Golfer says Upstate has enough golf ‘enclaves,’ needs municipal course

“Fore please, (insert player’s name here) now driving.”

Those four words introduce every player on the first tee of the Masters Tournament, from the honorary starters on Thursday to the final group on Sunday. The Masters has become as much of a cultural sports fixture as basketball’s March Madness. While watching the tournament, some might be inspired to pick up the game like I did after Phil Mickelson made the winning putt on the final hole in 2004.

This letter is prompted by the recent announcement of an invitationonly golf club coming to Simpsonville, which has been described as an “enclave.” Unfortunately, golf has beour

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come a self-contained enclave. There is no need to create another one. Among other barriers to entry into the sport, I believe the greatest one in our region is accessibility.

Golf courses can be grouped into four categories: private, semi-private, public, and municipal. In the Upstate, one of these is noticeably absent. The other two major metropolitan areas in state have municipal courses. Charleston boasts one of the top-rated municipal courses in the country.

If these cities have municipal golf courses, it raises the question: Why doesn’t Greenville have one?

I am grateful for family-friendly facilities like 3’s off of I-385 that aim to make the game less intimidating. However, it’s time to introduce this culture to a well-maintained 18-hole course in the Upstate.

Greenville, you’re on the tee. You can hit it straight down the middle and invest in municipal golf like our neighbors, offering access to the benefits of the game to those who might otherwise not have them.

Alternatively, you can hit it out of bounds and allow developers to build “enclaves” within the sport and greater Greenville community.

Will Riddle, Laurens