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Pawleys Island, S.C. – The Founders Club at Pawleys Island will celebrate its grand opening on February 1, 2008, and is the first course to open on the south strand since the International Club debuted in 2000. One of five courses owned and operated The Classic Golf Group, The Founders Club sits upon on the site of the former Sea Gull Golf Club, which opened in 1965 as one of the first golf courses in Pawleys Island. The Founders Club is one of the original members of the Waccamaw Golf Trail.
Architect Thomas Walker, once with the Gary Player Design Group, directed The Founders Club project, with construction costs estimated at more than $7 million.
Featuring Bermuda fairways and a mixture of Bermuda and Zoysia in the rough, The Founders Club joins TPC of Scottsdale as the only two golf courses in the United States with Emerald Bermuda greens. A new strand of grass just released from the Champion Turf Company, Emerald Bermuda tolerates the hot South Carolina summer sun and requires less water.
Walker complemented the lowcountry backdrop of the Waccamaw Neck area by adding Love Grass and Bluestem native grasses, pine and centuries-old oak trees and other vegetation around the Founders Club course. The waste areas will reflect the south strand’s terrain with a bright shade of orange sand.
“We started this project back in 2006 and it will be exciting to open our doors so golfers can enjoy the newest world-class facility on the Grand Strand,” said Wayne Welden, general manager and head golf professional at The Founders Club. “We worked closely with the architect to make sure that the course blends perfectly with the natural surroundings. Cart paths have been kept to a minimum and the new drainage and irrigation systems will ensure lush conditions and that the course sheds water quickly.”
The Founders Club measures 6910 yards from the back with a choice of five sets of tees available on each hole, with yardage to match any golfer’s skill level. All Founders Club golf carts are equipped with the newest GPS technology with accurate yardages and graphics available to the golfer for each hole. The pro shop will utilize the newest GPS software to keep track of all carts on the course to expedite pace of play.
The Founders Club will also unveil the new 5,000 square foot clubhouse with a wrap-around porch, pro shop, locker rooms, dining area, meeting facilities fireplace and bar. Designed by Palmetto Architecture of Myrtle Beach, the Clubhouse overlooks the 10th and 18th greens.
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