South Carolina Golf Vacations

ByEvans Putman

Don't worry about making a bad choice when you are looking to book a coastal South Carolina golf vacation. With nicknames like "The Golf Mecca" and "The Golf Island" and recognitions like the "No. 1 golf resort in the United States," you will have a hard time not enjoying your golf trip in the Palmetto State. But if you can not take a leave of absence from work and enjoy all the great golf destinations in South Carolina, how do you choose where to book your trip.
Well hopefully I can help. Below you will find a quick glimpse into the four main golf package destinations on the South Carolina coast. I am not going to play favorites and award one location as the best. Instead, I just hope to make your decision a little more clear.
Myrtle Beach - "The Golf Mecca" and "The Golf Capital of the World" are just two of the nicknames for Myrtle Beach, SC. This golf hot spot is also probably the most well-known golf destination in the Palmetto State. The Grand Strand (another nickname) covers an area of about 80 miles and offers about 100-plus golf courses. When it comes to choice of golf courses, this destination offers the vacationing golfer the most quantity and styles of golf courses.
Myrtle Beach is also a more popular tourist destination that the other South Carolina locations. The beaches are world-famous and so are the crowds at times. So don't expect - even in the slowest of seasons - not to encounter large crowds both on and off the golf courses. But if you are looking for a destination that offers the best deals on golf and bargain packages, then this might be the spot for your next trip.
Hilton Head Island - Hilton Head, an island that is 12 miles long and 5 miles wide, is known as "The Golf Island." When you look at a satellite image of the golf courses packed on this coastal South Carolina destination you will understand why. You will have around 20 golf courses on the island and nearby to choose from on your trip.
Hilton Head vacations are more upscale than Myrtle Beach trips. Don't expect all-you-can-eat seafood buffets and neon t-shirt beachwear stores on every corner. Instead, you are more likely to find fine dining and upscale clothing shops. You can also expect your golf course and golf package bills to be a bit higher than they are on the Grand Strand. You will also find the crowds a little more sparse when you are off the course enjoying activities like tennis, biking, relaxing at the beach, shopping, kayaking and more.
Kiawah Island - When you really want to go upscale on your South Carolina golf vacation, choose the secluded, golf paradise known as Kiawah Island. The world-class golf courses fit right in with the beautiful natural environment of the island. And yes, this is the golf destination that Travel + Leisure Golf Magazine ranked as the "No. 1 golf resort in the United States."
Enjoy a villa overlooking one of the golf courses, a quiet, private home with a waterway view or turn the luxury-meter up to ten at the Sanctuary hotel. Wherever you decide to stay, Kiawah Island is a first-class golf vacation with first-class prices. You will not find the bargains you would find at Myrtle Beach here.
Charleston - This Lowcountry location is not as well-known as the other three golf destinations but do not write Charleston, South Carolina off when it you are deciding on where to have your next golf trip. The quantity of golf courses is not as large as Hilton Head or Myrtle Beach but the quality of the courses is definitely equal. Expect your Charleston package prices to fall below Kiawah and somewhere between Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head.
Charleston's trump card might be its more diverse offerings off the golf course You can tour the historic city on a self-guided walking tour or off your feet on a horse-drawn carriage. You can kick back on one of the beautiful beaches on Isle of Palms, Folly Beach or Sullivans Island.
There is plenty of upscale shopping downtown on King Street and world-class dining on every block of the city. You can enjoy more Southern history at one of the many plantations. And if you enjoy communing with nature, then take a moonlight trip on a kayak. These are just the tip of the iceberg for activities off the golf course when you book a golf package in Charleston.
Each South Carolina golf vacation destination mentioned above offers a great golfing experience. Hopefully, the above information will help with your decision on a location to book your golf package.

Want to save money and learn more about enjoying and booking perfect South Carolina golf vacations? We've got you covered. Get destination information, golf deals, discount golf packages, book cheap tee times, find travel deals and more at http://www.perfectgolfvacations.com/south-carolina-golf-vacations.html.
Copyright 2010 Evans Putman and PerfectGolfVacations.com All Rights Reserved. This article may be reprinted with no changes, omissions, or additions. All links must be left live and in tact.

