Senior Melissa Burtscher aced the par-3, 130-yard 17th hole with a nine iron at The Golf Club at Indigo Run to headline The College of Wooster women's golf team's spring training trip. The hole-in-one was Burtscher's first.
Wooster's trip started at Berkeley Hall, described as a "seamless blend of natural wonder and architectural craftsmanship." The Tom Fazio-designed courses on site are routed with a seamless blend of balance, variety, and flow. Fazio's designs at Berkeley Hall were inspired by the classics of the 1920s like Riviera Country Club and Winged Foot. The lowcountry club is one of the lowest density private facilities in the region when it comes to houses per hole.
Next, Wooster played an exhibition friendly against NCAA Div. II University of South Carolina Beaufort. The match with Beaufort took place at Old South Golf Links, a regular stop on Wooster's training trip. Widely regarded as one of the area's favorite courses by locals and visitors alike, the Clyde Johnston-designed course is lined with towering oaks and features magnificent views of the surrounding area from its island greens.
On March 12, Wooster's practice round was at The Golf Club at Indigo Run, the first signature course to be co-designed by a father and son team, with that team consisting of Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II. Indigo Run is the last golf course built on Hilton Head Island.
Next, Wooster had another exhibition against NCAA Div. II Savannah State University at Crosswinds Golf Course. Crosswinds is unique in that it is an open, parkland-style course with five par-5 and five par-3 holes. Following the friendly, Wooster returned to the Nicklaus-designed Golden Bear Golf Club, recognized as one of "America's Top 100 Courses Priced Under $100" by Travel and Leisure. Nicklaus placed an emphasis on strategy and finesse shots instead of sheer power during his planning and designing of his Golden Bear course.
Wooster spent March 16 at Country Club of Hilton Head. The Rees Jones-designed course featured 13 doglegs and water on virtually every hole. Boldly contoured fairways, pot bunkers, and grass hallows proved beneficial for Wooster, which competes in the North Coast Athletic Conference Championships in May at Westfield Country Club's links-style North Course.
After taking in Savannah, Georgia's Saint Patrick's Day Parade, Wooster's Monday practice round took place at Belfair Country Club, a regular stop on the trip. Tom Fazio designed the course, which is another parkland-style dotted with beautiful oaks and soaring pine trees. Wooster's trip concluded at Dolphin Head Golf Club. The Gary Player-designed course was the first course constructed in Hilton Head Plantation. Player's signature bunkering is a defining feature of the course, with bunkers and marshland coming into play on most holes, thus placing a premium on hitting fairways and greens. The course is one of the most unique in the region with the back nine featuring tall, old-growth trees, making it distinctly different from the front nine.
Wooster's spring season starts this weekend at the University of Mount Union Spring Invitational, held at Tannenhauf Golf Club. Wooster's spring home tournament takes place April 21-22 at Wooster Country Club.