Interviews

Oakmont: An interview with Gil Hanse

With the 2025 US Open arriving at Oakmont, Richard Humphreys spoke with the architect, who renovated the course in 2023, about what to expect

Martin Ebert: Design journey

With a portfolio that includes eight of the ten Open venues, Mackenzie & Ebert occupies an enviable position in the golf design industry. Adam Lawrence spoke with principal Martin Ebert to learn how they got there

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Ben Cowan-Dewar: Shock and awe

Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

Oakmont: An interview with Gil Hanse

With the 2025 US Open arriving at Oakmont, Richard Humphreys spoke with the architect, who renovated the course in 2023, about what to expect

Martin Ebert: Design journey

With a portfolio that includes eight of the ten Open venues, Mackenzie & Ebert occupies an enviable position in the golf design industry. Adam Lawrence spoke with principal Martin Ebert to learn how they got there

Designs for the big screen

Chad Goetz and Agustin Piza discuss their design decisions for the virtual holes that featured in the first season of TGL

Bob Harrison: Wizard of Oz

The Australian designer has had a long career and, like many of his countrymen, has spent much of it away from home. Adam Lawrence listened to his tales from the road

Ben Cowan-Dewar: Shock and awe

Golf development firm Cabot now has properties in six countries. Richard Humphreys speaks with co-founder and CEO Ben Cowan-Dewar about what makes a great site, selection of golf course architects, and more

Team building

Turfgrass has launched its US arm with the appointment of John Lawrence, Adam Moeller and Brad Owen. Richard Humphreys speaks with them, Turfgrass founder John Clarkin and director of agronomy Julian Mooney to find out more

Brian Curley: Life of Brian

The designer has surely clocked up more air miles than anyone else in the business. Adam Lawrence caught up with him in between flights to discuss his career and his new venture with Jim Wagner

Richard Humphreys
/ Categories: News

Sea Pines CC prepares to reopen following course renovation

Sea Pines Country Club on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, will reopen in November following bunker work, regrassing and the expansion of its practice facility.

Golf course architect Phil Smith has led the project, working alongside the club’s general manager and chief operating officer Robbie Ames as well as golf course superintendent Tom Metzger, with MacCurrach Golf Construction handling the renovation work.

The project has seen tees, fairways and greens regrassed and several bunkers reshaped. The ninth fairway has been recontoured, and a new pot bunker added.

Fairways have been grassed with Celebration Bermuda. “Tom and his team will be able to create visually stunning mowing patterns like you’d see at Harbour Town,” said James Swift, director of golf. “Celebration bermuda is the gold standard of turf in the Lowcountry. It also stays green longer in the fall and is quicker to come back in the spring, even as early as March.”

Greens now feature TifEagle bermuda grass and have been restored to their original dimensions, allowing for more pin placements, while new sand and Capillary Concrete liners have been added to bunkers.

Work at the club has also included the expansion of the practice facility, with the range lengthened by 25 yards, eight new targets added and teeing areas now four times larger

The short game area’s chipping green is now three times larger than before, and also features two practice bunkers.

“I would put it right up there among the best practice facilities in the area,” said Swift. “We had been landlocked and limited in what we could offer. Now we can host golf schools, clinics and other instructional programming. With everything we feature, we’re now a golf purist’s club.”

After reopening the course and practice facilities, Sea Pines will next unveil its new, state-of-the-art indoor teaching and practice centre, which includes TrackMan 4 simulators and monitors, and indoor hitting bays that open onto the expanded practice range.

“Golf is a challenging game, and we want our members to have every tool available to get better,” Swift says. “It’s also an incredibly fun game, and the simulator also gives our members and their families a golf entertainment option where they can get together, enjoy a few beverages and appetisers, and play some of the greatest courses in the world.”

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    Sea Pines CC

    Sea Pines Country Club in South Carolina will reopen on 1 November following course and practice facility renovations

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