Savannah Lakes

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Address: 5812 U.S. 378,, McCormick, South Carolina, 29835 United States

Tel: +1 864-391-4116

Website: http://www.savannahlakes.com/Golf

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What the club says: Savannah Lakes Village's two 18-hole award-wining championship golf courses, carved from the rolling landscape wrapping Lake Thurmond, offer unique challenges and breathtaking vistas of the lake and piedmont forest.

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Reviews for Savannah Lakes

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The golf courses reviews are the personal opinions of members of Golfshake who completed a review after playing the course. These opinions do not necessarily represent the views of Golfshake.com

The Golfin Guy rated 4 out of 5

Reviewed Jan 29 2024

A Recreational Oasis

Attention retirees and those looking to move South: You don’t have to go all the way to Florida to enjoy great weather year-round.

Savannah Lakes Village is a recreational oasis located in McCormick South Carolina. This sprawling lakefront community is located at the confluence of the 71,000+ acre Lake Thurmond and Western South Carolina’s Freshwater Coast Region. The Freshwater Coast has some of the nation's most scenic inland waterways and public lands. The community borders 65,000 acres of state parks and national forests and has 25 miles of shoreline along Lake Thurmond. In addition to every imaginable watersport, the community features two member-owned golf courses, two restaurants, a recreation center, community docks, and much more.

There’s a wide variety of community events at the two restaurants - the River Grille and Monti’s – for members and their guests to enjoy. Both cater to members and serve some delicious food.

The recreation center offers several daily activities and exercise programs and enough exercise equipment to work every muscle in your body. After a strenuous workout, relax in either the indoor or outdoor pool. If you’d rather swing a racquet than a golf club, play on one of their many tennis and pickleball courts. And don’t forget, Savannah Lakes Village is surrounded by nature with over 150 miles of forest and water trails to explore. They are also at the forefront of technology, with one of South Carolina's best direct-to-the-home fiber optic broadband networks, allowing residents to stay connected, whether they work from home or just want to be entertained.

With so much to do, the main attractions are the two championship golf courses, Tara and Monticello. Both courses are carved from the rolling landscape wrapping Lake Thurmond and offer beautiful views and challenging golf holes. These 36 holes are recognized as some of the state's most scenic, challenging, and inspiring golf holes. If these two courses aren’t enough, SLV borders Hickory Knob Resort which has a 3rd lakefront golf course

The Tara Golf Course winds its way around Lake Thurmond and through the hillsides of the Sumter National Forest. The land’s rolling topography becomes more pronounced as your round progresses with stately oaks and pines that seem to frame each hole.

The elevation changes on the first three holes on the Tara Golf Course at Savannah Lakes Village prepare you for what's to come. For example, on the par 4, 3rd hole you tee off from an elevated tee box down into a valley and then play an approach shot back up the hill that is at least one extra club. There's also some good elevation change on Number 5, the course’s first par 3, which features an elevated tee and an elevated green with water in between the two and woods on the right.

The 6th hole is yet another example of the elevation changes. This dogleg left par 4, plays 402 yards from the White Tees. It ends up playing significantly longer since everything from the 150-yard marker into the green is extremely uphill. The trees on the left side of the tee box can be carried with a good fade and the ball should come to rest in the middle of the fairway. Push your tee shot right and you’ll be flirting with a fairway bunker. Since it takes a drive of 250+ to get to the 150-yard marker, most players will be hitting a long iron or hybrid uphill into the green - it's at least two extra clubs up the hill. The good news is there are no bunkers around the green but the mounding and grass swales that surround the putting surface can wreak havoc on a good score. This beautiful and challenging hole is Tara’s #1 handicapped hole!

Number 9 is a very interesting hole; it plays 333 yards from the White Tees. It’s dramatically downhill and actually plays about 310. Longball hitters may be inclined to drive the green, however, the large lake in front of the green will make you think twice. With out-of-bounds to the left and trees that can block out an approach shot on the right, it’s best to hit something that will leave a manageable shot into the green and take the water out of play. It may be short but it’s still a fun golf hole.