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Plum Hollow Music Festival

Plum Hollow Festival

Always the LAST weekend in May every year!!

Since the transition of claw hammer to the finger picks, bluegrass has gone through many exciting changes. This festival is dedicated to the innovations made by creative artists breaking new ground with an old music.
New Grass, Grunge Grass, Jazz Grass, Bluegrass Rock & Roll (and other grassy pastures not yet discovered) are all a part of Alternative Bluegrass. Our goal (besides having a great party) is to also bring together the music industry in our region (VA, TN, SC, NC, GA) to showcase this new format of music to music buyers, radio stations, record labels and other industry related groups.
* Call for Thursday Entrance Info. We will now have music on Thursday night for the first time this year. Schedule of bands will be available soon…keep checking back!

Call 864-680-0225 for more information, or email us at moonshiners@moonshiners.com.
If you’re not on their snail mail list and would like to be, please send us an email or give us a call at 864-680-0225 or 864-585-0780. If you’re planning on bring a large RV, please call in advance. We have plenty of room we just need to give you directions on where to park once you arrive

Camping

The surrounding woods are always popular for camping, whether it be an RV or a tepee, and everyone is encouraged to bring their instruments so they can join in the “all night pickin’” as in years past. Although we don’t have hook-ups we do have a shower house and camping is included in the price of the ticket. NO PETS, NO GLASS CONTAINERS, NO LOUD RADIO MUSIC, NO 4 WHEELERS, NO MODIFIED GOLF CARTS, NO GATORS…NO EXCEPTIONS! Campsites are first come, first serve, except for Sponsors and Bands and some select spots at the “Top of the Hill”. If you are interested in a reserved campsite these must be paid in advance. Please call (864) 680-0225 or (864) 585-0780 for more information or to reserve your spot today! No one will be allowed into the festival until the gates open at noon on Thursday (except sponsors, bands or press).

Cabins

We now have some cabins that are ready to rent. Festival sponsors or bands have first choice but after that it’s a first come first serve basis. Some cabins will sleep 6 to a room, while other cabin suites include hand carved double beds and only sleep 2. Whether you are looking for privacy with a cabin suite or want to spend the weekend with a group in the regular cabins, each one rents for $100.00 per night. Please call (864) 680-0225 for availability. Check out our gallery of photos to view cabins.

Vendors

We are not excepting any new vendors at this time!

Food

We currently have a festival food vendor but will take your application for future consideration. Must have business license.

Tickets

3 Day Tickets are only $75 per person. Friday/Saturday Weekend Passes are still just $45 per person. One Day Tickets are $25 per person. Ticket prices include camping, parking and all concerts. There are no advance tickets. Tickets may be purchased at the gate only. Once Again, we thank everyone who participates in making this such a memorable event. Where else can you enjoy great music while surrounded by great friends and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Flying Airplanes In South Carolina

Flying Airplanes In South Carolina
By Bob Y.

South Carolina is a great place to rent an airplane and go flying. If you're from SC or just visiting, pilot or aspiring pilot, South Carolina can offer you some great flying adventures. The state offers a variety, from mountains to beaches, all within a couple hours of each other as the Cessna flies.
If you are thinking about becoming a pilot, the state has a number of flight schools. Most are located in the major cities, but a few are scattered throughout the smaller towns. There are even official Cessna and Cirrus flight schools in the state. If you're already a pilot, most of the schools will rent planes by the hour to qualified pilots. There are also a number of other places that have planes for rent. For a full listing of flight schools and rental aircraft, check out the listings below to find one near you.
Once you have a plane, a great place to go is the coast. Get out over the water and drop down low so you can see everything. Not only are there all the resorts and attractions on the water, but countless uninhabited areas and vacant sea islands that are inaccessible by automobile. There are also numerous airports along the coast, many of which have crew cars available on a first come basis. This makes a great little day trip that could easily be extended to a weekend getaway.
Historic cities like Charleston also lie on the coast and are beautiful from the air even though they were built to be seen from the sea. Flying over the harbor offers gorgeous views of the battery and Fort Sumter as well as the islands. Don't get any wild ideas about attempting to land on the old aircraft carrier though! Yes, there's an old WWII aircraft carrier in the harbor that's been converted to a floating museum. James Island Executive airport has a stunningly beautiful FBO that caters mainly to jets but treats the little guys great too. They too offer crew cars on a first come basis if you want to drive into downtown for lunch or a stroll.
On the other end of the state one can find some beautiful mountain flying in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Greenville Downtown and Spartanburg Downtown are two good-sized general aviation airports a stone's throw from gorgeous mountain flying. Once you're in the mountains there are some great airports to stop at. If you can fit, there's a little airstrip up in Brevard, NC, or else there's always Asheville's main airport just down the road. This whole area is full of beautiful places to see, many of which are free such as the hiking and countless waterfalls that dot the landscape.
South Carolina also has its share of great places to eat at or near airports. Spartanburg Downtown is only a few minutes away from world-famous Beacon Drive-In that's been featured on the Food Network and others. Charleston also has a plethora of great restaurants that have also drawn national media attention. One of them, Fuel, was built in an old gas station and also managed to serve its way up to a featured spot on Diners Drive-Ins and Dives, also on the Food Network.
As you can see, South Carolina is a great place to fly. The state's small size means that you can make going anywhere a pleasant little day trip or maybe even a weekend getaway. If you're wondering whether flying in SC is for you, call one of the flight schools and take an intro lesson. You'll be glad you did.

