Beaufort News

Local Golf Notebook, Sept. 13: Work complete at Dataw Island courses

From staff reports - info@islandpacket.com

After two years and more than $5 million, Dataw Island Club's members boast two new-look golf courses.

The most recent layout opened for play this week, with Morgan River finishing a roughly five-month renovation. The work to Morgan River was less extensive than to Cotton Dike, its sister course.

"The completion of this extensive project is something the membership at Dataw Island has been anticipating for quite some time," Ted Bartlett, general manager and chief operating officer of Dataw Island Club, said in a statement. "Our golf courses were already outstanding, but these renovations have updated them to meet modern golf standards, improve playability for members and guests while enhancing some of the natural features of these great designs."

Morgan River's bunkers -- half the number of Cotton Dike -- were redone and fairways on Nos. 1, 17 and 18 received new grass. The course's greens were converted to MiniVerde bermuda, but only a few were cored out, whereas 17 of 18 greens on Cotton Dike received extensive overhauls.

The irrigation was replaced with the bulk of the project's $5.4 million budget. Cart paths were repaired and trees pruned to allow more light to fairways and greens and lake banks were restored.

The work followed the extensive renovation of Cotton Dike, which re-opened in November 2011.

Billy Fuller Golf Design oversaw both projects. Fuller was once golf superintendent at Augusta National Golf Club and was a longtime associate of Cotton Dike architect Tom Fazio.

"Our intent was to bring the course specifications up to par," Fuller said in a statement. "And by incorporating modern golf design principles, we can ensure the club remains competitive with the marketplace for the next twenty to thirty years."

Dataw Island Club members voted in early 2010 to renovate both courses and work began on Cotton Dike in April of that year.

At Cotton Dike, greens were restored to their original size and converted to MiniVerde. All but one green was cored out and recontoured.

Celebration bermuda grass was grown in the fairways.

"The golf course was in dire need of improvement," golf operations director Brian Hollingsworth said when Cotton Dike re-opened. "We've made it a lot better."

IJGA STUDENTS SWEEP AT HILTON HEAD NATIONAL

Students from the Hank Haney International Junior Golf Academy swept all three divisions at the International Junior Golf Tour's event last weekend at Hilton Head National.

Aaron Terrazas of Mexico City, Mexico, shot 72-70--142 to win the Boys 15-19 division by a stroke, while Bluffton's Zachary Boe was sixth, seen shots back.

Japan's Tennoshin Ogawa shot 69-76--145 to win the Boys Under-14 division by 10 strokes.

Japan's Rei Nakatani won the Girls Under 19 division by a stroke with a 73-78--151, as Bluffton's Kasidy Beckel was fifth, six shots back.

JPGA's PEDRO WINS AT GOLDEN BEAR

Toks Pedro of Hilton Head Island's Junior Players Golf Academy shot a 1-under 73-70--143 to win the Boys 15-18 division in the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour Kikkor Golf Series event at Golden Bear Golf Club last weekend.

Summerville's Reona Hirai shot 153 to win the Girls 15-18 division, edging JPGA student Isidora Quevedo by a stroke and Bluffton's Brandi Hammonds by two.

Summerville's Zak Butt won the Boys 11-14 division, while Rylie Marchman of Waynesboro, Ga., won the Girls 11-14 division.

Bluffton's Alex Weary, playing in the Boys 11-14 division, had the tournament's only eagle.

PORT ROYAL'S SMUNK SECOND IN BETTER BALL

Defending champions Bill (Kingstree) and John Smunk (Port Royal) shot a 70-69--139 to fall a stroke shy and finish second in the SCGA Senior Better Ball Championship last weekend at Santee Cooper Country Club in Santee.

The team of Jim Burgess (Columbia) and Steve Horton (Moncks Corner) edged them with a 66-72--138.

IJGT OPENS AT OLDFIELD

The International Junior Golf Tour opened its 2012-2013 season Sept. 1-2 at Okatie's Oldfield Golf Club.

Mexico's Andre Beccara, a student at the Hank Haney International Junior Golf Academy, won the Boys 14-under title with a 76-87--163.

Thailand's Phimnipha Wongwaiwate, also a IJGA student, won the Girls 19-under division with a 70-72--142. Bluffton's Kasidy Beckel was sixth, 20 strokes back.

Toks Pedro of Hilton Head Island's Junior Players Golf Academy shot an even-par 76-68--144 to win the Boys 15-18 division. Bluffton's Bryson Nimmer was 13th, 10 strokes back, while Hardeeville's Jonathan Phillips was 21st and Bluffton's Elliott Johnson was 23rd.

HOLES-IN-ONE

  • John Way hit a hole-in-one Aug. 9 on the eighth hole at Bear Creek Golf Club. He used a 7-wood. Witnesses were Marty Slagowitz, Jack Pelin, and Ron Borders.
  • Bob Pentico hit a hole-in-one Aug. 20 on the 12th hole at Okatie Creek Golf Club. He used a 23 degree hybrid. Witnesses were Ron Sabatini, Al Ferraro, and Ron Cook.
  • Stu Brown hit a hole-in-one Aug. 21 on the first hole at Moss Creek's North Course. Witnesses were Dick Eyet, Clark Burkins, and Neil Ofsthun.
  • Edie Mott hit a hole-in-one Sept. 1 on the seventh hole at Moss Creek's North Course. Witnesses were Marty Dunning and Sandy Weagly.
  • Bob Morris hit a hole-in-one Sept. 6 on the 10th hole at Moss Creek's North Course. He used a 5-hybrid. Witnesses were Joe Lapchick and John Quirk.
  • Tina Outrich hit a hole-in-one Sept. 5 on the 112-yard fifth hole at Palmetto Dunes' Robert Trent Jones Golf Course with a 5 reserve club. Witnesses were Mark Outrich, Bill Roehm and Mary Roehm.

    • This story was originally published September 13, 2012 at 12:57 AM with the headline "Local Golf Notebook, Sept. 13: Work complete at Dataw Island courses."

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