Candyroot Lodge, the new public destination golf property in the South Carolina sandhills, will welcome preview play for its first 18-hole course starting Oct. 28, with a day-pass for unlimited golf costing $175
Shaping of the Mike Koprowski-designed course – the first of four planned 18-hole layouts at the resort – is now complete and grassing is underway. Koprowski, architect of the highly acclaimed Broomsedge course about 35 miles south, originally discovered the parcel of land that was the genesis for Candyroot and embraced “extreme minimalism” in his design of the first course, embracing the natural movement of the land with a routing that celebrates the ground game
Starting the final week of October, Candyroot’s initial 18-hole course will be open for public play from Wednesday through Sunday. The all-day access, called “A Day at Candyroot” pass, will include as much golf as the golfer desires, select food and beverage offerings, a welcome pouch with a scorecard, tees, ball marker and Candyroot-branded Stanley water bottle. Players are required to have forecaddie, which costs extra
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The preview play passes will be available at Candyroot’s website starting Sept. 8, with the total number of golfers capped at 40 each day
A full public opening is expected for spring 2027
Candyroot stands out amid a landscape in which every other 18-hole course construction project in the works in South Carolina is private. It’s a deep lineup, too, as South Carolina trails only Florida and Texas in terms of active golf development, according to the National Golf Foundation, with projects such as Old Barnwell, New Holland, 21 Golf Club, Kiawah Island Club, and Kawonu
“I like to use the word ‘access’ as my all-encompassing word,” said proprietor Ethan Oberman, who is teaming with his brother Aaron in developing Candyroot within a state that saw the highest proportion of population growth in 2025. “Being accessible from a major airport is important. Being accessible from a major city center is important. But being public is a big part of that. We want to share what we’re building with as many people as we can.”
In addition to the four planned 18-hole courses at the 1,200-acre Candyroot property, Koprowski is teaming with Michelle Wie West on the design and buildout of a lighted Par 3 course called “Sweet Tooth.” The plan is for the short course is scheduled to debut sometime after the first 18-hole course, potentially in 2027
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Set in rolling sandhills about an hour from both Charlotte, North Carolina, and Columbia, South Carolina, Candyroot’s mission in the golf world is to offer a “thoughtful and welcoming” experience that embraces walking, wellness and modern minimalist golf architecture
This article was originally published onForbes.com
