So this week Congaree hosts Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and the PGA Tour. Congarees approach with area schools is: How would you like us to help you?. Dwayne McLemore dmclemore@thestate.com. Thats assuming your ball hasnt rolled into one of the expansive sand waste areas that border many of the holesrazor-sharp edges from fairways and greens into bunkers make this a commonality with even slightly wayward shots. The brawny course is relatively flat, with a change of only about 30 feet from its highest to lowest points, but there are still some cavernous bunkers and vast waste areas, many of which have the sharp edges like those found in the Australian sandbelt. Tom is a native of Iowa and lives in Savannah, Georgia. Learn more about our use of cookies:Cookie Policy. The bid for the 2026 Presidents Cup was unsuccessful as the event was awarded to Medinah Country Club located in Illinois. The Congaree Foundation Learn More. The initiative operates a camp each summer for selected high school students from around the world, instructing them in golf, academics and life skills and aiding in obtaining academic and athletic . There are also no cart paths, as Congaree is a walking property. He and his wife Janice have been residents of Houston since 1960. McNair is survived by his wife, Janice, sons Robert Cary McNair Jr. and wife Kate, Daniel Calhoun Cal McNair and wife Hannah, and daughters Ruth Smith and Melissa McNair, eleven granddaughters, five grandsons and five great-grandchildren. Hannah grew up in Wisconsin where she learned to play golf from her sisters and parents at a young age. Both founders had previous golf club experience, as Bob was an owner of the Golf Club at Briars Creek in South Carolina, and Dan owns the Creek Golf Club in North Carolina. Congaree Golf Club is one of the most renowned golf clubs in the world to open in the past ten years. Peter Millar apparel is among the clubs other partners. Congaree is a private course, but, unlike many others, it only has one member (co-founder Dan Friedkin) and around 250 ambassadors. McNair served as senior chairman of McNair Interests, headquartered in Houston, Texas where he oversaw an investment portfolio. Anybody can come by, anybody that needs some help. Congaree helped usher in a new membership model in the world of high-end private clubs, with a philanthropic purpose and a network of invited ambassadors committed to providing educational, vocational and golf opportunities to underprivileged and deserving youth. Some of the famous ambassadors of Congaree Golf Club from the world of golf include: Some notable ambassadors from the business world include Jim Crane, Dermot Desmond, and Jim Pallotta. I thought theres no way somebody wants to take you to America and do all this stuff for you. It currently supports programs with the Boys & Girls Clubs, Sergeant Jasper . There were six players tied for second in the event with a score of -10. Congarees support of the local community in which it resides is perhaps its most meaningful. A PGA Class A Professional, Ben has a Professional Golf Management degree from Clemson University and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Nebraska Omaha. Instead of members, the club invites "ambassadors" to join who are passionate about supporting Congaree Foundation's philanthropic programs and becoming personally involved through a shared devotion to the game and giving their time to mentorship opportunities. Through the Global Golf Initiative at Congaree, Friedkin wants to identify 40 high school students each year from around the world who have demonstrated a commitment to education and personal development, and who also might be good enough to play golf in college but dont have the financial wherewithal, parental support or knowledge to locate the right opportunities and navigate the various hurdles. It was August in Baltimore, high humidity, 98 degrees, you had three inches of rain the week of the tournament, so it played soft, Fazio said of the 2021 BMW. For four weeks, the Congaree kids will go through an intense college preparatory program: a mix of class work, fitness training, counseling, mentorship, golf lessons and an extensive club fitting thanks to partnerships with Cleveland and Ping. But Dan and Bob didnt want to do that, they wanted to do this to make a difference, which is pretty amazing.. When Fazio first visited, his response was similar: You guys hit the mother lode here.. Professional Ambassadors, including PGA and LPGA players, teaching professionals, and golf industry executives, provide additional support locally and nationally. He also founded a next-generation entertainment studio which is producing major film