Legend Oaks Golf Club, Summerville, SC

Legend Oaks Golf Club in Summerville, SC is much more than your typical daily fee facility. Although the golf course receives much of the spotlight, its tennis program is one of the best in the area, and its restaurant, Bistro One18, receives a lot of business from locals and other non-golfers. I think it’s safe to say that Legend Oaks is truly a hidden gem!

Legend Oaks is located about thirty minutes from Charleston, off of scenic Highway 61. As you turn off the highway and approach the Antebellum-style clubhouse, the road is framed by centuries-old live oak trees. It’s reminiscent of driving down Magnolia Lane at Augusta National, only without the security checks and raised eyebrows!

The Club has received its fair share of accolades for both golf and tennis. The Golf Course Owners Association voted Legend Oaks South Carolina Golf Course of the Year in 2010 and the Charleston Business Journal has named them one of the Top Three Lowcountry Courses. Their tennis program was recognized by the Southern Division of the USTA as the South Carolina Tennis Facility of the Year in 2012.

Legend Oaks offers golfers five sets of tees with yardages that stretch from 6,809 to a manageable 4,957 for the ladies, juniors, and seniors. I found the Blue Tees (6,063/70.5/124) provided a substantial challenge for someone playing the course for the first time, and still, let me leave with a little dignity!

Legend Oaks is built on the site of an antebellum rice plantation and has plenty of water hazards, sand traps, and wetland areas with deep, thick underbrush. Remember those centuries-old live oaks you saw on the way in? You’ll find plenty more of them as you make your way around the layout only these are not there for aesthetics! You’ll also see towering pines and a whole host of Lowcountry wildlife.

The front nine has a little bit of “target golf” to it and demands more control off the tee whereas the back nine is more wide open. The Diamond Zoysia greens were installed in 2014 and not only hold well-hit approach shots nicely they also provide a noticeably smooth putting surface.

As you play the course, you may get a Pete Dye or Jack Nicklaus vibe. That’s because course architect Scott Pool worked for Dye for 10 years and did a lot of course shaping for Jack Nicklaus as well. Unlike Dye who liked to hide pot bunkers and other hazards whenever he could, Pool is upfront about the challenges you’ll encounter. It’s more of a brains-over-brawn philosophy at Legend Oaks or, as former owner Jim Chickarello used to say, “It’s a shotmaker’s course.”

The golf course has several memorable holes; for me, they were Numbers 1, 6, 10,16, and 18.

The opening hole is a 362-yard par 4, dogleg left. If you can fly your tee shot over the fairway bunker on the left, you’ll have a much shorter approach shot. Longball hitters should take note of the water just past the fairway bunker on the right. Success off the tee will leave a mid to short-iron approach shot that plays slightly downhill onto a large green. Although there are no bunkers around the green, the subtle undulations may get you. Nothing wrong with starting with a par!

Number 6 is a 480-yard par 5 that many players will be able to reach in two. Your layup and approach shots play significantly downhill and if you can hit your layup shot over the fairway bunker on the left, you may just catch the slope and roll all the way to the green. The green is small and is protected by water on the right and in the back if you fly it long. Although there are no bunkers around the green, there is a lot of mounding which can make for some interesting lies.

If you’ve never played the golf course before, the 10th hole can be notoriously intimidating. At 322 yards, length isn’t the main concern although longball hitters should take note of the pond in front of the green. Playing your tee shot left of the water will leave a longer approach shot into the green but may save a golf ball or two. The green is very large and angled front left to back right. The right side is protected by a bunker in front as well as water and a marsh area. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, Legend Oaks does something interesting and flips the nines, so this will be your first hole of the day.

Number 16 is a long par 4 that plays 400 yards from the Blue Tees. The hole doglegs around a lake however it’s more like a right turn than a dogleg! Longball hitters may be able to carry the lake off the tee, but for the rest of us, playing your tee shot left of the water will avoid the wet stuff but still leave a hybrid or long iron into the green.

The finishing hole is a straight-away par 5 with some interesting twists. Although it’s only 451 yards from the Blue Tees, it plays longer and requires accuracy on your first two shots. The fairway opens up to the right of the fairway bunker, but your next shot may be blocked out by trees. Anything left of that bunker spells big trouble. If you can hit a straight drive over the bunker on the left you’ll have the best angle into the green. It’s clear sailing from about 140 yards out, once you get past the trees that line either side. The long, narrow green is probably the best-protected green on the golf course with bunkers in front and on either side.

Before your round, be sure to hit a few balls on the full-length driving range where you can swing away with every club in your bag. The practice green is mowed daily and will give you a feel for what you’re about to encounter.

