Congaree Golf Club

Overview: Congaree Golf Club, nestled in the Lowcountry of Ridgeland, South Carolina, is a highly exclusive, private golf sanctuary designed by Tom Fazio. Opened in 2017, the championship course is set within a massive 3,200-acre estate of historic oak woodlands and lakes. Fazio drew inspiration from the notable sandbelt courses of Australia, creating a firm, fast-playing layout with wide fairways, expansive sandy waste areas, and no traditional rough or cart paths. It presents a visually stunning and strategically demanding test that heavily rewards precise angles and creative short-game shot-making.

History: The club was founded by billionaire philanthropists Dan Friedkin and the late Bob McNair on an 18th-century rice plantation property, which later served as a quail hunting preserve. The founders envisioned an atypical, mission-driven model: instead of traditional members, the club has only one official member (Friedkin) and approximately 250 "Ambassadors",highly prominent figures who provide financial support and mentorship to underserved youth. The course quickly earned international renown and hosted elite PGA Tour events including the 2021 Palmetto Championship and the 2022 CJ Cup.

Did You Know? The heart of the club is the Congaree Foundation, which hosts the Congaree Global Golf Initiative to provide educational and collegiate golf opportunities to disadvantaged youth. Showing their commitment to public golf, the foundation also purchased and revitalized the nearby Sergeant Jasper Golf Club, rescuing the only public golf facility in South Carolina's poorest county from commercial development to keep it as an affordable community asset.