The Walker Course

Damaikis

Fairway Finder
Joined
Jul 11, 2011
Messages
34,313
Reaction score
53
Location
Clemson, SC
Handicap
GHIN 6.2
I have a membership at The Walker Course at Clemson University in Clemson, SC, so I figured I'd share some about it here. It's a very nice course and a good layout in my opinion. The course is kept in good condition with the only real blemish I can think of being the 16th green which has a bunch of dead spots since it gets almost no sunlight during the day. Otherwise the greens are good; they roll well but are maybe a bit slower than some people are used to. The fairways and tee boxes are kept up very nicely and the rough is good and thick. The bunkers are also in good shape with nice, soft sand. Here is the 16th green that I spoke of:
Spoiler

FDCAA95F-48CE-4DBD-881B-45462E0D6564-18917-000012C262A7D438.jpg


The clubhouse is very nice and full of Clemson-themed stuff such as both wood and putter head covers, shirts, hats, and other things. The majority of the clubs sold there are PING, with some Titleist. They sell a variety of different golf balls by the sleeve, and also sell Titleist balls by the box. They are certified PING and Titleist fitters, and that includes a PING fitting cart in the shop. The practice facilities outside are kept in good condition and they have just about any kind of practice you could want. They have a long driving range with grass tees, a large putting green with various cups and undulations, a chipping green with several pins that provides a variety of different lies, and even a practice bunker with its own separate green to hit onto. They offer rounds either with a cart or walking if you would like to save money, which I personally love because I can't afford to pay cart fees all the time being in college.

The front 9 starts out heading away from Lake Hartwell, but by 9 you have circled back to the clubhouse. The back 9 then goes off in the other direction sort of towards the lake, with the 3 finishing holes bordering the lake to bring you back to the clubhouse with some gorgeous views. There is a mix of challenging holes with good scoring opportunities throughout the course. It plays a par 72 with four par 3s (2 on the front, 2 on the back) and four par 5s (two on the front, 2 on the back). In my opinion, the most challenging hole on the course is #9 with the easiest being #1 or #16.

#9 is a tough par 4 that doglegs left and has water running down the left hand side then cutting through the dogleg. There are bunkers at then end of the fairway, so you have to take care not to drive through it. Also, it is a long approach shot over water uphill to the green, so you want to hug the left side of the fairway without going in the water. A good drive down the middle or left hand side can leave you with 175-200 yards into the green. #1 is a relatively straight and short par 5. If you put your drive in the fairway, the green is reachable in 2 for most and there is not much trouble around what is a pretty easy green. If you go too far left, however, there will be trees obstructing your shot to the green, forcing you to lay up and hit a wedge in. And finally, #16 is a long, straight par 5 that is very wide open. While not reachable in 2 for anyone but long hitters, it provides ample fairway to find with your tee ball, a generous layup area, and that just leaves a short wedge shot into a large, easy green with not much danger around it. Here's an overhead view of each #9 and #1:

Spoiler
#1
WalkerCourse1Overhead.jpg

#9
WalkerCourse9Overhead.jpg


The final 3 holes of the course are probably the most beautiful 3 hole stretch I have ever seen on a golf course before. #16 is a long, uphill par 5 with your tee shot over water and a spectacular view from the elevated tee. #17 is the famous "Tiger Paw" hole on the course, a medium-length par 3 over water with 4 circular bunkers spaced behind the green so that it looks like a tiger paw. Finally, #18 is a shortish dogleg right par 4 with water to both the left and right of the driving area. Here are some pictures of those holes:

Spoiler
#16 Tee Shot
WalkerCourse16.jpg


#17 Tee:
WalkerCourse17.jpg


#18 Tee
F154794B-7573-4B46-8AB3-61BD3C4FA903-18917-000012C265C77592.jpg


#18 Approach:
WalkerCourse18.jpg


Keep in mind that the dry summer has caused the water level in the lake to be very low, so the water does not get all the way up to be in #16 or #17, but I think you can see where it would be.

There are other very good holes on the course, one of my favorites being #6. It is a par 4 that dog-legs from right to left sharply. You have to clear a gorge with your tee shot to get to the fairway, and as you aim farther left to try to cut off some of the dog leg, the fairway stretches farther away from you as well as becoming narrower. A tee ball hit right can still find the fairway as it is very wide over there, but it can leave you as much as 200 yards or maybe even more into the green. The green is very shallow and because of that is tough to hit. It has bunkers short and left, and the only opening to the green is on the extreme right side of it. Here are some pictures of it:
Spoiler
From the tee:
A3D7A814-95C2-4E57-B76C-4F95D0EEAA9B-18917-000012C25C6C2D44.jpg


Around the green:
3B54A190-B64D-4586-B4C1-ECBC9D23EDF0-4946-0000042AE4573F2B.jpg


Here is a look at the scorecard for the whole course:
Spoiler

WalkerCourseScorecardFront.jpg

WalkerCourseScorecardBack.jpg


For more information such as a course tour, more information on the pro shop or memberships, and other things, you can go to their website here: http://www.clemson.edu/centers-institutes/madren/golf/.
 
Last edited:
Those finishing holes are beautiful! Looks like. Great track to play on a regular basis.
 
Dang, that is a very nice looking course. Enjoy the membership!!

Will only look better when water level comes back up for 16 & 17.
 
Wow. Awesome track. If I come up to Lake Hartwell sometime with my buddy who has a lake house there, I'd love to play this with you Dam.
 
In my opinion, the Walker Course has some of the prettiest finishing holes in the region. It really could turn into a destination course if they marketed it properly.

