Dataw Island, SC—The Cotton Dike and Morgan River courses at Dataw Country Club on Dataw Island SC will be closed during the upcoming years for renovations, according to the club’s representatives. Cotton Dike will close first, in March 2010, with a projected reopening in October 2010, while Morgan River will close in March of 2011 and reopen the following October.

Located in beautiful Beaufort SC, the clubs are some of the finest South Carolina Golf Courses. Cotton Dike was named for the series of Plantation-era dikes it rests upon. The dikes were constructed by plantation owners in the marshes of the Lowcountry South Carolina in order to create more land for their cotton crops. Designed by Thomas Fazio, ASGCA, in 1985, the 6,342-yard, 72-par course boasts 18 challenging holes, almost half of which rest along scenic Jenkins Creek.

Morgan River, the second of the two Dataw Island South Carolina golf courses to open, was designed by Arthur Hills, ASGCA, in 1989. Shaded by enormous oaks, the 6,825 yard course has a rating of 73.2, and a slope rating of 133. Because this course is so narrow, it demands a high level of accuracy, offering players a unique challenge amidst the charming natural beauty of Golf Courses near Hilton Head, South Carolina.

According to Billy Fuller, a designer and former Augusta National superintendent, who will be in charge of the project, the renovations will focus on a variety of improvements, which are meant to ensure that the courses can compete with other local golf clubs for at least the next twenty to thirty years. They will focus mainly on erosion control, replacing irrigation systems, and revamping Dataw Island Club’s practice area. In addition to this, Fuller and his crew will be resurfacing the greens with a variety of Golf Course Grass Types, including MiniVerde, Zoysia, and an improved type of Bermudagrass known as Celebration. While these renovations are taking place, the grounds crews will be focusing on aerification, top-dressing, and generally working to improve the turf. With these improvements, Fuller and general manager Ted Bartlett hope to make two already magnificent courses even more thought-provoking and aesthetically pleasing for Dataw Island Club’s members, as well as their guests.

Next time you visit Beaufort SC, make sure to take advantage of the area’s historic charm and distinctive geographic features by playing a round at either of Dataw Island South Carolina’s excellent courses, Morgan River or Cotton Dike. Both courses boast natural beauty as well as uniquely challenging holes, which will make for a South Carolina Golf experience you won’t soon forget!