Hickory Knob or Savannah Lakes: Which McCormick County Golf Course Should You Play?

Play Hickory Knob if you want the best value and a place to stay. Play Tara or Monticello at Savannah Lakes if you want the better golf course and don’t mind paying more for it.

Hickory Knob is South Carolina’s only full-service resort state park, with lodging on site and green fees that run well under the Savannah Lakes rates. Tara and Monticello are two Tom Clark championship layouts with slope ratings above 140 — genuinely difficult golf that most visitors rank higher.

Here’s what most golfers don’t realize: McCormick County has 54 holes of lakefront golf, all open to public play, on a county of fewer than 10,000 people in the far western corner of South Carolina. Three 18-hole championship courses and a nine-holer, all within a few miles of each other on the shore of the 71,000-acre Lake Thurmond.

This is the most golf per resident of any county we’ve covered in South Carolina, and almost nobody outside the region knows it exists. Here’s how the courses actually compare.

First: Ignore the $15 Green Fee You Found Online

If you’ve been researching Hickory Knob and found green fees of $15 on weekdays and $20 on weekends with a $15 cart, those numbers are badly out of date. They trace back to a rate sheet from roughly 2014 that is still floating around golf directories and travel articles.

The park itself has posted that it has new golf rates. Current indications put Hickory Knob closer to $40–$45 for 18 holes including a cart, with a senior rate reported around $35. That’s still excellent value for the course — Golf Digest has rated it a great value — but it isn’t 2014 pricing, and showing up expecting a $30 round with a cart will be an unpleasant surprise.

Call (866) 369-9331 for current rates before you go. This is the single most common piece of outdated information about golf in this county.

The Four Courses at a Glance

Published yardages and slope ratings vary between sources for all three championship courses. The figures above show the range we found. Course conditions and rates change — confirm by phone.

Hickory Knob State Park Golf Course

1591 Resort Drive, McCormick, SC 29835 | Golf: (866) 369-9331 | Park office: (864) 391-2450

A Tom Jackson design opened in 1982, playing 6,560 yards to a par of 72 on Bermuda greens. Jackson also designed the state’s other state park course at Cheraw, which makes these two a natural pair for anyone working through South Carolina’s public golf.

What makes it special isn’t really the golf course — it’s everything around it. Hickory Knob is the only full-service resort in the South Carolina State Park system.

On one property you get the 18-hole course, more than 70 lodge-style rooms, 18 one-bedroom cabins, 44 campsites, a full-service restaurant, a boat ramp, skeet shooting, an archery range, meeting facilities, and some of the state’s most popular mountain biking trails.

Lake Thurmond is visible or in play on every hole. That’s not marketing copy — the course wraps the wooded shoreline of a 71,000-acre reservoir, and it’s a genuinely beautiful walk.

Course conditions draw consistent praise. Golfers describe well-maintained fairways and receptive, well-kept greens. There’s a driving range with four practice tees. Military and law enforcement discounts are available.

The honest counterpoint: not everyone loves it. At least one reviewer came away disappointed, noting the senior rate at $35 was the only positive. A single negative review among generally positive ones isn’t a pattern, but it’s worth knowing that this is a good state park course rather than a resort-caliber one.

Play Hickory Knob if: you want the best price in the county, you’re making a trip of it and need somewhere to stay, you’re bringing non-golfers who’d enjoy a lake and trails, or you’re a mid-handicapper who’d rather not get beaten up.

Tara Golf Club at Savannah Lakes

300 Country Club Drive, McCormick, SC 29835 | (864) 391-4115

The first of two courses at Savannah Lakes Village, a 4,000-acre lakefront community. Designed by Tom Clark and opened in the early 1990s, Tara plays up to 7,002 yards to a par of 72 with a course rating of 74.0 and a slope that sources put between 136 and 143.

This is serious golf. The course meanders through the hillsides of the Sumter National Forest, around Lake Thurmond, and through three neighborhoods of the community.

The terrain is genuinely hilly, framed by stately oaks and pines. Greens are TifEagle Bermuda — undulating, elevated, and fast — with Zoysia collars and Bermuda fairways. Water comes into play on three holes.

The signature feature: holes 9 and 18 share one enormous green overlooking Lake Thurmond, modeled on the double greens at St Andrews. That’s an unusual thing to find on a public-access course in rural South Carolina.

