Palmetto Golf Club

Aiken, SC • Private

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Derek Duncan

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Derek Duncan

Overview

Golf in Aiken began over a century ago with two in-town courses, Palmetto Golf Club and Aiken Golf Club. Palmetto, founded in 1892, was primarily designed by Herbert Leeds, the builder of Myopia Hunt Club near Boston, with major amendments in 1932 by Alister MacKenzie who was working on Augusta National (just 30 miles away). Ranking comfortably inside our Third 100 Greatest Courses, it’s a polished, jewel-box design draped over up and down topography with one of the country’s great sets of greens full of slick interior movements that slip away into a variety of undulous chipping areas.

About

Holes 18

Length 6695

Slope 138

Facility Type Private

Designer Herbert Leeds/(R) Alister MacKenzie

Awards

Ranking history:

Best in State: Ranked inside the top 10, 1987-'89, 2023-'24. Ranked inside the top 20, 1995, 2013-'22. Ranked inside the top 30, 2011-'12.
2023-'24 ranking: 10th.

Panelists

Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists

4.3

100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES

Shot Options

7.1625

Character

7.5566

Challenge

6.9877

Layout Variety

7.2363

Fun

7.3699

Aesthetics

6.9529

Conditioning

7.2121

Reviews

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Review

“History oozes out of of Palmetto, 2nd oldest course in the US outside of Chicago GC operating 18 holes at the same site. Tremendous MacKenzie green complexes that are very challenging yet fair, gives 18 different shape and contour varieties that require great precision for both approach shots as well as short game shots around the greens. Dramatic use of elevation change from start to finish. Majestic pines frame most of the holes but give adequate width in the corridors. Very different visuals hole to hole off the tee. Be sure to check out the room of artifacts and displays just off the pro shop. Recent bunker restoration has helped to bring back the MacKenzie bunkering style. Standout holes include the 7th which is a short par 3 that Bobby Jones called the best medal par 3 in the world and the 12th which is a striking uphill cape hole w/ a severe green sloping front to back. Design of course is attributed to Leeds and MacKenzie, restorations by Doak and Hanse....very few if any courses can boast that combo!"

2022

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Review

“Alister Mackenzie design. Augusta National feel to it. There are a lot of rolling hills. Putting is impossible here, you think it is breaking one way and then it goes the other way. It is a fun day, if you ever get an invite here do not pass it up!"

2021