Pineland Country Club gets new life

Pineland Country Club has been a recreational haven for Marion County residents for more than 35 years.

But when the economy took a turn for the worse a few years ago, so did Pineland.

“The economy got bad, and people couldn’t afford it. We were losing all our industry, and people were moving away,”  Denny Hammond, a Pineland member since the club opened, said. “We started losing members, and we weren’t in good financial shape. We didn’t know if we were going to have to close or what we were going to do.”

With the possibility of closure looming, club members decided to sell Pineland to private investors, Ernest Baxley, Stephen Rabon and Freddo Sanders.

That was a little more than six months ago, and members say things are now looking better every day at Pineland.

“At first, we didn’t know what the owners would do with the golf course. They could have turned it into a cow pasture if they wanted. There was just no guarantee that they were going to keep it a golf course,” S.C. Rep. Jim Battle, D-Nichols, a longtime member of Pineland, said. “But their commitment to this course and this club has been so strong. They’re extremely committed to making Pineland a top quality golf course. They’ve really put some money and effort in it, and it’s paying off.”

A big part of that effort, Battle and other members say, began with the hiring of Jay Huggins to run the course and the club.

Huggins, a native of Lamar, is no stranger to golf or golf courses. He was a member of his college golf team at Francis Marion University and ran Governor’s Run Golf Club in Lamar for about 15 years.

“Jay has brought an amazing new energy to this place that seemed to be lacking before,” Battle said.

“He also brings a great deal of knowledge and a great desire and dedication to make this place all it can be, and it shows,” Battle said. “He’s the pro, the groundskeeper, the ranger ... whatever is needed.

He does it all, and he takes pride in making sure each golfer has everything he or she needs. He’s not just sitting in an office supervising. He’s out there.

“He runs this course just like he plays golf — very competitively.”

Huggins said he wants to continue improvements to the course and grow Pineland’s membership. Since March, the club has gained 80 new members.

Huggins said he is happy with the numbers, but not satisfied.

“I’d like to pick up another 100 members,” he said. “I’d really like to double the membership. That’s my goal, and I think it’s attainable.”

Huggins’ main focus has been improving the actual golf course. He has amped up weed control and fertilization on the course, making for better fairways and a true “rough” area. He’s also improved signage and landscaping.

“The course is in the best shape it’s ever been in,” Battle said. “It’s one of the best kept secrets in Marion County. It’s a tremendous asset that’s severely underutilized. People who come and play here come back and play again. The only thing holding Pineland back is not enough people know about it.”

Huggins hopes to change that and doesn’t think it will be that difficult.

“They’ve got a lot to work with down here,” Huggins said. “The course has got a ton of character. Every time you play it, it gives you something different. And the people are some of the best you can find. They just make you feel right at home.”

Pineland Country Club opened in 1971 after members of the community each put up $100 and their signatures on a bank loan.

“The economy was good, and this part of the county didn’t have much recreation going on,” Hammond said. “We found the land to build it on, and we just started spreading the word to get members.”

In addition to the golf course, Pineland features a pool and tennis courts.

Because the community essentially built Pineland, its members are sentimental about the club and genuinely want to see it succeed.

“In a rural area like Marion County, there’s really not too much to do,” Hammond said. “Golf is something you can do all your life, and this is a good golf course. It’s an important part of the community, and we want it to be around for a long, long time.”

— Copy editor Traci Bridges can be reached at (843) 317-7325. Comment on this story at http://www.scnow.com.