Shain: Sooner or later, Lowcountry Hall needs to give architects their due

Two years in, and the Lowcountry Golf Hall of Fame has nary taken a misstep in recognizing the region's best first standardbearers.

Charles and Joseph Fraser established Sea Pines, making Hilton Head Island a golf destination. Charles Price piqued interest in the place via his writings. Tim Moss, Mike Harmon, Kevin King, Jim and Karen Ferree and Cary Corbitt all have been a vibrant part of the golf community for at least three decades.

Sometime soon, though, the shrine should tip its cap to some of those who may not have made the Lowcountry their home, but whose creations are a day-to-day part of the region's fabric.

The architects.

This is not a shout of injustice for leaving Pete Dye outside the ropes, though he certainly ought to be the first. Not only is Harbour Town Golf Links considered one of the most influential designs of the past half-century, his stamp is further embedded at Long Cove Club, Colleton River Plantation and three other Beaufort County layouts.

But consideration shouldn't stop there. Once Dye gets in, the panel might turn its attention to such designers as George Cobb, Tom Fazio and even Jack Nicklaus. Those three alone have had a hand in one-third of the region's courses; Cobb himself built nine, including the first-on-Hilton-Head Ocean Course.

They are layouts that have helped attract golfers to the Lowcountry, whether to test Sea Pines, Shipyard and other visitor-access courses or to stay as a resident of Belfair, Colleton River, Moss Creek, et al.

"They will be in there at some point because of the contribution they've made to the Lowcountry," said Bob Collar, the hall of fame's executive director. "But it does not seem the time for that, apparently."

Right now, residency plays a major factor. And perhaps it should, to establish a Lowcountry flavor that sets it apart from South Carolina's golf hall or others.

"The selection committee has been pretty well tied into the Lowcountry," Collar said. "Many have seen this area from its early stages. They understand who's been instrumental around here."

Corbitt has spent his entire golf career at Sea Pines, a nearly four-decade span that began as a staff professional in 1977 to the past quarter-century managing all of the resort's sports and operations. He's helped hold the fort when finances were tough, and he's happily overseen some $70 million in golf and other upgrades in the past decade.

Karen Ferree has won 17 state or Carolinas amateur titles, bookending time as an LPGA professional and head pro in Long Cove's early days. Just as important has been her and husband Jim's outreach in the game, including establishing a scholarship program at Hilton Head Prep and bringing a chapter of The First Tee to Hilton Head Island.

She also becomes the hall's first female member, a distinction that didn't necessarily impact voting but didn't go unnoticed, either.

"Not once before voting did anybody mention gender," Collar said. "But afterward, everybody was thrilled there's a lady in the Hall of Fame."

The hall now consists of two trailblazers, three local pros, one amateur, one amateur/pro combo, one executive and one journalist.

It's a good mix. There's really only one primary category missing.

Maybe next year.

Follow golf writer Jeff Shain on Twitter at twitter.com/JeffShain

This story was originally published January 16, 2016 at 4:29 PM with the headline "Shain: Sooner or later, Lowcountry Hall needs to give architects their due."