The Top 100 Newest GOLF Courses in the US ranking includes 11 newcomers, which we’ll introduce you to here. Meet Old Barnwell in South Carolina.
Morgan Purvis/Old Barnwell
GOLF recently published its latest rankings of Top 100 Courses in USA (2024-2525)a list that includes 11 arrivals. Some of them you may recognize. Others you may not. Here, in the spotlight for newcomers, we’ll introduce you to these 100 best beginner gems.
Newcomer Spotlight: Old Barnwell / Rank: 51
Location: Aiken, SC
Business: Private
YEAR OPEN: 2023
Architect: Brian Schneider, Blake Conant
What you need to know about Old Barnwell
Architects Brian Schneider and Blake Conant borrowed classic design principles and applied them in a new way to a sandy parcel of shifting soil outside Aiken. The ruggedness of the terrain that Chief Inspector Davis Verner routinely achieves (thanks in part to the lack of planting) allows the nuances of this design to shine through. Semi-equal holes are numerous. Can you reach the open but long green on the par-5 opener? Should you try to drive the 2nd or 14th greens? (If you try and fail, the hunter quickly becomes the hunted, as deep bunkers guard these two short 4s.) Can you use the mounds on the par-4 8th to launch an approach close to the inverted green are you Or how about trying to chip one onto the rolling green on the 235-yard 11th? Meanwhile, the rust color of the rough centipede gives this open layer a skull-like feel. Complementing the ideal is the club’s ethos of giving back to the game and the community, as set out by Old Barnwell founder Nick Schreiber.
What our reviewers say
“A visually and strategically compelling course. It invites you to guess about the intended game lines, rewarding you with success or the immediate desire to try again with another spin. Architectural creativity draws the player into the course. Some areas struck me as odd and others as pleasantly strategic, giving players a sense of North Berwick. Cheers to an exceptional golf culture that embodies an appreciation for both the architecture and the game.”
“Outside The Lido, Old Barnwell is the most strategic new design of the last 30 years. It requires thoughtful play throughout and is the type of course where the straight line of the hole is usually not the right one. The soil is a key element and there are many holes where the tee line changes dramatically each day based on where the hole is cut. The greens are bold without being too heavy. This is the kind of course you can play every day without getting bored, and it’s not so difficult that it can’t be enjoyed by all levels of players.”
