Southern Swing Tunes Men’s Golf Up For Spring Season

The College of Wooster men's golf team wrapped up its annual training trip on Thursday at Old Chatham Golf Club.

Wooster's trip started with a practice round at Lakeside Park Country Club in Richmond, Virginia. Billed as "one of the toughest short courses you will ever play," Lakeside is the first golf course in Richmond. The course features remnants of metal cages and concrete basins from the original zoo on the property.

Next, The Golf Club at Indigo Run was where Wooster spent March 16. A staple on the trip, Indigo Run is one of Hilton Head Island's signature courses. The course was the first co-designed by a father and son team, with that team consisting of Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II, and it is the last golf course built on Hilton Head's barrier island.

Following Indigo Run, Wooster had a practice round at the Nicklaus-designed Golden Bear Golf Club, a course regarded as one of "America's Top 100 Courses Priced Under $100" by Travel and Leisure.

Wooster spent three days at Atlantic Beach Country Club upon arriving in Florida. The course sits on the site of the former Selva Marina Country Club, where Nicklaus recorded his first double-eagle in tournament competition during the 1966 Jacksonville Open. Atlantic Beach hosted the first Greater Jacksonville Open, which eventually became THE PLAYERS Championship.

Following Atlantic Beach, Wooster had a practice round at RedStick Golf Club, where alumnus Jimmy Hinton carded an ace on the par-3, 175-yard 17th hole in 2017. Next, Wooster's practice rounds took the team to Hawk's Nest Course at The Moorings Club. Hawk's Nest is a Jim Fazio-designed course known for an increased emphasis on shot making. Long holes with sand dunes are distinguishing features of the course, which is regularly one of the top-rated along Florida's east coast.

Upon starting to head back north, Wooster stopped at Congaree Golf Club for a practice round. Congaree is located on a historic 18th-century estate. It was named Golf Digest's best new private course for 2018 and has received acclaim for being one of the best courses built between 2010-19. Due to logistical challenges during COVID, Congaree hosted the 2021 RBC Canadian Open, where Garrick Higgo scored his first PGA Tour win. Congaree is set to host this year's Arnold Palmer Cup, featuring the top men's and women's collegiate players in a Ryder Cup-style U.S. versus international format.

Talamore Golf Resort, where head coach Rich Danch's sixth hole-in-one occurred in 2022 was the third-to-last round of the trip. Talamore underwent recent renovations to switch back to the Reed Jones design, resulting in larger putting surfaces, more open fairways, limited rough, and the removal of excessive bunkering.

Mid Pines Inn and Golf Club is where Wooster practiced on March 26. A Donald Ross masterpiece, Mid Pines hosted the 2002 USGA Senior Women's Amateur Championship. Envisioned as a course that offers friendly competition for members and guests, Mid Pines earned a 100 greatest public courses designation from Golf Digest for 2023-24.

Wooster's last stop took place at Old Chatham, which hosted the 2019 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship. Old Chatham is Doc Redman's home course. Redman was the 2017 U.S. Amateur Champion and has gone on to play in over 120 events on the PGA Tour, where he has two runner-up and six top-five finishes.

Wooster's spring season starts at the Jimmy Hanlin Golf Classic, held April 6-7 in Northeast Ohio. Wooster's annual Nye Intercollegiate at Wooster Country Club is set for April 13-14.