Many golfers, me included, love firm and fast greens as long as the greens are not too small and entrance points are generous. Columbia, SC’s eponymous country club, which actually moved decades ago from the city to the suburb of Blythewood, features enormous greens with all but the front-located pins accessible via shots played to the front third of the putting surfaces. On a 6,000-yard layout, from the white tees, most approaches should be lofted enough to not bound off the back.
Water is not a big factor at Columbia, although it is attractively ornamental as it is on this par 3.
But when it has rained hard for two days before your round, and your well struck drives are backing up in the soggy fairways, you expect the greens to follow suit and be receptive to your five and six irons. That was not the case this past Sunday, when I played the course with members of the South Carolina Golf Rating Panel. One of the ladies in our group had an amazing day of chipping and posted a score in the low 80s. The rest of the foursome saw too many shots bounce over the greens, leaving mostly downhill chips shots to the extremely fast greens. (The pro shop attendant mentioned a reading of about 12 on the stimpmeter, a rare speedy condition even for private clubs).
The Ellis Maples designed Columbia Country Club features three nines, and we played the Tall Pines and Ridgewood nines. (Lakeside is the other nine, shorter and sportier, the members in our group told us.) The Tall Pines/Ridgewood combo carries a rating of 70.4 and slope of 132 which, for a layout of 6,200 yards, is spells big challenge for a bogey golfer. But on this day, with the combination of shorter drives, longer approaches and firm greens that were not easily dented, both the rating and slope measures were light to the challenge.
Most of the longer holes at Columbia are tree lined, giving the course a somewhat New England feel.
Columbia, like many private clubs looking for supplementary income, will accept outside play from those passing through the area. (Call ahead.) It would be a good choice. All in all, the Columbia layout that winds its way through the tall pines is an impressive challenge, especially under milder late spring or early summer conditions. Understand that the city of Columbia has a reputation for being the hottest summer spot in all of the Carolinas. When I mentioned that to my cart mate, a local resident member of the club, he responded: “No, it is the hottest in the U.S.” If you are lucky enough to play the course, don’t forget to hydrate.
The 18th green at Columbia, the active clubhouse in the background. *
Columbia Country Club in Blythewood is set in an older neighborhood that developed slowly over time and features a mix of classic and modern homes. Lot prices are mostly between $70,000 and $100,000 and few in number; homes begin in the high $200s with the sweet spot appearing to be around $400,000. Blythewood is just 20 minutes up the interstate from Columbia, the state capital, and home to the large University of South Carolina. If you would like more information on Columbia Country Club and other golf communities in the area, contact me at