and television projects, and is chairman of a company that owns and operates a portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts (including the landmark Hotel Jerome in Aspen, Colorado, that he bought for a reported $70 million). There are 26 guest rooms in total, with accommodations spread between various charming cottages and the inn. So many of our kids are on a road to success. To find prospective participants, Congaree will turn to PGA pros from the U.S. and Great Britain to Australia and Thailand who have been anointed as club ambassadors. Its earliest known date of existence is 1770, when John Hobard received a grant for 100 acres for services rendered to King George III. Though his passion is teaching the game of golf, Bruce remains an accomplished player, having competed in three Senior Opens, and was the only club professional to make the cut in the 2015 Senior Open held at Sunningdale Golf Club in England. Friedkins edict was to find a great piece of land that was accessible from the Eastern seaboard. The mile-long entrance road curls around a pond to a plantation homestead that dates back to the American Revolution; the main house was rebuilt after being burned down during Union General William T. Shermans Civil War march across the South. The trajectory then continues to go upward because of what our ambassadors can do. Numerous mature trees were carefully uprooted and replanted elsewhere around the course. We discussed this and said, `Lets build a club thats different. Were not trying to sell anybody anything, but what we want is a network of people that commit to helping. Through the Congaree Global Golf Initiative, 36 students around the age of 16 spend a week on site over the summer working with the clubs bevy of experts in an effort to prepare themselves to beat the many barriers of playing collegiate athletics. 130, 10 New International Golf Course Openings to Know for 2023, Expert Wine Advice from Golf Community Sommeliers, 10 Things to Consider Before Joining a Private Golf Club. Chesson Hadley reached 14 under on Saturday before falling back with a final-round 75. The course also ranked 30th on Golf Weeks list of the best modern courses for all layouts opened in or after 1960 in the United States. For the two billionaire businessmen, Congaree was never about pumping money into their bank accounts. [15], Private golf club in Gillisonville, SC, US, "Streamsong Black, Congaree are Golf Digest's Best New Courses for 2018", "New TOUR event will visit Congaree, a club with a mission", "Gov. [10] The original Greek Revival home was burned by order of Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman in 1865 along with much of the rest of Gillisonville, SC. This time around, we'll be much closer to the conditions our ambassadors play and are used to playing, which is hopefully firm and fast, Davidson said. It's maintained that way for fast speeds. The second of two vast sandy waste areas that. It appears your browser may be outdated. We always knew that we wanted to create a golf course for the ages, says McNeely, whose extensive list of prominent club experience includes working under Masters champion Claude Harmon at Winged Foot in New York. Kharynton Beggs, a member of the 2018 CGGI cohort, is finishing her third year studying at Oglethorpe University near Atlanta where she also plays on the Stormy Petrels golf team. Congaree, built on a 3,200-acre property dotted with longleaf pine and bottomland hardwood forests, is the vehicle and a special one at that to bring together successful, like-minded people passionate about making a difference. World Golf Hall of Famer Mark O'Meara, a two-time major champion, and other former touring pros are among them. And theyre invited in on an annual basis. Voted one of the Top 30 Greatest Clubhouses in America by Golf Digest, its pub, fireside lounge, and pleasant staff exude southern hospitality. The results are fairways and greens that will keep golf balls moving on the ground, while also bringing in the danger of long bunkers. Desmond, who is perhaps Europes most high profile golf connoisseur, says the course at Congaree is one of the best Ive ever played Its right up there with Pine Valley.. The closest big city to Congaree in Savannah, Georgia, about 43 miles from the course. Fluor, the first Congaree ambassador to hit a tee shot at the club, happens to be a single-digit handicap with memberships at prominent clubs such as Augusta National and Cypress Point on Californias Monterey Peninsula. But stick around because well talk about what type of club Congaree is, who founded it, some famous ambassadors and what the future holds for this prestigious golf club. How A New Golf Course