealth of original Ross and Travis sketches and plans. So, the scope of the restoration and construction project includes study of these historic documents to determine the path forward. From there, all greenside bunkers will be restored first, fairway bunkers will then be restored in a following phase. [All bunkers will feature liner from Better Billy Bunker.] During this process the native sandy areas, wiregrass and broomsedge will be infused into the layout on an ongoing basis. Finally, after much consideration and study, the greens will be regrassed in the last phase.”

A Donald Ross sketch of the fifth green, one of many sketches that Sherman has at his disposal for this restoration (Image: Camden Country Club)

Environmental Landscaping, Inc., based in South Carolina, is under way with the first phase of work, with the second beginning in summer 2026. Golf course superintendent Nick Price is overseeing the project for the club.