SANTEE, SC: From Cotton Fields to Fairways

There are pros and cons to being known as "America's Value Golf Destination." Santee, S.C., (population 800) is located on the south shore of picturesque Lake Marion just off Interstate 95. Long before the interstate rolled through town, however, Santee had been considered a pit stop for northerners heading further south.

Today, Santee has forged a reputation as a must-stop for golfers.

For starters, Santee is not hard to find. "Get on I-95 and turn left, it's a straight shot," laughs Bill Clark, whose family has spearheaded Santee development since the mid-1900s.

In one exit, golfers find themselves less than five minutes from three lakeside golf courses, with an additional 14 layouts within a half-hour drive. And while the Santee price tag may appear no frills, those hoping to enjoy scenic, unhurried golf, good food and clean accommodations - without spending lots of money nor time in the car - will have it made.

Santee offers quality, value and convenience, which is why more than 50,000 golfers arrive from northern destinations each year. For as little as $55 (low season), they get a nice room, a round of golf with a cart on one of the area's 17 courses - and for good measure a tasty, home-cooked breakfast to kick-start their day.

The con? Prospective visitors planning their golf getaway often look at Santee's blue-collar rates and question the quality of golf. The pros? In Santee, you get good, quality golf on well-maintained and over-seeded courses. And golfers feel more appreciated, their trips are not as expensive and they tend to return year after year.

In fact, that is what makes Santee different than most golf destinations. The cast of characters who have meticulously and lovingly nurtured this sleepy little lakeside outpost in the South Carolina Lowcountry have always preferred having a host of happy golfers to Top 100 rankings and empty fairways.

Which is why, when the bottom began to fall out of the economy - as opposed to the Palmetto State's more popular and luxurious resort destinations such as Charleston, Hilton Head or Myrtle Beach - Santee not only survived, but also thrived.

First, the golf: Seventeen courses within one hour of one another. The three courses located in town, less than a mile apart, Santee National, Santee Cooper Country Club and Lake Marion, offer wide fairways, challenging greens, water hazards and impeccable maintenance, and have all been upgraded through the years. "Country-club good looks and municipal-course pricing," gushed a recent Canadian publication.

Five of the courses are a little more than a 4 iron away on the north side of Lake Marion, (20 minutes), the must-plays headed by the Tom Jackson-designed Wyboo Golf Club near Manning, S.C., and the Players Course at Wyboo Plantation. If those weren't enough, with I-26 just a few more miles down the road, golfers can make a short day trip to Charleston and play the likes of The Links at Stono Ferry, Legend Oaks, Westcott Plantation and Charleston National to name a few.

Of course, golfers need fuel for their engines between rounds of golf, and Santee offers a unique collection of dining and nightlife options that add plenty of small-town character. There is Clark's Inn and Restaurant, with its gingerbread appearance, and fried chicken and cobbler specialties, while Lone Star is more of a buffet-style eatery. The Jack Daniels steak at Coasters will rival most cuts of meat along the east coast, while the fish and prime rib at Captain Kirk's are equally tasty.

And when it's time to rest one's head and dream of the next day's round, Santee offers up approximately 1,200 hotel, motel and spacious villa style accommodations.

Find more info at SanteeTourism.com. Specific golf packages are available at GolfSantee.com and SanteeCooperGolf.com.