Troon Privé Connect, April/May 2018

TROON PRIVÉ CONNECT 29 28 TROON PRIVÉ CONNECT P R I V É S P O T L I G H T a Pinehurst alternate shot format in which partners must play each others tee shots The trash talking and laughs are nonstop The fact that the member member is the biggest tournament unlike most clubs where its the member guest is indicative of just how close knit Belfair is About 70 percent of the nearly 700 members make it their full time residence so theres a real sense of activity onsite year round The community definitely has the golf bug Kosak said Our members love to play That opportunity has never been better either As one of the newest clubs of Troon Privé they now have reciprocity with more than 125 other clubs worldwide at preferred rates Being a Troon Privé club also means a higher level of service for members both from a managerial and food and beverage standpoint Belfair is incredibly strong from a capital reserve perspective so it is very refreshing coming into a club that has tremendous funding said Kosak who has been with Troon for 19 years Another big piece of news is that Belfair will host the 2019 PGA Professional Championship the worlds largest all professional event with 312 players from April 28 May 1 Although it will be the 52nd edition of the event it will be the first time the tournament is played in the spring because 2019 is the first year of the PGA Championships new May date the low 20 scorers in the Professional Championship earn a berth in the major Both courses will be used for the first two rounds with the final rounds taking place on the West Course which Fazio routed around shimmering lagoons and naturefilled marshland Opened in 1996 the 7111 yard layout hosted the prestigious Players Amateur from 2000 2011 and will be the site of this years U S Open local qualifying tournament Like most Fazio designs the West Course is golfer eye candy with wide rolling fairways sculpted bunkers and elevated undulating greens Many members actually prefer the East Course because of the way the holes flow together and the more rolling terrain something you dont find much in the Lowcountry The layout is set to undergo a regrassing and bunker renovation this summer while the West Course will get a similar facelift in 2020 The West Course just cracked Golfweeks Top 100 Residential Courses in the U S and thats a huge accolade for us noted Kosak Were working hard for the East to join it The 18th holes of both courses finish right in front of the Georgianstyle 32000 square foot clubhouse Belfair Bluffton S C 843 757 0701 www Belfair1811 com which also overlooks a vast lawn and English garden and the everchanging tidal marsh With its two dining options the 1811 Grille and The Oaks Dining Room poolside dining is also available at The Sports Complex lunch is available seven days a week and dinner three or four times a week the she crab soup and 1811 prime beef burger are favorites There are also a variety of social events with themed buffets like the Friday night prime rib but whatever the meal the key is variety and a farm to table freshness A planned 75 million capital improvement plan is going to make even better use of the clubhouse with screened in dining a fourseason sunroom and another bar area The Sports Complex will also get a major upgrade that will significantly enlarge the fitness facility enlarge the indoor pool and add new outdoor entertainment areas with fire pits New flex rooms to accommodate the more than 50 social clubs at Belfair and a new bistro are also on the drawing board We have to continue to refine our offerings Kosak said We have a distinct vision here and that is to be the premiere community in the Lowcountry its fitting that belfair will host the 2019 pga professional championship given that seven retired pga club professionals live at belfair the fact that so many make their home at belfair speaks volumes about what a great golf community it is we looked at all of the communities in the area but there was more of a sense of community spirit at belfair says colin swatton jason days instructor who moved to belfair in 2010 with his wife lisa i wanted that for lisa because im away a lot also the courses are fantastic we just fell in love with them AT AGLANCE john kennedy westchester cc doug steffen baltustrol john abernathy lancaster cc mike sanders pinehurst resort cc lou miller old edwards colin swatton teacher and former caddie of jason day shelly woolner pga of canada