Secession Golf Club: South Carolina's Most Exclusive Private Course
Secession Golf Club is a private members club located on St. Helena Island in Beaufort County, South Carolina — one of the Sea Islands of the South Carolina Lowcountry, about 20 miles from Beaufort and 70 miles north of Savannah. Designed by Rees Jones and opened in 1991, it is one of the least-known genuinely excellent private courses in America.
The name refers to the island's Civil War history — St. Helena Island was occupied by Union forces early in the war and became a center for the Port Royal Experiment, one of the first systematic efforts to support formerly enslaved people in the transition to freedom. The golf club takes its name from the broader secession of South Carolina from the Union, a historically complicated choice that the club has lived with since its founding.
The Course
Secession plays to a par 72 at approximately 6,900 yards from the back tees. Rees Jones routed the course through the salt marsh, tidal creeks, and maritime forest that define the South Carolina Lowcountry — a landscape that is unlike anything in continental American golf. The Spanish moss hanging from the live oaks, the tidal marshes visible from multiple holes, and the flat coastal terrain give the course an atmosphere that is immediately distinctive.
Jones used the marshland and tidal features extensively. Several holes require carries over marshland, and the marsh is in play as a lateral hazard on others. The course rewards accurate iron play and an understanding of Lowcountry wind patterns — the marsh channels wind in ways that can be counterintuitive to golfers unfamiliar with the terrain.
The Lowcountry Setting
St. Helena Island and Beaufort County represent one of the least-developed stretches of the South Carolina and Georgia coast — a region of barrier islands, tidal creeks, and Sea Island Gullah Geechee culture that has maintained a distinctive character that the resort development of Hilton Head (30 miles to the south) never entirely absorbed.
Beaufort itself is one of the most architecturally intact antebellum towns in the American South — the downtown waterfront has Greek Revival homes dating to the 1840s and 1850s. Combined with Secession Golf Club, the area offers a golf and cultural travel combination unlike anything else in the region.
Access
Secession Golf Club is a private members club with limited guest access. The most reliable path for non-members is through member invitation or resort partnerships. Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport is approximately 70 miles south and serves as the primary air access point, with direct service from several East Coast hubs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed Secession Golf Club?
Rees Jones designed Secession Golf Club, which opened in 1991. Jones is one of the most prolific American architects of his era, also responsible for The Ocean Course renovations at Kiawah Island and the renovation of Bethpage Black for the 2002 US Open.
Where is Secession Golf Club?
Secession Golf Club is located on St. Helena Island in Beaufort County, South Carolina, approximately 20 miles from the city of Beaufort and 70 miles north of Savannah, Georgia.
Is Secession Golf Club public?
Secession Golf Club is a private members club. Access for non-members is limited to member guest invitations and selected resort partnerships.