Sage Valley Golf Club
Graniteville, SC • Private
Courtesy of the club
Courtesy of the club
Courtesy of the club
Courtesy of the club
Courtesy of the club
Stephen Hennessey
Overview
Built just down I-20 from Augusta National, there's no mistaking Sage Valley's resemblance to its neighbor. The pine straw, the perfect conditioning and symmetric mowing paterns, the perfect bunker sand—it's all an ode to Augusta, where Tom Fazio, the architect at Sage Valley, served as the consulting architect for many years. Sage Valley has plenty of room off the tee, similar to its counterpart, but less drastic green complexes, characteristic of Fazio's approach—giving higher-handicappers a chance to run balls up on the ground in some spots—actually similar to how Augusta was originally designed by Dr. Mackenzie. Sage Valley fell off our Second 100 Greatest rankings in 2019 due to a lack of ballots—but it returned in 2023-'24.
About
Awards
Ranking history:
100 Greatest: Ranked from 2005 through 2012.
Highest ranking: 78th, 2005-'06.
Second 100 Greatest: Ranked from 2013-'18 and 2023-'24.
2023-'24 ranking: 153rd.
Best in State: Ranked fourth, 2021-'24.
2023-'24 ranking: 4th.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“Sage Valley is an oasis for golf. The accommodations and amenities are first class paired with impeccable service from the inside and outside staff. The caddies are first rate with strong knowledge of the course and the game, adding to your experience. The golf course rolls through the pines with lots of elevation changes, dog legs, some narrow fairways and well guarded greens. You can top off your day by playing the lit 9 hole par 3 course that evening. Very fun experience."
Read More2024
Review
“Standard Fazio layout. Not much thinking or strategy here but overall rewards good play if you’re hitting good off the tee. Everything is right in front of you and the course and experience lean more on premium conditioning and pin placement on fast undulating greens as defense. The course jumps out at you quickly with the signature 2nd hole island green with spectacular views. The only poorly designed hole is number 3 which doglegs around a lake but the fairway is too sloped which puts balls in the same spot even if landing at different spots on the fairway. The course has excellent par 3s that are long and picturesque but offer different pin positions that will challenge your accuracy. The par 5s are all pretty easy and gettable. The course is fair and fun for all skill levels and the short par 4s offer tricky pin positions that can make a projected birdie turn into a bogey if you aren’t precise with your wedges. What sets Sage apart is the conditions which are pristine rye fairways and bent greens that are like Augusta not far away. Overall a solid every day course but noting you would go out of your way to play."
Read More2024
Review
“The experience at Sage Valley is fantastic -- they care about every detail whether you are just golfing or staying onsite. The golf course is beautiful and in great condition, but also very similar to many other Fazio designs."
Read More2024
Review
“Beautifully maintained Nice elevation changes & clean cut lines between pine needles and grass"
Read More2024
Review
“Classic Fazio course on a beautiful site."
Read More2023
Review
“Very upscale with excellent elevation changes and terrain for golf. A fun golf course when played from the proper set of tees."
Read More2022
Review
“This is a terrific course and a first class operation. The staff was great and the course was in excellent shape."
Read More2018
Readers
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