Indian River (West Columbia SC)

Indian River was the only course I played on the spring golf trip of '03 that was better than I expected. When you pull into the gravel parking lot, and see the simple clubhouse, it's easy to be underwhelmed stepping to the first tee. However, after playing a few holes, you can't help but get excited by how well designed the
green complexes are. Here are a few examples.

The ninth is 184 yards with a creek fronting the green. Two swales in middle of green make front and rear pins exacting hole locations. Two putting from swale is difficult.

Eleven is 465 yard par four. The green is well bunkered on left which gives false sense that bailout is right but two mounds on right are very difficult to putt or chip over.

Twelve is 177 par three. A crisscross mound in middle of green forces you to start at the center and work ball towards flag. Putting across green is incredibly difficult.

Fifteen is short par five at 509 yards. Fairway grades into the green where a trough lowers in the middle and rear is elevated again. Very very cool green!!

Finally eighteen shows how one feature influences entire green. Huge mound middle right makes rear flags a precise target.

If love to see Lynn Young design more courses. These greens make this course much better than it normally would be. 4 rating (above average)