Musgrove Mill Golf Club [Golf Course Review]

In an area rich with dogwoods, Cedars Oaks, and walnuts along the Enoree River in upstate South Carolina, the Arnold Palmer design firm was given 315 acres from which to design and build a golf course. It turned out to be the perfect site for creating a championship-style layout at Musgrove Mill Golf Club often recognized among Golf Week’s 100 Best Modern Courses in America and ranks number 19 on Golf Digest’s best golf courses in South Carolina.

The course itself sits on land that was fought over during the American Revolution and features plenty of rolling terrains.

“You can imagine that fighting a revolutionary war out here. There were a lot of hills and dales and rivers.”

Today there are different types of battles being fought on this land. Musgrove Mill Golf Club has hosted almost every South Carolina Golf Association event, including the state amateur bit, amateur, and Fourball Championships, as well as the PGA, South Carolina Open, and just recently the SCC Championship.

Is this a typical Arnold Palmer design? In some respects, yes. One of Palmer’s design philosophies involves waste areas around green complexes, and when utilized they seem to create island greens.

“Out here at Musgrove MIll, there’s only like 10 to 15 bunkers, actual bunkers that are around the holes out here. But, you know, he wanted to keep it natural. You know, there’s no signage out here. Everybody just knows where to go because they come down here and play often enough. So, it’s just a beautiful sanctuary.”

That the green complexes themselves, on average, are smaller than what we’re used to seeing on a Palmer-designed golf course.

“The biggest greens that we have a really cut into three little greens. There’s a lot of thought on how to putt these greens. So, it is not a typical, you know, big green Palmer setup.”

Another thing that sets Musgrove Mill Golf Club apart from so many other courses, no two golf holes are alike. Each one has its design traits, yet together they make up a perfect routing of 18 fun and challenging holes of golf.

With its four sets of tees, the golf course at Musgrove Mill will challenge the best ball strikers, while at the same time offering up a fun and rewarding round of golf for the higher handicap player.

From the back Walnut Tees, this par 72 layout plays to 6,951 yards, while offering a course rating of 74.4 and a slope of 155.

“At Musgrove Golf Club it’s not how far you hit the golf ball. It’s how far you fly the golf ball. All the greens are receptive. But once again, if you miss the green, there’s no bump and run shots. All the short game is in the air. So, you need your 60 and your 58 and your 52-degree wedge to get around this place.”

Musgrove Mill Golf Club in Clifton, South Carolina, designed by Arnold Palmer, owned and operated by McConnell Golf and located in what is truly one of the best backdrops you could ask for to enjoy this great game of golf.

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