Play Tara if: you’re a decent player who wants to be tested, you like tree-lined parkland golf with elevation change, and you want the most memorable single hole in the county.

Monticello Golf Club at Savannah Lakes

1148 Barksdale Ferry Road, McCormick, SC 29835 | (864) 391-4175

The second Savannah Lakes course, also by Tom Clark, completed around 1999–2000 and named for Thomas Jefferson’s estate. It plays up to 7,032 yards to a par of 72, rating 73.9, slope in the 140–142 range.

Monticello is the opposite of Tara in character. Where Tara is hilly and tree-lined, Monticello is a modern links-style course — fewer trees, rolling topography, wide fairways, and a lot more water.

It follows the natural contours of the forested shoreline, with water in play on nine of the 18 holes and a dramatic lakefront peninsula on the front nine. MiniVerde Bermuda greens, Zoysia collars, Bermuda fairways and rough.

It’s the tournament course. Monticello hosts the Savannah Lakes Village Classic, a National Golf Association Pro Golf Tour event held in late April.

On pricing: a resident writing a few years ago reported $61 for 18 with a cart on weekends, dropping to $44 after 2:00 PM on weekdays. That figure is dated and should be verified, but the structure is useful — the afternoon weekday rate is where the value is, and it’s a substantial drop.

Play Monticello if: you want the best golf course in the county, you like open links-style golf, and you’re comfortable with water on half the holes.

McCormick Country Club

713 Rockdale Ferry Road, McCormick, SC 29835

A nine-hole public course opened in 1964, playing 3,055 yards to a par of 36, with a driving range. Most golfers play it twice around for 18.

It isn’t in the same conversation as the other three, and it isn’t trying to be. What it is: the easy, cheap, quick option. If you want to get nine in after work, introduce someone to the game, or play a relaxed loop without a four-hour commitment, this is the course in McCormick County for that.

Is the Three-Course Package Still Available?

South Carolina’s tourism office has promoted a “Links on the Lake” package combining one round each at Hickory Knob, Tara, and Monticello, plus two nights’ lodging at Hickory Knob and breakfast both days, for $199 per person.

If that’s still offered at anything close to that price, it’s one of the better golf-trip values in the Southeast — three championship courses and two nights of lodging for less than a single round at many resort courses.

We have to be straight with you: the promotion we found is not recent, and we could not confirm it’s currently available or currently priced at $199. Call Hickory Knob at (866) 369-9331 or the golf packages line at (800) 491-1764 and ask whether Links on the Lake or an equivalent multi-course package is running.

It’s worth the call. A package like this is exactly the kind of thing that exists, gets quietly renewed each year, and never shows up in a green fee search.

Which One Should You Actually Play?

Best value: Hickory Knob. Lowest green fees in the county, a Golf Digest “great value” rating, and lodging on the property.

Best golf course: Monticello, narrowly over Tara. It’s the tournament venue, it has the most water and the most dramatic lakefront holes, and it’s the one serious players tend to rank first.

Most memorable: Tara, for the shared 9th and 18th green overlooking the lake.

Hardest: Tara and Monticello are close, both rated above 73.9 with slopes in the 140s. Either will punish a high handicapper. Hickory Knob at 71.5 is meaningfully more forgiving.

Best for a beginner or a short round: McCormick Country Club’s nine holes.

If you’re only playing one round in McCormick County: Hickory Knob, for the price and the lake views on every hole.

If you’re making a trip of it: stay at Hickory Knob, play all three championship courses, and ask about the package. That’s the whole point of this county.

How to Play McCormick County for Less

1. Play after 2:00 PM. Both Hickory Knob and Monticello have historically offered substantially reduced afternoon rates — Monticello’s weekday afternoon rate was reported at $44 against $61 on weekend mornings. Afternoon golf is the single biggest lever here.

2. Ask about the multi-course package. If Links on the Lake or a successor is running, it beats paying three separate green fees by a wide margin.

3. Avoid Masters week. The first full week of April brings Augusta traffic — McCormick is about an hour from Augusta National — and every course in the area raises rates. Hickory Knob historically charged a flat premium rate that week. If you’re flexible, come any other week.

4. Ask about senior, military, and law enforcement rates. Hickory Knob offers military and law enforcement discounts and a senior rate reported around $35. None of these are prominently advertised.