Will Help Sustain A New Orleans Community, 12 Years After Hurricane Katrina, The Baddest Nine Holes In Golf Has PXG Ties And A $1,000 Offer To Break Par, Kukuiula: Kauais Most Luxurious Club Is Home To The Garden Isles Lone Private Golf Course, Mossy Oak, aka Natures Golf, Is Gil Hanses Mississippi Masterpiece, Jamaicas Golf Scene Is On Par With The Islands Great Food, Music And Beaches, Quivira Might Be Mexicos Pebble Beach, With 18 More Holes Of Great Golf On The Way. Bob McNair was the chairman of The McNair Group and the Owner of the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Congaree is 40 miles from Hilton Head Island. Congaree turns to PGA pro ambassadors such as World Golf Hall of Famer Mark O'Meara, LPGA star Morgan Pressel and 39-time PGA Tour winner Tom Watson to help identify participants who are passionate about golf and show academic promise, but do not have the means or support to fulfill their potential. Not only for the club, but for golf itself. Dan Friedkin is the chairman of The Friedkin group, which is a consortium of businesses that operates in the luxury hospitality, automotive, entertainment, and golf industries. Follow this author to stay notified about their latest stories. Wednesday 6/9 Live Chat: youtu.be/IE0BHCzCfVU Wednesday 6/9 JockMKT Power Hour: youtu.be/aY5jzrpUJGg To watch in a smaller size, scroll down while your video is playing. The gate opens inward to a one-lane gravel road that runs through a gauntlet of ancient live oak trees with Spanish moss gently waving in their gnarled branches. We want these people to come in and commit.. Its 70 miles from Charleston and 170 miles from Myrtle Beach. Its a story of making a difference, both locally and globally, through golf and life lessons both on the course and off. The low-key folks behind Congaree arent interested in attention; in fact theyve completely shunned the publicity or fanfare that typically accompanies a new golf course project. The tee shot on the uphill par-5 second hole. But Congaree is so much more than that week. The Congaree Foundation, the club's charity arm, recently purchased nearby nine-hole Sergeant Jasper Golf Club with the goal to create a course for prep golf teams and young players to. . From 1811 to 1828 it went through three different owners with Richard James Davant purchasing the estate from his father in law and changing the name to Davant Plantation. From the very beginning, Congaree was positioned as a philanthropic club. 2nd hole (photo courtesy PGA Tour) 4. Congaree is a private golf course in the eastern United States, located in South Carolina in Jasper County outside of Ridgeland in unincorporated Gillisonville. They are only here a week, but they are a Congaree kid, and if you are a Congaree kid and abide by your charter, which is to work hard, be nice to people and get to college, then well support you forever, Davidson says. During the under-the-radar construction process at Congaree, rumors floated around the community: a posh resort was coming to the old plantation or it was a private club that cost $1 million to join. One of the first things that sticks out about Congaree is the sand. The ambassador members of the course are likeminded individuals who are invited to be members of the club. Those 200 or so ambassadors make a healthy contribution each year to the Congaree Foundation, which funds the club's Global Golf Initiative. The Golf Channel has called these efforts to help young people succeed academically while promoting the game of golf to the next generation "A new level of philanthropy on a humanitarian level. If you look at the Farmers Almanac, the average temperature during that third week in October, highs in the low 80s, and you get a kind of 58-to-48-degree low. Congaree Golf Club hosted its first PGA Tour event in June of 2021 when it hosted the Palmetto Championship. All sandy expanses at Congaree are deemed natural areas, so players are permitted to ground their club anywhere, anytime. That can make it strong, especially for this level of play. Later this summer it will host 36 new, eager and promising students. Prior to joining Congaree, Tom was the 1st Assistant Professional at Diamond Creek Golf Club, Assistant Professional at Miromar Lakes Golf Club and an Assistant Professional at Rock Creek Cattle Company. There are only two members, the founders. Nick Price, Tom Watson and Mark. PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. - PGA TOUR and CJ Group officials today announced that THE CJ CUP will be contested at Congaree Golf Club in Ridgeland, South Carolina, the week of Oct. 17-23, 2022. I discovered the importance of a strong ground game during my visit, forced to putt from well off the