No. 9 is also one of the hardest par 4s that I've ever played. It usually plays in the 440 range, but the dogleg and the water usually prevents you from hitting driver. You essentially have to place a short tee shot in front of the water and then have between 190-220 over water to reach the green. It's a fun hole, but bogey is definitely acceptable -- it can quickly become an "other" hole.


Damaikis, I still have 9/25 marked on my calendar. I'm really hoping that I can make it up there to play. The course looks like it is in great shape.
 
Wow. Awesome track. If I come up to Lake Hartwell sometime with my buddy who has a lake house there, I'd love to play this with you Dam.

I would love to play with you dude so if you're ever up this way, let me know and we can definitely play.

In my opinion, the Walker Course has some of the prettiest finishing holes in the region. It really could turn into a destination course if they marketed it properly.

No. 9 is also one of the hardest par 4s that I've ever played. It usually plays in the 440 range, but the dogleg and the water usually prevents you from hitting driver. You essentially have to place a short tee shot in front of the water and then have between 190-220 over water to reach the green. It's a fun hole, but bogey is definitely acceptable -- it can quickly become an "other" hole.


Damaikis, I still have 9/25 marked on my calendar. I'm really hoping that I can make it up there to play. The course looks like it is in great shape.

Sweet, I have it marked too. I look forward to it.
 
Looks like a great course, they should get rid of that cheesy fountain though. I hope you enjoy it.
 
Dam, you are one lucky son of Maikis, that is a beautiful course!
 
Looks like a great course, they should get rid of that cheesy fountain though. I hope you enjoy it.

That water is actually a small pond separate from the lake (the lake is to the left of and behind the picture) so the fountain is needed otherwise it would get all algae-filled and whatnot. But I agree that it does look sort of odd.
 
That water is actually a small pond separate from the lake (the lake is to the left of and behind the picture) so the fountain is needed otherwise it would get all algae-filled and whatnot. But I agree that it does look sort of odd.

They can accomplish the same thing with under water circulation, there are ponds all over golf courses without fountains. But nonetheless 16 and 17 are breathtaking holes.
 
They can accomplish the same thing with under water circulation, there are ponds all over golf courses without fountains. But nonetheless 16 and 17 are breathtaking holes.

haha you would laugh at the man made water hazards we have here in my area-they seriously are holes with tarps in the ground filled with water and a crappy fountain-nothing majestic like the lakes in NC where my family is from
 
They can accomplish the same thing with under water circulation, there are ponds all over golf courses without fountains. But nonetheless 16 and 17 are breathtaking holes.


I see someone is still bitter about the Auburn loss. Just picking battles where you can find them... :alien:


They built that course when I was at Clemson (96-00). There was one summer when there was no fountain (I can't remember if it wasn't working or hadn't been installed yet). The lasting memory was the 18th hole would absolutely reek, and you started smelling the pond on the 17th green. Not awesome.

Agreed, though, that the fountain is kind of cheesy. 18 is still an awesome finishing hole, though.
 
I see someone is still bitter about the Auburn loss. Just picking battles where you can find them... :alien:


They built that course when I was at Clemson (96-00). There was one summer when there was no fountain (I can't remember if it wasn't working or hadn't been installed yet). The lasting memory was the 18th hole would absolutely reek, and you started smelling the pond on the 17th green. Not awesome.

Agreed, though, that the fountain is kind of cheesy. 18 is still an awesome finishing hole, though.

Hey you shut up, I'm not bitter, lol

No I just was realy enjoying 16 and 17, each are GREAT looking holes and then that fountain kills the picture on 18. Like I said still great closing holes. I just HATE fountains on golf courses.
 
I think 18 is the hardest of those holes. The driving area is intimidating with water on both sides. Good thing it's short so I usually only hit a FW anyways. Though being in a back bunker on 17 is tough because if you go long out of it you're in the hazard.
 
Awesome looking course and a great review Dam! You are lucky to be able to play that course whenever you like.
 
I love that course...what does a membership cost there?
 
I love that course...what does a membership cost there?

You can check on the website but I believe I read $2,000 for the initiation fee plus some fee monthly which depends on your status.
 
The course looks pretty good Charlie. Man, I wish I was back in college.


John Deere Tap'n
 
Miss this course very much, I'm going back down for the VT game and hopefully will be able to play in Sunday afternoon. Go Tigers.
 
Miss this course very much, I'm going back down for the VT game and hopefully will be able to play in Sunday afternoon. Go Tigers.

I'll be playing Sunday afternoon. PM me and maybe we can set something up.
 
Edited to add some more stuff. I plan to continually edit this to add things I forget since I keep going back there and remembering that I forgot something.
 
Edited to add some more stuff. I plan to continually edit this to add things I forget since I keep going back there and remembering that I forgot something.


Thanks for the added pics. Course looks great (apart from 16 green -- yikes).

The tee shot on 18 reminds me, I will have to play the course completely differently when we play. I played a draw in college, now I play a fade. I used to use the fountain as a target on 18 and would hit a draw over the bunkers. It will be interesting playing a shot towards the water on that hole.
 
That's a great looking course D! And its awesome that you get to be a member!
 
Thanks for the added pics. Course looks great (apart from 16 green -- yikes).

The tee shot on 18 reminds me, I will have to play the course completely differently when we play. I played a draw in college, now I play a fade. I used to use the fountain as a target on 18 and would hit a draw over the bunkers. It will be interesting playing a shot towards the water on that hole.

I usually play a fade and the past few times I've gone into the water there expecting to fade it. I think I'll start hitting driver there since A) the fade is more reliable with driver and B) even if I hit it pretty straight I think I can clear the left edge of the water.
 
Back
Top