5. Check voucher sites before booking Hickory Knob. Discounted foursome and twosome vouchers for Hickory Knob have circulated at rates working out to roughly $21–$22 per player. Availability varies, but it’s worth a look before you pay rack rate.

6. Consider the winter. Hickory Knob operates year-round, and state park courses in this part of South Carolina have historically offered steep off-season pricing from November through February. Worth asking about specifically.

Is McCormick County Worth the Drive?

Yes, if you’re making a trip rather than looking for a quick round.

This is the far western edge of South Carolina — roughly an hour from Augusta, about 100 miles from Columbia, and a reasonable drive from Greenville, Anderson, and Clemson. Nobody drives through McCormick County by accident. But 54 holes of lakefront golf with lodging on site, at prices well below what comparable golf costs on the coast, is a genuinely good golf getaway.

The county has also positioned itself that way. Savannah Lakes Village has been recognized as one of the top golf communities in the country and named among the most affordable, and Hickory Knob is the only full-service resort in the entire South Carolina state park system.

The honest limitation: this isn’t a cheap county for a single casual round the way some Midlands and Pee Dee counties are. If you want $25 golf, you’ll find it elsewhere in South Carolina. What McCormick offers is three strong championship courses and a lake, at fair prices, in one place — and that’s a different kind of value.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many golf courses are in McCormick County, South Carolina?

Four. Hickory Knob State Park Golf Course, Tara Golf Club and Monticello Golf Club at Savannah Lakes Village, and the nine-hole McCormick Country Club. All four are open to public play, giving a county of fewer than 10,000 residents 63 holes of golf.

Is Hickory Knob Golf Course open to the public?

Yes. Hickory Knob is part of Hickory Knob State Resort Park, the only full-service resort in the South Carolina State Park system, and the 18-hole course is open to public play year-round. The park also offers more than 70 lodge rooms, 18 cabins, campsites, and a full-service restaurant on site.

How much does it cost to play Hickory Knob golf course?

Current indications put Hickory Knob around $40 to $45 for 18 holes including a cart, with a senior rate reported near $35. Widely circulated figures of $15 for weekdays and $20 for weekends come from a rate sheet from roughly 2014 and are no longer accurate. Call (866) 369-9331 for current pricing.

Can the public play Tara and Monticello at Savannah Lakes Village?

Yes. Although Savannah Lakes Village is a private residential community and both courses are sometimes listed as private, Tara and Monticello are open to outside play. Property owners in the community receive golf membership as part of their amenities and pay reduced daily fees.

Which is better, Tara or Monticello?

They’re close, and they’re very different. Monticello is a modern links-style course with wide Bermuda fairways, fewer trees, and water on nine of 18 holes, and it hosts a National Golf Association Pro Golf Tour event each April. Tara is hilly and tree-lined through the Sumter National Forest, with elevated, fast TifEagle greens and a shared double green for holes 9 and 18 overlooking Lake Thurmond. Serious players often rank Monticello first; Tara has the more memorable finish.

What is the hardest golf course in McCormick County, SC?

Tara and Monticello are nearly identical in difficulty and both significantly harder than Hickory Knob. Tara rates 74.0 with a slope between 136 and 143 depending on source, and Monticello rates 73.9 with a slope around 140 to 142. Hickory Knob rates 71.5 and is considerably more forgiving.

Who designed the golf courses at Savannah Lakes Village?

Tom Clark designed both Tara, which opened in the early 1990s, and Monticello, completed around 1999 to 2000. Hickory Knob State Park Golf Course was designed by Greenville-based architect Tom Jackson and opened in 1982.

Is there a golf package in McCormick County, South Carolina?

South Carolina’s tourism office has promoted a “Links on the Lake” package combining one round each at Hickory Knob, Tara, and Monticello with two nights’ lodging at Hickory Knob and breakfast both days, priced at $199 per person.

That promotion is not recent and current availability is unconfirmed. Call Hickory Knob at (866) 369-9331 or the golf packages line at (800) 491-1764 to ask about current multi-course packages.

Your turn: McCormick County has 54 holes of championship golf on a lake and a fraction of the traffic the coast gets — and most South Carolina golfers have never played it.

Have you made the trip to Hickory Knob or Savannah Lakes? I’d love to know which of the three you’d play first, and whether the Links on the Lake package is still running. And if you know of another overlooked golf county like this one, tell me where to look next.