Whether you’re new to the game or just need a tune-up, Legend Oaks offers an instructional program with an experienced staff of professionals who want to help you achieve your goals. Since no two golfers are alike, they use the latest in golf technology and instill the fundamentals of the game to help you succeed.

Legend Oaks is a semi-private golf and tennis facility. Everyone is welcome to play the golf course and enjoy a meal at Bistro One18. It’s a great place to relax and unwind after a round or entertain business clients and associates. Bistro One18 isn’t what you’d expect at a public golf course. Of course, they offer all of the traditional clubhouse foods – wings, sandwiches, and burgers - but they also offer some pretty impressive entrees. Choose from Chicken Marsala, Chicken Alfredo, Fish and Chips, and my favorite, Steak Frites. It’s all good and you won’t leave hungry!

For a daily-fee facility, Legend Oaks has a lot to offer. In addition to the 18-hole championship golf course, they offer a very robust tennis program as well as a very active swimming pool.

I played here last week after hearing that their new greens were starting to come in in fantastic order. Wow do they look and putt good. The locals told me they will be cutting them even lower which should make this an amazing venue with quick true roll. The scenery is both breath taking and serene. I think only one hole runs adjacent with another, otherwise you are off in the quiet of your own world with some wonderful wildlife. The layout is a strong test of your game. The GPS in the carts shows you where the treachery lies. Well placed tee shots are rewarded. A great staff. A great experience. Would highly recommend this course to anybody looking to have a great day.

I played this last week after reading in a local paper that this course has diamond zoysia greens. They are a little rough right now as they were apparently only recently laid down. I will be back in a matter of weeks and will be frequenting this course a lot. As a transplant from the Piedmont area of North Carolina I played Pilot's Knob. As far as I knew they were the only course anywhere in this part of the country to have this surface. Back then they were rough too when first installed (as all greens are) but when they take they are incredibly consistent and roll true. We also did not have to endure multiple aerations seasonally because of the durability of the surface. The best part is they grow in full shade as well as sunlight and during my first trek to Legend Oaks I was in awe of all the large live oaks. This course is a scenic and tranquil layout and very playable from the appropriate tees. Great to see a venerable course with a lot of natural beauty go high tech with Diamond Zoysia. I read recently when golf becomes part of the summer Olympics in 2016, the course the pros will be playing on in Brazil will have diamond Zoysia as well as their test feedback was excellent.
I would have given Legend Oaks 5 stars on everything but I took a slight bit off since there was no range, but they had a hitting area into a net, a chipping,putting green and a bunker practice area. As far as hospitality these folks were great. They gave me a complimentary greens fee pass because the greens have not fully taken yet, but quite frankly I thought they rolled pretty good given the short time they were placed down. Thanks Legend Oaks!

I was very satisfied with my round with my father at Legend Oaks. It was cheap for a morning round and the course was in good shape. The greens were quicker than my father is used to playing. The scenery is awesome if you're not used to swamp land on a regular basis. We found many things interesting about the scenery, especially the alligators, many turtles, and so many different birds.

The course was difficult enough for a couple of rarely playing amateurs. There is a decent amount of water to get in the way. I splashed probably a dozen balls on this round.

The value is really what got me because we only spent fifty bucks total with cart and the cart had a great GPS system. The weather was perfect too, so that helped. It was in the middle of March.

The lack of a driving range was only mildly annoying because I've learned lately that I tend to overdo it on the driving range and kill myself before the round even starts, so it wasn't a big deal for me. It may be for some though. They have a practice net to hit into, but it's very easy to lob one over with a short iron.

A gem. Great fun Clubhouse. Beautiful scenic layout. Awesome wildlife. Very clean and neat. Some parts of course (areas with hardpan) need work. A driving range is missed, but the GPS in the carts is awesome. Staff is very nice. Very beautiful drive to charming clubhouse.

One of the most scenic layouts I ever saw. Lots of natural beauty. No more altering should be done. Tough but very fair challenge. Best conditions of any course I have played in the Charleston metro area. The staff was very nice and accommodating. Only drawback is no driving range but they do have a good short game area.

This is a challenging course that is well maintained. The greens were in good shape and lightning fast, the fairways were in great shape, and the gators were everywhere. You don't have to be a big hitter to play this course, but you must be accurate. Don't let the front nine lull you to sleep because the back nine is nothing but water and sand. It's not surprising that Scott Pool spent ten years working with Pete Dye. The GPS in the carts is an awesome tool. Check out the grill while you're waiting for your tee time, because the food is excellent. Bottom line, Legend Oaks is a must play beautiful golf course that will set you back a few bucks and requires your "A game".

Course was so wet drives stopped dead. 16th hole was partially underwater - they had flags set up to guide people through without getting into deep water. They didn't even bother to blow the leaves off the greens. They should have just saved us the time and closed the course for the day.