Scottish Flavor in Upstate Golf

When you step onto a tee box at Links O’Tryon, you could easily imagine yourself getting ready for a round of mountain golf, with plenty of scenic vistas. Or a round of Sandhills golf, not unlike Pinehurst. Or Low Country golf, with plenty of water hazards. It all depends on which hole you’re playing.

“We’ve got 18 completely different holes,” said Links pro Marc Brady, who has been working in that capacity for seven years. “We encompass a lot of what people call ‘Carolina Golf.’”

And don’t forget the Scottish flavor, with grass bunkers, and walls and bridges of imported fieldstone.

In other words, if you like a slice of variety with your golf, then the Campobello, South Carolina, venue is the course for you.

Designed by Tom Jackson (the architect of more than 100 courses), Links O’Tryon is a par 72 layout with five tee lengths, so it can accommodate a variety of skill levels. But whether you’re a beginner or a veteran, it will test your game while still offering a fun experience.

“It’s a very playable course,” Brady said. “It’s not too penal, but still enough of a challenge. You’ll hit virtually every club in your bag.”

One of the goals of Brady and course superintendent Louis Hoskyns is for golfers to have a pleasant outing. “We want it to be fun and friendly,” Brady said. “Not too hard, not too long.”

Hoskyns echoes that sentiment.

“I try, with the upkeep of the course, to keep things as consistent as possible from the first tee to the eighteenth green,” Hoskyns said. “My philosophy is to make it as enjoyable as possible. I keep the rough down—I’d rather somebody come away with a few birdies.”

Things start off straightforward enough on the first hole, a par-4 that ranges from 331 to 386 yards and can be a good confidence builder. From there, things progress nicely with a mix of par 3s, 4s and 5s. Then you reach No. 13. It’s the course’s signature hole, with a rather intimidating nickname of  “A Wee Bit of Hell.” It’s a par-4 with a dogleg left. A rock wall must be negotiated, along with a narrow green that slopes. The killer here is the second shot, a pitch across a pond. You most likely won’t have enough club.

“There are probably more double bogeys on this hole than on any other, even though it’s the shortest par 4 on the course,” Brady said.

It’s a hole that has prompted a fair amount of head-scratching as golfers move on to No. 14.

“13 is a fun hole,” Hoskyns said, and one that can have an unpredictable result. “You can make a birdie, or walk away with a big number.”

While 13 is the Links’ most famous—or infamous—hole, it might not be the most difficult. That designation could possibly go to No, 8 (482-601 yards), which Brady describes as a tough par 5, and the top handicap hole on the course. No, 16 could also be in the running in terms of the degree of difficulty. It’s a par 4 that’s drivable at 321 to 382 yards, but it has a tricky peninsula green thrown into the mix.

A particularly interesting par 3 is No, 15, which features a downhill layout guarded by water. Don’t let the relatively short distance (108-199 yards) fool you. More of the Scottish influence can be seen here as well, with a prominent rock wall.

As for the greens in general, there’s undulation—slight rises and dips in elevation—on all of them, and all can be challenging, according to Brady. The bunkers can be rather sneaky, providing another glimpse of Scotland.

In keeping with the idea of an enjoyable round, as opposed to wanting to sell your clubs at the end of the day, Links offers a chance for a strong finish on No. 18. It’s an uphill par-5 that Brady says is a good opportunity to close out with a birdie.

But whether you’re playing a stellar round or one where you conveniently forget the score, the natural beauty of the Links can make it worth your time.

“The course has some very nice elevation changes,” Hoskyns said. “After you play the first eight, it opens up and you can see the mountains.”

Easy access is definitely one of the strong points of the Links. Get off at the Landrum, South Carolina, exit off Interstate 26 and it’s a quick eight-mile drive down S.C. 14. And the season doesn’t really matter—another advantage the Links has during the winter months is more golf-friendly weather.

“We get a steady stream of golfers from Asheville, Brevard and even East Tennessee” in the winter, Brady said, “If you’re in the mountains, this is one of the first courses you can get to for better weather.”

First developed in 1985, Links O’Tryon is a semi-private course where they play “ready golf,” meaning that players go ahead when they’re ready rather than always following the rule of the golfer farthest from the hole playing first. A round can typically be completed in about 4 hours and 15 minutes or less.

Finally, one of the best aspects about Links O’Tryon is the congenial atmosphere. As Tommy Gardner of Tryon, North Carolina, says, “It offers good food and the members are very sociable.”  Plus, you can always find a group ready to play a round of golf, he said.