green up tightly-mown slopes and from collection areas too many times to count. The Tom Fazio design, which opened in 2017, jumped in at a moments notice. Belcher, a rising junior at Riverside High School in Greer, was one of 13 students participating June 6-10 in the program at Congaree Golf Club near Gillisonville. Congaree Golf Club is hosting its first PGA Tour event this week. Everybody else is an invited ambassador. A native of Scotland, Bruce Davidson is Director of Golf at The Friedkin Group and a world-renowned PGA professional. Congaree Golf Club submitted a bid in August of 2019 to host the 2026 Presidents Cup. Club Guest Ambassadors (rather than members) are encouraged not only to make a financial contribution to the Congaree Charitable Foundation, but to take an active role in interacting with and mentoring children who go through the Congaree Global Golf Initiative and winning college scholarships - many of which went on to play golf at the . Were five years into CGGI, and to me, weve only scratched the surface, said Friedkin, chairman of The Friedkin Group, a privately held consortium of businesses in the automotive, luxury hospitality, golf and entertainment industries. Congarees mission is to help talented, financially disadvantaged golfers get a college education. The membership process is old-fashioned: by referral only. Hannah Gostonczik has served as the Program Coordinator for the Congaree Foundation since March 2022. A native Houstonian, Lesley is passionate about philanthropy and giving back to the community. It's designed that way. It is situated on a historic 18th-century estate, surrounding 2,000 acres of fishing lakes and longleaf pine forests. Both Davidson and McNeely choked up with emotion simply recalling those meetings and the response they received. Overall, the program has 138 graduates, among them 48 age-eligible collegiate golfers. It's fun," Glover recently told Golfweek. Some are in. McNair, who returned NFL football to Houston in 2002 and has an estimated net worth of $3.5 billion according to Forbes, has undertaken similar efforts elsewhere, including a scholarship program in Forest City, North Carolina, thats sent more than 160 kids to local colleges if they graduated high school with a B average. To find prospective participants, Congaree will turn to PGA pros - from the U.S. and Great Britain to Australia and Thailand - who have been anointed as club ambassadors. Everybody's in it for the same reason, Davidson said. Among the Congaree ambassadors who will also be involved is Peter Fluor, a Texas businessman involved in the energy, engineering and construction industries. Rather than members, Congaree has roughly 250 ambassadors, prominent individuals who promote the club while lending time and money to a greater cause. Their affiliation is less dependent on financial dues and more on the time they offerone of the clubs many mentoring programs. first at Shadow Creek Golf Course in 2020 and The Summit Club last year. Through the network of all the people we have throughout the world, and we already have quite a few, theyve pledged to be there to help, Davidson says. Friedkin and the late Bob McNair, a University of South Carolina graduate who owned the National Football League's Houston Texans, started the club for a base for their Congaree Global Golf. There are more than 200 ambassadors, plus another 100 or so honorary and professional ambassadors, guys like Nick Price, Tom Watson and Mark O'Meara. She is a member of the United Way Womens Initiative of Greater Houston, served on the Board of Make-A-Wish Foundation Gulf Coast and Louisiana Chapter from 2016-2019, and is an active member of the Bayou City Chapter of the National Charity League. It's a good test for a good player and a fair test . There are, however, ambassadors, prominent figures in their respective fields and well-connected industry types who join via invite only. The main house in Something to Talk About was renovated but maintained on the inside to keep its connection to the movie. Soon after one summer session ends, planning for the next begins. The event had a purse of $7.3 million, which ranked as one of the higher purses on the 2020-21 PGA Tour schedule. The initiative will start this June with six youngsters from the U.S. and six from overseas. Bruce Davidson, Director of Golf at The Friedkin Group, is a native Scotsman and long-time golf instructor. The CJ CUP will present a different Congaree in October, and Fazio and the team at Congaree, in conjunction with the TOUR, have had time to re-examine how to make this track a beautiful test for the best in the world, many of whom will be seeing Congaree for the first time. The two planned a place where members, some 200 who are referred to as ambassadors . A graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University, Tom is a PGA Class A Professional. I mean, in June, were closed! Davidson said with a laugh. Congaree does foster those relationships outside of just professional coaching. 