Number 18 is a great hole to end with and shares the green with Number 9. It only plays 337 yards from the White Tees. The hole doglegs to the right with a fairway bunker on the left that catches a lot of errant tee shots. The grass bunkers on the right side are full of long, gnarly grass but can be easily carried off the tee. Just like Number 9, hit something less than driver off the tee to take the water in front of the green out of play and leave yourself a manageable shot into the green.

The Monticello course could be considered a modern-day links-style course with gently rolling fairways and water hazards along a tree-lined shoreline. The course plays 7,032 yards from the back tees and features MiniVerde Bermuda greens with Zoysia collars, and Bermuda fairways and rough. You’ll find water on nine of the 18 holes, and a dramatic lakefront peninsula on the front nine.

The Monticello Course has several memorable holes as well. Number one is a short, 388-yard par 4 (White Tees) It starts with a blind tee shot and from there plays uphill. A good drive that finds the fairway is going to leave a short pitch shot into a rather large green. Make the putt and get your round started on the right foot.

Holes three, four, and five epitomize what Savannah Lakes Village golf is all about. They are three of the course’s most photographed holes. The 3rd hole gives you your first glimpse of Lake Thurmond. It’s a picturesque par 5 – 460 yards from the White Tees – with a fairway bunker on the right and woods on the left off the tee. Longball hitters might have a chance to go for the green on their second shot but beware of the water on the left. Number 4 is a par 3 that plays 139 yards, right into Lake Thurmond. A large bunker protects the front, back, and left sides of the green. It’s a great-looking par 3 hole.

The 5th hole continues to wrap its way around Lake Thurmond. It’s a 346-yard, par 4, dogleg left with two lakes that come into play. Carry the bunker on the left off the tee but don't go too far left or you’ll flirt with the second lake. A good tee shot will leave a mid-iron over water into a green that slopes left to right and is wider than deep. It’s protected on three sides by sand.

Savannah Lakes Village is a bundled community meaning that membership is included with property ownership. It’s a vibrant community with a lot of interaction between neighbors and residents. They recently opened a $3 million healthcare facility on site, which is owned and operated by Self Regional Hospital. Savannah Lakes Village is an easy drive from several major cities including Augusta, Greenville, Charlotte, Columbia, Charleston, and Atlanta.

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The Golfin Guy/Crossville rated 4.5 out of 5

Reviewed May 18 2022

Play Here. Live Here

Savannah Lakes Village is a 4,000-acre master-planned private lakefront community located on over 20 miles of shoreline on Lake Thurmond. It’s a common-interest community where property owners pay assessments that help keep the common amenities up and running. They also pay nominal usage fees for amenities such as golf, clubhouse restaurants, recreation center, and community docks. This a la carte approach allows members to build the lifestyle they want and, if you’re an avid golfer, play as much golf as you want.

The Community has received numerous awards including one of “America’s 100 Best Planned Communities” by Ideal-LIVING Magazine, “Best Overall Active Adult Community” by National Active Retirement Association, and America’s “100 Best Master Planned Communities,” by Where to Retire. They’ve also been recognized as a “50 Top Golf Community,” by Retirement Lifestyles. Savannah Lakes Village was also South Carolina’s first “Firewise” community.

For residents, there’s plenty to do; it’s a community practically built around recreation. In addition to watersports on and around the lake, Savannah Lakes Village boasts two championship lakefront golf courses on the property. Within the community’s 23,000 square foot Recreation Center you’ll find 2 pools, tennis and pickleball courts, and a bowling alley. For the outdoor lover, there are literally hundreds of miles of land and water trails to explore. The community also has over 30 sanctioned clubs and groups with something for everyone from birdwatching to golf to shooting sports.