For a complete listing of flight schools and places for aircraft rental in South Carolina, come visit my website and find thousands of planes for rent and reviews from fellow pilots all around the United States. Check us out at www.aircraftrentalhq.com

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Edgefield, South Carolina

Something's Up With Edgefield - Edgefield, South Carolina

By Jaromy Jessop

"Are you making all this fuss over me?"

Strom Thurmond

While traveling on business through South Carolina on State Route 19 from Aiken up through Edgefield I came upon a place that was totally unexpected. Each day I would drive through the town on State Route 25 which passes through the town square which reminds me of a cross between the town featured in the movie "Doc Hollywood" and the square in the Spielberg film "Back to the Future" where Marty has to somehow generate 1.2 Jigawatts of energy and channel it into the "Flux Capacitor" so he can get back home.
There were several monuments in the town square and a stately old Courthouse on the North West corner. I kept telling myself that I was going to stop and read what was inscribed on those monuments one day after work. I finally got my chance on the last day that I was there and I discovered a community unlike any other that I have ever visited. I discovered a town where exploration, industry, war, agriculture, slavery, bigotry and feudal honor had been swirling in a vortex seemingly since the founding of the town back in the late 1700's.
Thinking it would be a short and simple stop on my way back to Aiken after a long week of work, I parked my vehicle at the town square, grabbed my camera and went to quickly read the inscriptions on the monuments. My first stop was the Egyptian type obelisk located in the center of the square. Apparently it was dedicated to the incredible sacrifice the men of the community made during the Civil War.
Another granite marker told of 10 South Carolina Governors that the Edgefield area produced. It struck me as very odd that a tiny town like this could have projected such an influence on the rest of the State by sending so many of its men to the Governor's mansion. The lawns of this beautiful little town square were so green, trim and neat it seemed as if the greens keeper from Augusta was attending to the details himself.
I walked from the granite "Governor's" marker over to a bronze statue of a man facing the Courthouse. This statue was of the most famous and influential Governor and State Senator ever to come out of South Carolina - Strom Thurmond. I was now very interested as this little park held some serious significance.
The next stop was the courthouse. Atop the triumphant marble steps of this imposing old structure with white doric columns you have a fine view of the entire town square. I stopped a moment to observe, photograph and appreciate a scene of the south that to me was so foreign, being a westerner and all.
I descended the steps and noticed that there were some historical plaques on the side of the building. One in particular caught my eye and it was an ornate plaque placed in 1919 dedicated to the memory of the men from Edgefield who gave their lives in the First World War. It was very odd to see the names broken down into two categories - white men and colored men. It was a stark reminder of the tangled web of the politics and bigotry of slavery and continued animosity after the great war between the States that is still apparent just beneath the surface in so many parts of the south.
I walked through the portico under the courthouse steps and read a plaque about how a shooting occurred on that very spot taking the life of a man named Bird due to a dispute between locals. Apparently, a man's name and honor was a huge thing back in the day in Edgefield and if you impugned a man's honor or reputation, the Code Duello, a set of rules for a duel, would be initiated and you would shoot it out in the street.
The next plaque was quite disturbing as it told the tale of one "Becky Cotton- The Devil in Petticoats" 1765-1807, a beautiful seductress who murdered her husband in a brutal fashion by burying an axe in his head while he slept. According to legend, the all male jury in her trial was so taken with her charm and beauty that they acquitted her even though they had no doubt she committed the crime. Some say she went on to marry twice more and that she killed both of those husbands as well and threw their bodies in Slade Lake.