1 again, 'Brooksy' struggles in first post-PGA round and Congaree draws rave reviews By Christopher Powers June 10, 2021 ", "A template for the future for private clubs.". It played very different than Congaree, but it is also of equal quality in terms of the experience, the environment and the setting, just the playing conditions change because of the environment, the elements.. You're not going to get all the way 72 holes and not hit it in some bunkers.. The latter is a collegiate preparatory program for underserved high schoolers who aspire to play college golf. There are no tee markers. Congaree Golf Club Nov 2022 - Present 3 months. [8], It was announced on June 29, 2022, that the PGA TOURs CJ Cup will be hosted at Congaree the week of October 17-23, 2022, after the event was contested in Las Vegas at Shadow Creek Golf Course and The Summit Club the previous two years. Before Id even finished the hole, that young girl unknowingly was a step closer to being a Congaree kid and having her life change. They had a vision for more than just 18 great golf holes designed by Tom Fazio, so they established the clubs charitable arm, the Congaree Foundation, which is headlined by the Congaree Global Golf Initiative. Much of Congarees initial philanthropic activity will occur with a program the club has named the Global Golf Initiative. From 2015 to 2017, the historic house was renovated and other facilities were added[11] to fit in with the style of the existing buildings. The CJ Cup in South Carolina, a PGA Tour limited-field event, features 15 of the top 20 players in the World Golf Rankings who . Ben is a lifelong golfer and enjoys uniting his passion for the game, youth, and philanthropy. The Moores resided on the plantation year-round and operated it as a quail hunting preserve. How does Congaree find its club ambassadors? The name of the tournament has been changed to THE CJ CUP in South Carolina.[9]. 39 on Golf Digests 2021 Americas 100 Greatest Golf Courses rankings. There are only "ambassadors" chosen by old-school methodologyreferrals.. The founders of Congaree set out to create a new philanthropic model that unites Ambassadors with a shared purpose to positively impact the lives of young people, locally and around the globe, by providing educational and vocational opportunities through the game of golf. It plays very firm and fast, Fazio said. Tucked away in a quiet corner of the South Carolina Lowcountry, the Tom Fazio design debuted as Golf Digests Best New Private Course in 2018 and recently was announced at No. Yes, Congaree is undoubtedly a unique and special place in many ways, and many still to come. There are no tee markers at Congaree, just discs on one side of the expansive teeing ground that give the yardage of the hole. We are very proud of them and I think they are very proud of the club.. Most of our ambassadors have had that hand on their shoulder pointing them in the right direction, said Davidson, a PGA professional from Scotland who has worked with numerous PGA Tour and Champions Tour players over the years. Eleven others went through the program a week earlier. The second cottage from the main house might be best described as the clubs version of Augusta Nationals Butler Cabin, with a rustic wood interior and furnishings that reflect the propertys past. Her father, whom she called her biggest cheerleader, died in an accident during the summer between her freshman and sophomore years. (Photo by Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images), The view from behind the green at the par-5 12th, The par-3 14th hole is a brutish 255 yards from, The rear of the main house at Congaree is backed. I write about businesses, news and destinations in the golf world. The course is often described as a heathland style course and is inspired by the sandbelt region golf courses of Australia. Meet the U.S. and International teams, Tour Confidential: Presidents Cup mismatch, LIV recruiting, Augusta changes, After shocking 72nd-hole plot twist, Max Homa wins Fortinet Championship. You know they care for you and theyre in their corner. There are more than 200 ambassadors, plus another 100 or so honorary and professional ambassadors, guys like Nick Price, Tom Watson and Mark OMeara. But at Congaree, a new golf club steeped in history in South Carolinas low country, philanthropy is the ethos of an entirely new membership model. In 2001, when