Worldgolfer's Golf Course Reviews

Designer: Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw (2000)

Location: Okatie, South Carolina

History: One of numerous private clubs to open in the Hilton Head area around the turn of the century, Chechessee Creek opened with a minimalist Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw design in 2000. Since then, the Club has become one of the most popular national memberships in the country and is one of the home courses for The Outpost Club. Chechessee currently holds the following accolades:

• #171 Best Modern Course in America – Golfweek (2023)
• #16 Best Course in South Carolina – Golf Digest (2023)
• #7 Best Course in South Carolina – Golf Magazine (2023)
• #12 Best Course in South Carolina – Top100golfcourses.com (2020)

Conditions: 9/10, Chechessee is in lovely shape with firm, fast playing conditions and tight lies surrounding these Tifeagle greens.

Value: N/A, This is a private course.

Scorecard:

Tee                           Par         Yardage         Rating          Slope

Championship    70           6641                72.2               135

Back                         70           6285                70.8              133

Club                          70          6049                69.6             130

Member                  70          5930                69.0              127

Composite             70          5217                 69.7              126

Forward                  70          4595               67.1                118

Hole Descriptions: Over the last few years, I’ve been fortunate to see some of South Carolina’s best courses and I am a huge fan of low-country golf. Chechessee Creek is one of these excellent courses and is an extremely enjoyable minimalist design through the swamps and live oaks near Hilton Head. With teeboxes and greens in close proximity and a very flat property, Chechessee is one of the easiest walks you’ll find anywhere and there are few more serene and natural layouts than here. While there are only a few holes that really stand out, the entire layout is cohesive and well-designed and very fair as well. It is neither the longest nor most difficult driving course but in true Pinehurst No. 2 fashion, the difficulty increases exponentially as you near these greens, which are small, pushed up, and overall well-defended. There are many courses worth playing in the Hilton Head area and Chechessee is certainly among the best.

Chechessee opens with an interesting 350 yard dogleg par 4. Featuring a large live oak down the left, this fairway is quite generous and bends to the left at just 180 yards. A high draw is the preferred line but longer hitters might not want to hit driver here. The only bunker on this hole guards a very small green short right and makes the left side of the fairway the preferred angle of approach. Like most greens on the course, this one features a false front and slopes on all sides with tight lies. One could argue this is somewhat of an awkward hole, but Coore and Crenshaw had to work around this live oak and created angles and strategy because of it.

There are five par threes at Chechessee and they are quite varied in terms of length and challenge. The 2nd hole is a medium-length par 3 at 179 yards with a narrow green lined by bunkers on either side. This green slopes both left-to-right and back-to-front.

After a bit of a slow start, the course starts to pick up the pace with the strategic 338 yard par 4 3rd. This interesting hole initially plays straight to a generous fairway for the first 230 yards before turning right and narrowing significantly after this point with numerous bunkers down the left. Aggression off this tee may reward you with just a pitch in, but comes with significant risk, as a creek runs down the right for the entire length of the hole. This green overall slopes back-to-front with a steep bank right that can send balls into the creek.

The 4th hole is another excellent par 4 as a dogleg right at 381 yards. Featuring thick forest left the entire way, this hole is notable for its gorgeous fairway bunkering with a large left crossbunker near the beginning of the fairway and four bunkers down the right between 195 and 280 yards. The best angle of approach is from the left, as two deep bunkers line this green to the right. This raised green is particularly small and narrow, featuring numerous ripples and an overall back-to-front tilt.

At 516 yards, the 5th hole is Chechessee Creek’s first par 5 and likely the most strategic of the three here. This snaking par 5 initially plays straight for the first 260 yards before narrowing and turning right at this point. Sporadic trees line the right fairway for its entire length and a string of seven bunkers guard the left for the final 100 yards. This green is lined by a narrow bunker left and long and overall slopes back-to-front.

The 6th hole is another strong par 4 as a 422 yard dogleg left. Featuring a short forced carry over swampland, this sleek dogleg turns left around trees at about 240 yards. There’s not much danger on this teeshot, but numerous large bunkers line the right side short of the green. Additional bunkers line this subtle green on either side.

As you stand on the 7th teebox, you’re afforded the best views on the course with Chechessee Creek and low-country swampland to your left as far as the eye can see. This picturesque setting makes this 168 yard par 3 somewhat of a signature hole here. Don’t let the views distract you though – numerous large bunkers defend this severely back-to-front sloped green that requires a deft touch.

