Crescent Pointe Golf Club Review

Located three miles west of the bridge to Hilton Head, the Arnold Palmer Design Group has created a Lowcountry masterpiece in Crescent Pointe. This Arnold Palmer signature course sits on a beautiful piece of property and highlights the beauty of its surroundings. The championship golf course plays 6,773 yards from the back/Palmer tees with a course rating of 73.8 and a slope of 144 (four sets of tees total) Most golfers will have all they can handle while still maintaining some dignity from the White Tees (6,027/70.2/132).

As with most Palmer courses, Crescent Pointe offers generous fairways, yet challenging approaches to elevated, undulating greens. As you make your way around the course and through the rolling terrain Mr. Palmer created, you'll pass strands of centuries-old oaks, pines and magnolias. Journey through the wetlands and you're privy to some amazing views of the area. But enough of this, it's time to focus on golf!

Water is present but not necessarily in play on 16 of the 18 holes with the par 4 18th being the lone exception. In addition to the water that dots the landscape, you'll find a lot of sand; in fact, in areas where grass was hard to grow, they simply replaced it with sand. You'll find a number of massive waste bunkers and beach bunkers, which butt up against the water and while they create great aesthetics, they can wreak havoc on your scorecard. Where the water or trees do not form the border of a hole the sand does.

When you head to the pro shop to check in, look around at the great selection of golf equipment and logoed golf apparel Crescent Point has to offer. You'll also find a wide assortment of polos, gloves, hats, shorts, and socks for both men and women. Remember, if you can't dazzle them with your game, you may as well look the part!

Before your round, be sure to warm up on Crescent Pointe's full-length driving range, where you can hit every club in the bag. You'll need to, because odds are you'll use every one of them. More on that later. There's also a nice short game area and practice putting green.

When I think back on my round at Crescent Pointe, several holes come to mind. The first hole is a fairly straight forward par 4, that is if you don't pay attention to the large waste bunker on the left off the tee or the pond you must fly on the left side on approach. The hole plays 363 yards from the White Tees and is best played with a drive up the right side of the fairway. This takes the water next to the green somewhat out of play, especially with a right pin placement. The green is large, two-tiered and features a lot of undulation. Number 1 is a fair but challenging starting hole and sets the stage for the rest of your round.

Number 3 is a fairly short par 5 of 471 yards. There's a marsh area that crosses the fairway about 300 yards out, so bombs away! A good tee shot will leave you with a decision to make; I say go for it because there isn't a lot of trouble up near the green other than sand short of the green. This is a hole where you can easily gain a stroke on your playing partners.

Number 6 was my favorite hole, a par 5 that plays 465 yards from the White Tees to an island green. For long ball hitters who can hit a long drive up the right side and avoid the waste bunker and marsh, they can have a go at the green in two. The rest of us will find solace in the left side of the fairway. A short layup shot followed by a pitch shot over water to the island, two putts, par. Simple!

Although Number 18 has the distinction of being the only hole with no water; it makes up for that with sand. It's everywhere off the tee and definitely in play if you don't hit the narrow fairway. From the White Tees, it plays 387 yards and the bunker on the right can easily be cleared with a good drive. From there you're looking at an approach shot into a long, narrow green framed by bunkers on either side and behind. Now it's time to head inside to One Hot Mamas!

One Hot Mamas American Grille is a family-friendly Hilton Head restaurant specializing in baby-back ribs, pit-to-plate BBQ, hand-cut steaks, char-grilled chicken, the world's best wings, salads and more. In addition to all of your BBQ favorites, they also offer several draft beers and all of your favorite libations. You won't be disappointed in the food.

Last Word: Rarely does a daily fee golfer have the opportunity to experience expansive marsh views and, in this case unprecedented views of scenic Colleton River; that is something usually reserved for members of private clubs. Holes 17 and 18 offer up such views. As for the golf course, you'll need to think your way around. While many fairways offer the opportunity to go for broke off the tee, you'll need to think through the layup and pitch shots if you want to play well here. More than likely, you'll hit every club in the bag. That said the course is very player-friendly and challenging. Something else I found interesting were the elevated greens, something you don't often see on a course that sits at just above sea level.

If you live in the Hilton Head area and are thinking of joining a golf course, Brown Golf Management offers the best membership opportunities in the area. For one monthly membership fee, you'll have access to 7 Bluffton/Hilton Head area courses and enjoy unlimited golf, range balls and golf lessons from a PGA professional. I spoke with several members that take advantage of this perk and they said this alone is worth the membership fee! You'll also have reciprocal privileges at all other Brown Golf-managed facilities in FL, GA, PA and NC.

For more membership information or to book a tee time at Crescent Point, give them a call at (843) 706-2600 or visit their website www.crescentpointegolf.com