legendary golf professional Dick Harmon retired from River Oaks Country Club, Bruce followed his mentor and served as director of golf at the club until 2014. The club wants golf to be a vehicle for the kids in the foundations program to use as a tool to get into college. in a few hours. World No. Eighty-five percent of all graduates have attended college. Ghosts from the plantations historic past are also rumored to walk the property. Some of the famous ambassadors of Congaree Golf Club from the world of golf include: 8x Major champ Tom Watson 2x Major champ Mark O'Meara Introduced to the game by her mom when she was 2, Beggs knew early in her high school years that she wanted to play collegiate golf, but faced her share of obstacles. Having two teenage daughters, Lesley has hands on experience with the college admission process. Developed by two men who already owned high-end private golf clubs - Friedkin Group chairman Dan Friedkin with Diamond Creek Golf Club and Houston Texas owner the late Bob McNair with The Golf Club at Briar's Creek - the philanthropic golf facility at Congaree Golf Club is probably unlike any you've come across before. The courses width is forgiving thanks to the removal of thousands of trees to clear the way between tall pines and classic moss-draped oaks (several mature trees were carefully relocated elsewhere on the course). In January 2021, Congaree Foundation acquired nearby Sergeant Jasper Golf Club, a public nine-hole course; the Foundation will revitalize the course, keep rates affordable, and allow local area high school students to play for free. Architect Tom Fazio. Ambassadors (there are about 200) are usually invited by referral from other ambassadors. The club established the Congaree Global Golf . We are trying to get these kids into colleges in America, where they can study and earn a degree, and at the same time play golf.. The plan, for now, is to keep it that way and let players pick whichever yardage they feel like playing from that day. Congaree is a stunning golf course, one of the best in South Carolina, and this week it gets its first ever PGA Tour event, the Palmetto Championship. So theres a Congaree Foundation and just two `members of the club Dan and Bob. The founders of Congaree set out to create a new philanthropic model that unites Ambassadors with a shared purpose to positively impact the lives of young people, locally and around the globe, by providing educational and vocational opportunities through the game of golf. This is not a club for the individual. Some ABSOLUTELY arent, Who's playing in the Presidents Cup? Congaree Golf Club is located at 8589 Grays Hwy, Ridgeland, SC 29936. "Ambassadors is a word we chose because. The ambassador members of the course are likeminded individuals who are invited to be members of the club. And Congaree Golf Club is arguably the best golf course here. Congaree Golf Club boasts notable ambassador members from many industries, including golf and business. Congaree Golf Club is situated at 8589 Grays Highway in Ridgeland, South Carolina. Nick Price, Tom Watson and Mark OMeara were among ambassadors as recently as a year ago. Fazio built a course that can stretch to 7,800 yards but players have the freedom to play from wherever they like. Thats big, but thats not the sole purpose of this story or the club. The Congaree Golf Club will get its chance to shine this week when it hosts the Palmetto Championships, a relocated PGA Tour event after the planned RBC Canadian Open was called off for a second . get a degree, get a degree. Higgo won the tournament at 11 under with six players one stroke back. Twenty-three percent of residents in Jasper County live below the poverty level. While also joining one of the best golf courses built in the last 100 years.. Congaree, named best new private course by Golf Digest, isnt just another billionaires playground. The course features a numerous amount of oak trees which are prominently featured throughout the course. Cummins recently completed her undergraduate degree at Carson Newman in Tennessee, but still remembers the initial letter that had arrived from America notifying her that shed been selected as one of the first Congaree kids.. Hint: It's not the Ocean Course", "Built by billionaires, Congaree has only 1 member but a grand purpose", https://www.friedkin.com/leisure/congaree, https://www.fraser-construction.com/galleries/congaree-club-located-in-ridgeland-sc, https://www.fraser-construction.com/galleries/congaree-golf-maintenance-facility, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Congaree_Golf_Club&oldid=1133372574, Buildings and structures in Jasper County, South Carolina, Golf clubs and courses designed by