King-Collins has been hired to design a new golf course on a dramatic site in the Sandhills of South Carolina.
The invitation-only, private 21 Golf Club will be built 15 miles from the city of Aiken on a rumpled landscape where sand dunes reach more than 150 feet high. There will be two courses, one designed by King-Collins, and a second that is at the planning stage.
“The topography and boldness of the land is unrivalled in the region,” said Tad King. “We are beyond excited to deliver bold, fun golf for Americans and others abroad to enjoy for many decades to come.”
Rob Collins said: “Nearly two years ago, owner Wes Farrell, Tad and I toured a number of sites across the southeast. Some were better than others, but nothing exceptional. Towards the end of a long day of fruitless exploration, we found ourselves on a rural road in Jackson, South Carolina. As Wes’s car climbed a hill, it was impossible not to notice the sand spilling onto the road. Once on top of the hill, we gazed out on an impossibly beautiful site of rollicking sandy terrain.
“A few ‘no trespassing’ signs later and we were standing in the middle of it, loudly wondering how this place existed. Thanks to Wes’s ingenuity and dogged determination, he was able to secure the site, but that was just the beginning. After 18 months of site analysis, routing tweaks and hard work, we’re ready to show the world 21 Golf Club.”
The first layout to be built is The Hammer, named after the match play game format. According to King and Collins, the Hammer course will demand boldness, creativity and skilful execution from players.
The designers are aiming to create “thrilling challenges and endless possibilities” for every hole. Their plans also include an additional, and reversible, three holes to decide matches not settled during the traditional 18-hole round.
The second course will be based on the original plans that Alister MacKenzie drafted in 1930 for the El Boquerón course in Argentina. MacKenzie’s course was to be located on Enrique Anchorena’s estate in the coastal city of Mar del Plata with 18 holes playing to nine double greens, but it was never built. Planning for the MacKenzie course will begin once the Hammer layout is complete.
“Opportunities of this stature in the world of golf course architecture are precious few,” said Collins. “The land upon which 21 Golf Club sits is a geologic anomaly in the southeastern United States. The combination of the boldness of the terrain with its deep, sandy soils and the seemingly endless and uninterrupted views offer a rare tapestry for our team. We plan to deliver one of the most exceptional and distinctive experiences in American golf.”