She was finally killed by her own brother after she was once again acquitted by the jury. The plaque on the courthouse states that the "Devil in Petticoats" was killed by her brother, who was disgusted by her behavior - he crushed her skull with a rock on the courthouse steps and then made his escape on a horse and rode west.
Very creepy yet interesting tale. Later in the day I explored Slade Lake and followed the "10 Governors Trail" which is a paved path from Slade Lake to Main Street that follows the old rail road grade and crosses Highway 25 on an old train trestle. This is a beautiful trail that has a granite marker every tenth of a mile - on these markers you will find information about all 10 Governors who came from the Edgefield area.
As I walked by Slade Lake in the waning golden light of late afternoon I thought of Becky Cotton. I looked down into the murky water and wondered if Becky actually did throw her husband's corpses in there and if there are such things as ghosts, if they - and Becky still haunted the place.
Continuing on from the Courthouse I walked past the old black smiths shop where locals tell me for over 100 years, the town blacksmith has been on duty. Behind this shop is St. Mary's Catholic Church and it is a wonderful old grey granite structure. I took a walk through it's cemetery and noted several graves of confederate soldiers.
I walked back to the town square and noticed a cat inside a store window - lazily sleeping on a rocking chair. There were a bunch of cats just lounging around various places in the town. I looked at another historic plaque on a building just down the walk from the corner store.
This plaque told of the "Booth - Toney" shootout of 1878 where on that very spot, there was a gunfight between these two families that had a blood feud running back to 1869 when Benjamin Booth killed Luther Toney. There were more than 40 shots fired and when the smoke cleared - 3 men lay dead around the Edgefield town square - one in front of the public library.
By this time I was thinking to myself "What is up with Edgefield???" so much violence and fighting in such a small town. I stopped next at the old Tompkins library which houses the Edgefield Welcome Center and Genealogical Society. By this time I was fascinated with the history of the place so I bought several books on the history of Edgefield and one on the history of Company K - 14th South Carolina Volunteers.
I talked with the gentleman there for a bit and then made my way down a back alley to the old Edgefield Pottery building where I heard and exhaustive history of pottery making out of Red South Carolina Clay by the gentleman there who obviously loves his work. Apparently, Edgefield is famous for it's clay and the pottery that is made from it.
I was hungry by this time so I went over to "Park Row Market No. 1" on the corner of Main street and the Courthouse Square. I ordered up a turkey and pepper jack panini with chipotle sauce and it was outstanding. This building is cool in itself as it housed a general store in Edgefield since 1852 and much of the interior of the place is just as it was back in the day.
It was a warm quiet evening and there was a gentleman playing guitar there and singing. When he dived into Jimi Hendrix' "Little Wing" pulling off a great acoustic rendition, I knew I was going to stay awhile so I got a brew and elbowed up to a bench on the boardwalk in front of the store and commenced to munching my sandwich and observing the courthouse square as the sun went down.
So much interesting history took place in this tiny well manicured town square. It is impossible to capture it all in this short article and I'm sure if there are any mis-representations, I will hear about it from the Historical Society of Edgefield. Hopefully, the Code Duello will not be initiated as I will gladly correct any mistakes!
As I drove away from Edgefield passing by the peach orchards and pines with Stone Temple Pilots jamming on the radio it was as if I was in Marty's De Lorean and I was heading "Back to the Future". If you ever want to get a glimpse of the old south, Edgefield is a most amazing little slice in the up country of South Carolina. It is well worth a visit.

http://www.americantalesandtrails.com/

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Lets go for a ride on Capers Island.