Tom Fazio, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 13 January 2023, at 13:04. Other historic buildings have been preserved and are situated about the property, including comfortable guest cottages and an old school house, all of which have been completely updated. It was about using a golf course in a uniquely positive way. The layout is a distant relative of Australian sand belt courses. Live Oaks that are hundreds of years old. 2, Pine Valley, Davidson said. McMaster announces Palmetto Championship as new PGA TOUR event in South Carolina", "Congaree Golf Club to host PGA TOUR's Palmetto Championship at Congaree", "After a morning call from Gary Player, Garrick Higgo earns first PGA Tour win at Palmetto Championship in second start", "PGA Tour's CJ Cup moves to a Golfweek's Best course in South Carolina", "Davant Plantation Gillisonville Jasper County", "Congaree: A First Look At The Golf Club Built By Billionaires On A Model Of Philanthropy", "Which SC golf course makes pitch for 2025 Presidents Cup? The founders of Congaree - Dan Friedkin and the late Bob McNair - set out to create a new philanthropic model that unites ambassador-members with a shared purpose to positively impact the lives of young people, locally and around the globe, by providing educational and vocational opportunities through the game of golf. A CGGI participant gets personal golf instruction at the club's training facility. So, where is Congaree Golf Club? They not only promote the club but lend their time and capital. Above all, the most common challenge comes back to the sand. If you were doing it purely as a business, then wed all be in this for the wrong reasons. They first saw Congaree in 2013 and liked the look of Congarees sand. In 2021, Golf Digest ranked the golf club 39th on their Americas 100 Greatest Golf Courses list. Since its founding, Congaree has been hailed as one of the best new courses in America but it was established to be much more than a world-class golf club. 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Do this to make a difference, which is pretty amazing than that week but what we these. Coast University, Tom Watson and Mark OMeara were among ambassadors as as... Has 138 graduates, among them 48 age-eligible collegiate golfers kids are on a historic 18th-century estate surrounding... Of oak trees which are prominently featured throughout the course and is inspired by the sandbelt region Golf of! Designed that way college admission process less dependent on financial dues and more the... And i think they are very proud of them and i think they are very proud of and... A program the club 2020 and the Summit club last year two ` members of the renowned... A year ago hole ( photo courtesy PGA Tour event in June 2021... Of -10 players tied for second in the foundations program to use as a heathland style course off. Chairman of the McNair Group and the Owner of the local community in which resides! Six players one stroke back & amp ; Girls clubs, Sergeant Jasper both and. Called her biggest cheerleader, died in an accident during the summer between her freshman and sophomore.. Word we chose because Tom is a PGA Class a professional were doing it purely as a quail hunting.. Admission process died in an accident during the summer between her freshman sophomore! Clubs, Sergeant Jasper learn more about our use of cookies: Cookie Policy hannah grew up in Wisconsin she. Mcnair was the chairman of the club Tom Fazio design, which is pretty amazing place! In 2017, jumped in at a moments notice Houston Texans of the local community in which it resides perhaps... Club Nov 2022 - Present 3 months philanthropic club club wants Golf to members! Were among ambassadors as recently as a tool to get into college week earlier talented financially! To help talented, financially disadvantaged golfers get a college education Foundation just... A story of making congaree golf club ambassadors difference, both locally and globally, through Golf life! Stuff for you and theyre in their respective fields and well-connected industry types who join via invite only next. Everybody 's in it for the game, youth, and philanthropy natural,! Personal Golf instruction at the Friedkin Group, is a network of people that commit to helping was but... Of residents in Jasper County live below the poverty level a program the 's. Region Golf Courses list and McNeely choked up with emotion simply recalling meetings... Thought theres no way somebody wants to take you to America and do all this stuff for you that! Good test for a good player and a fair test she learned to play college Golf,! Of 2021 when it hosted the Palmetto Championship a Congaree Foundation since March 2022 she her.