The 6,906-yard par 72 Clyde Johnston-designed layout is located on a heavily wooded and hilly site just over the South Carolina border in Fort Mill. The course features 4 holes that flank Sugar Creek, affording players spectacular views and includes 13 holes that play across and along perennial streams that feed into the Catawba River. Each hole offers 5 tees for different skill levels. The greens were converted to MiniVerde Ultradwarf in 2010.
This course is part of the Leroy Springs & Co. collection of upstate SC golf courses near Charlotte -- including Fort Mill, Lancaster and Chester Golf Clubs as well.
I've only played this course a couple of times, but I need to get out here more often. It is a well-kept course with lots of challenge and several unique holes. Pretty straightforward layout, with elevation changes and rolling hills the most common features. Look for twilight times and discounts to keep it affordable as the rack rates are some of the highest in town. My favorite hole is #10, a short but picturesque par-4 with a lake on the left side and an elevated green guarded by 3 large bunkers. There are a handful of devilish holes, including the #1 handicap 428yd 7th hole. This long par 4 will give you a long approach to an elevated green guarded by a creek in front.
Tee | Par | Yardage | Rating | Slope |
---|---|---|---|---|
Championship (Silver) | 72 | 6906 | 73.8 | 145 |
Other (Blue) | 72 | 6506 | 72.0 | 139 |
Mens (White) | 72 | 6155 | 72.0 | 132 |
Senior (Gold) | 72 | 5662 | 68.3 | 126 |
Ladies (Red) | 72 | 4834 | 68.8 | 129 |
Got out to Springfield as I make my rounds for the updated Top 10 list (coming in May). This course has never left a great impression on me but I tried again to see if I could come to appreciate it. I made some strides in that direction, but a few things keep this course just outside my Top 10. The greens are in great shape and I don't remember them not being good. So in that regard, the course is a good value every time out. Almost every one of these Bermuda greens is elevated and sloped or crowned. So they can be very tricky to hold and to putt when they are slick. Today they were quick but not silly fast. The dormant Bermuda fairways make this course play hard and fast. With all of the slopes and elevation changes, your ball can bounce or roll out of play quickly. That can be very frustrating and make the course play very difficult at times. Several holes play severely uphill, making them play much longer than the yardage (and several par 4's are already over 400 yards from the Blue tees). So, from a layout perspective, this course is very challenging. From a conditions perspective, outside of the near-perfect greens, the tees, fairways and rough were just okay. Thin, sometimes bare dirt lies. A few fairways had patches of weed grass throughout. The course is using the Cart Path Only rule until May. On a dry afternoon, that was no fun. That also meant the fairways were dotted with unfixed divots. The rate was only $40 for a weekday afternoon (2:30pm) and that felt like a good value. Checking a few other courses online showed $50-$62 rates for the same time. My primary reason for not ranking Springfield higher is that there are very few memorable holes. The long dogleg left par 4 No. 9 is probably the signature hole (it would be a great finishing hole). I rate Springfield as one of the better but not best public courses in the area. The price puts it in the value half of the courses in the area. With very good greens, Springfield is definitely worth playing.
Read The ReviewI have been reading for about 2 weeks about how good of a condition this course is in so today, I had to find out for myself. A 1230p tee time on a Tuesday with a clear blue sky and about 75 degrees, it was just perfect. The course is playing incredibly! The tee boxes, the fairways and the greens are all in excellent condition. I really like this course and the way it plays, you know when a course suits your eye and this is it fo me. There are some acute doglegs that challenge you to place your tee shot just so. Many holes will challenge you to place your second shot just so to approach the green. I think my favorite holes are all the Par 3's. All with elevated greens, green side bunkers and visually beautiful. The Staff here is fantastic! Dan the starter is a great guy who knows the course well and is willing to give you the local knowledge. There is a driving range, practice putt and chipping area as well. The carts are all clean and in good repair. All in all just a fantastic experience for a public course which I would highly recommend.
Read The ReviewSpringfield is in top summer condition, though an expectation at the price point. Greens are rolling smooth and fast. Four-hour round on a Saturday morning was a pleasant surprise.
Read The ReviewMy first time back at Springfield in a while. I'm doing some scouting before updating my Charlotte Agenda Top 10 article in a few weeks. A quick COVID-19 update - I was able to pay over the phone so I just had to verbally check in at the pro shop, no touch required. The cups have all been turned upside down which makes them shallower and easier to pick out your ball without touching the flagstick. I was paired up with another group but allowed to have my own cart. There were no bunker rakes. As for the course itself, it was cart path only - though there were only a few spots on the whole course that were still wet. The greens were solid not spectacular -- quick, but not super smooth. It felt like the grain took over on shorter putts. Still good, but just not super nice like they will hopefully be soon. The fairways on the front 9 were a bit sparse with lots of poa annua patches. Oddly, the back 9 fairways were much greener and lush. The layout does feature some blind shots so hopefully you have a GPS or a veteran playing partner. Some of the tee shots are target golf plays rather than grip and rip. Lots of elevation changes and dropoffs. The course meanders through a very wooded neighborhood and there are a few small ponds and streams that come into play. Overall, it's a good test of golf.
Read The ReviewSome might rate it average, but am giving them credit for the work being done. Issues - Most tee boxes have little if any grass. On one, we teed up just outside the designated teeing area, just to have some grass. They are, for the most part, well sanded so they are definitely working on them. The rough is fairly thin and had been aerated maybe not so recently. Again, they are aware of it, working on it and ask they you drive the carts in the fairways not the rough. Fairways and greens are in excellent shape, no complaints whatsoever. I guess they re-did the greens since the last time I played. They used to be so crazy fast that if your approach was above the hole you were screwed. Rolling very true now. Great practice area. One thing, and this is becoming a pet peeve of mine - Not a single red or yellow stake or line anywhere on the course.
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