Jeff Lawrence to oversee first major renovation of Holly Tree

Jeff Lawrence is leading a comprehensive renovation of the golf course at Holly Tree Country Club, in his home town of Greenville, South Carolina.

The course was laid out by George Cobb in 1973 and has seen few changes since. Lawrence will oversee the redesign of every green complex, bunker reconstruction, tee work, the reshaping of three holes, regrassing, drainage upgrades and the installation of a new Toro irrigation system. The course will be closed for 11 months while the work is completed.

“The club has made a significant commitment to undertake a comprehensive redesign project aimed at modernising the golf course and reinforcing its position within the competitive Greenville golf market,” said Lawrence. “Having not completed any major updates in over 50 years, the club’s leadership recognised that it was time to reinvest in the golf experience and thoughtfully prepare the course for the next generation of members.

“With continued growth in the regional golf market and surrounding clubs making meaningful improvements of their own, Holly Tree understood the importance of evolving. This renovation ensures the course maintains a competitive edge while elevating the overall playing experience to meet modern expectations.

“Each hole will possess its own distinct design character and strategic identity, offering a wide variety of playable attributes. This is essentially an enhanced look and feel that maximises the property’s natural elements while incorporating impactful architectural features that elevate both strategy and enjoyment.”

Jeff Lawrence is redesigning all greens to increase their overall size, add pin positions and introduce new contours (Image: Lawrence Golf Design)

Greens are a key focus of the project. Each will be converted from bentgrass to TifEagle bermuda and be significantly expanded to offer a wider range of pin positions and thought-provoking strategy.

 “Every green site has been uniquely designed to provide variety, intrigue and multiple strategic options for all skill levels,” said Lawrence. “These newly crafted putting surfaces introduce greater creativity and nuance, requiring thoughtful course management and rewarding well-executed approach shots in ways not previously experienced.”

Surrounding the greens, new tightly mown collection areas are being introduced to expand recovery shot options, allowing players to use any club in the bag, and to add visual interest.

Lawrence’s sketch of the fourth green, where he is adding a backstop (Image: Lawrence Golf Design)

“Bunkers will be more intentional and strategically positioned, adding visual interest while reinforcing shot values throughout the course,” said Lawrence. “Tees are being shaped to capture a more traditional feel and laser levelled to ensure perfect uniformity. Turf varieties are being updated to offer improved playing conditions, shot options and visual aesthetics.”

Duininck Golf is responsible for construction, KDC Irrigation is installing the Toro system, Golf Agronomics is providing the gravel and greens mix, and New Life Turf is providing Tahoma 31, 419 bermuda sod and TifEagle sprigs.

“With the installation of a new irrigation system, upgraded turf varieties and high-quality construction practices, the overall conditioning will reach an elevated level of consistency and performance,” said Lawrence. “The result will be firmer, faster playing conditions that complement the architectural enhancements and provide a transformative golf experience for Holly Tree.”

Lawrence lives 20 minutes from the club and has spent a significant amount of time on site, overseeing and approving shaping and detailing. “My consistent involvement is helping to ensure the integrity of the design vision with minimal refinements,” he said. “The result will reflect the dedication of a committed and highly talented team. Because of that collective effort, the finished product will truly exceed expectations.”