The 8th hole turns away from the water as a difficult 424 yard slight dogleg left par 4. Thick forest lines the left the entire way and numerous bunkers run down this fairway on either side for much of the landing area. A tall tree just short right of the green may block those out from the right side and a pair of bunkers about 50 yards short of the green leave a very difficult up-and-down. This narrow green is one of the most severe on the course, with steady left-to-right and back-to-front slopes and bunkers on either side.

The previous few par fours asked you to shape the ball right-to-left, but the 9th asks the opposite as a 435 yard dogleg right. The longest par 4 on the course, this is another challenging hole with a generous fairway turning right at 250 yards around a bunker and tall tree. At this point, the fairway narrows towards a large, vexing green defended by a bunker right and tight lies on all other sides. Par is a great score here.

The back nine begins with a 486 yard par 5 that plays a bit too similar to the 5th in my opinion. Like the previous par 5, this snaking hole initially begins with a straight teeshot to a tree-lined fairway. At about 250 yards, this fairway narrows and turns right with a notable tall tree down the right and numerous bunkers down the left after this point. This green is again narrow and slopes both back-to-front and left-to-right lined by bunkers on either side.

The 11th hole is a tough 196 yard tree-lined par 3 featuring a severely back-to-front sloped green lined by bunkers on either side and a hazard short right. I particularly enjoy the shape of Coore/Crenshaw’s bunkers and love the L-shaped left bunker here.

One of the most noteworthy holes at Chechessee Creek, the stunning 12th is a short 324 yard par 4 with a heroic 185 yard forced carry over marshland. The golfer is given numerous options here, with longer hitters possibly driving the green or more reasonably laying up to a comfortable distance. You’ll want to avoid a large left bunker at 200 yards and two right bunkers at 210 and 235 yards.  This green is also quite memorable as a back-to-front sloped Lion’s Mouth template with a small yet penal bunker in the front middle.

At 149 yards, the 13th hole is the shortest par 3 at Chechessee Creek and another strong hole. With an attractive kidney-shaped green rising above bunkers right and short left, you’ll want to hit it close here to avoid numerous internal undulations and a difficult two-putt. This is the most interesting and best green on the course.

The 14th hole is one of the stronger par fours on the course as a 388 yard slight dogleg right. A giant bunker lines the left side at 250 yards and the preferred ballflight is a high fade around right trees. This green is one of the few on the course without bunkers but slopes severely back-to-front, leaving very difficult up-and-downs for those who go long.

The 15th is a true three-shot par 5 and the longest hole on the course at 574 yards. A real marathon, this hole begins with a brief forced carry and plays straightaway and tight the entire way with trees down either side. The only bunker on this hole is well-placed and penal, lining the right side of much of the lay-up area. This flatter green is receptive and large.

The 16th is another long hole and the toughest par 3 at 213 yards. Stretching to almost 250 yards from the Championship Tees, this beastly one-shotter also features a tough green with a front portion sloping hard back-to-front and two bunkers left.

One of the things I appreciate most about Coore and Crenshaw’s courses is their variety and it is well on display at Chechessee Creek with numerous shorter par fours that give the golfer options. Nowhere is this more evident that the 320 yard 17th, a true reachable par 4 whose green is only about 285 yards from the teebox. This hole is a dogleg right with a generous fairway bending around marshland and trees that jut into the right fairway around 190 yards. Moguls and firm conditions can definitely propel aggressive teeshots near this green, which is defended by two bunkers right and tight lies elsewhere. However, there are few pinnable areas on this small green with strong slopes towards the edges on all sides.

Chechessee’s closing hole brings you back to the clubhouse as a 422 yard par 4. Certainly one of the tougher holes here, this dogleg left is lined by thick trees and turns left around 250 yards. This green is another narrow one, with bunkers lining it on either side and short and numerous internal contours and a false front.

General Comments: Chechessee is an understated affair throughout and this begins at its entrance which you would almost certainly miss if you weren’t paying attention. The clubhouse is modest but cozy and there is on-site lodging for its many national members. Practice facilities include a full range and practice green and walking with a caddie is encouraged. The Club’s signature drink is a Creek Tea, which are dangerously delicious.

Verdict: An easily walkable, serene, and minimalist Coore/Crenshaw design near Hilton Head, Chechessee Creek is a thoroughly enjoyable course characterized by small, well-defended greens and strong variety. The vibe here is terrific and it is unlike many of the other modern designs in the area. I highly recommend this course and would enjoy playing here everyday.