Savannah Lakes is home to two of the best golf courses in the area if not the state. Each course has excellent practice facilities including spacious driving ranges where you can hit every club in the bag, putting greens, practice bunkers, and pitching greens. These award-winning golf courses were designed by golf course architect Tom Clark and are seamlessly carved from the rolling landscape that wraps around Lake Thurmond. Watch bald eagles soar overhead as you putt and enjoy unique challenges, breathtaking vistas, and an exciting round of golf. In addition to great views, you’ll find some of the most scenic, challenging, and inspiring golf holes in the state.

The Tara Golf Course plays 7,002 yards from the black tees with a course rating of 72 and a slope of 140. The average golfer will find the white tees at 6,091 yards enjoyable and challenging. Ladies typically play from the red tees at 5,375. Pick the set of tees that best match your game and you’ll have a great time.

The Tara Golf Course winds its way through the community and meanders along the naturally rugged terrain of the Sumter National Forest and around Lake Thurmond. The rolling topography of the land shows itself in several places throughout your round, while stately oaks and pristine pines frame each hole.

Tara has several memorable holes but the stretch from 8 to 10 can make or break a good round. Number 8 is a par 5 that plays 486 yards from the white tees and for the majority of golfers is going to be a 3-shot hole. Try and play down the left side or cut the corner of the dogleg and you can make it really rough on yourself. A good idea may be something less than a driver off the tee in hopes of finding the fairway. Playing your layup shot down the right side will give a better angle into the green, which is an odd shape and heavily protected by sand. Number 9 is a unique and fun hole. At 317 yards, it’s not real long and it plays downhill so it’s somewhat shorter still. Whatever you hit off the tee. Make sure it’s short of the water in front of the green. Number 10 is another dogleg left par 4, playing 397 yards. Favor the right side off the tee and leave yourself a long to mid-iron slightly uphill into another well-guarded green. Make it through these holes at par or better and odds are you’ll have a great round.

The Monticello Course seems to be the more popular of the two. At 7,032 yards it’s only slightly longer and the course rating of 74 and slope of 142 suggest that plays a little tougher. Monticello is best classified as a modern links course as it follows the natural contours of the forested coastline and brings water into play on at least 9 holes. The course features Bermuda fairways and rough, Zoysia collars, and MiniVerde Bermuda greens. I found the white tees at 6,112 yards provided a good challenge and had me hitting every club in the bag.

The most stunning holes on the golf course are 3, 4, and 5 which play out on a lakefront peninsula and bring the water into play. Number 3 is a 469-yard par 5 with water all down the left side and bunkers that come into play in the landing area on both your tee shot and layup. The boomerang-shaped green is protected on the left by sand and water. The 4th is a short par 3, playing 139 yards into a green with water that must be carried off the tee and sand and mounding surrounding it.

Number 5 is a 346-yard par 4 with that pesky lake down the left side again. The hole has been named as one of the “18 Most Spectacular” holes in the Carolinas by Carolina Living Magazine. Favoring the right side helps to take the water out of play but watch out for the fairway bunker. A tee shot that finds the fairway will leave an approach shot over water into a well undulated green protected by sand and water on the left.

The clubhouses offer golfers full beverage service plus bar sandwiches and other snacks perfect for a quick bite at the turn. Both clubhouses are equipped with multiple televisions, and the covered patio at Monti’s is a wonderful place to enjoy drinks when the weather is comfortable. New for 2022, River Grille at Tara is christening The Overlook, an outdoor patio with a panoramic vista spanning the #1 tee, the shared #9/#18 green, and the shores of Lake Thurmond.

If you’re considering retirement to a warm-weather golf community, take a serious look at Savannah Lakes Village. The Upcountry of South Carolina is beautiful and offers plenty to do. You’re bound to meet friends and neighbors that share your interests. There are six different neighborhoods within Savannah Lakes offering lake, golf, and interior-wooded homesites ranging in price from the $200s to well over $1M. No matter where you live, as a resident of Savannah Lakes Village you’ll have full access to the golf courses and the lake via the community docks and local area boat ramps.

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The golf courses reviews are the personal opinions of members of Golfshake who completed a review after playing the course. These opinions do not necessarily represent the views of Golfshake.com