Three Fore Three

Three Courses in Three Years: Callawassie Island’s Groundbreaking Renovation Comes to a Celebratory Conclusion

Three years ago, the agronomy team at Callawassie Island broke ground on a total renovation project to renew both form and function of its Tom Fazio trio of courses. It was a big lift – one that Agronomy Director Billy Bagwell had seen before, but now had the opportunity to spearhead.

“I knew what I was getting into, and I knew it was possible. But I also knew the staff and members hadn’t been through this and it would be a little bit of a shock to the system because from where we stood at the beginning, the whole thing seemed crazy. Three courses in three years? Total upheaval and renewal? Until you see it happening, there’s no way people believe it’s possible.”

But then you begin.
And you take everyone by surprise.

On a scale of chaos versus relatively predictable, Bagwell celebrates, “we stayed predictable. We had hurricane delays. Debbie dropped a ton of rain right in the timeframe of us grassing the last two holes on Palmetto, which set us back three weeks. We had Helene recently come through and just as we were ready to roll with opening and had to take a step back to clear debris and get back on track. We had other brushes with tropical events over the past three years affecting Magnolia and Dogwood. But that’s part of what you take into consideration from the start.”

“Ultimately, we were very fortunate in terms of setbacks and able to stay on time taking this from an older and aging golf course to a new and exciting feature that we can not only be proud of but somewhat set the mold for what golf course renovation work can look like for clubs in our area, trying to tackle projects in a larger scope and scale to minimize the amount of time courses need to close.”

What Bagwell is referring to is the traditional approach of “chunking along, doing a bunker project one year, greens the next, irrigation the following, and having to close each time. We aimed to avoid that and set out to address all the concerns and issues we wanted to enhance on the course in a way that minimized the amount of time our courses were closed. We kept it to a minimal 7 months per course, closing each from April 1 to November 1. Now that we’re done, members and guests are left with a first-class golf course that will not need to be renovated for at least eight to ten years.” Which, Bagwell emphasizes, includes any type of renovation. Looks like a few tee times just opened up.

“Predictable, maybe. But,” Bagwell said, “personal. This is really a dream come true for a golf course superintendent. Normally you’re working projects in phases. To be able to map out the whole undertaking from the beginning and carry it through is the opportunity of a lifetime for all of us to see through. To take a golf course that has grass and is green and playable and take it all the way down to the dirt, reshape it, put in all the new drainage, cart paths, bunkers, was an incredible amount of work we set out to do and were able to complete. Bringing it up through the growth phases and watching the discovery and excitement as it actually takes form within that short, estimated time from 100% dirt – I don’t think anyone knew what we were about to start but once we did, conversations turned toward possibilities and seeing it come to life before your own eyes.” Seeing is believing and the new course corrections have all stakeholders in awe of what’s really possible when you put your Bagwell into it.

With all the newness teed up, Bagwell and team have maintained the core of the Callawassie Island identity and the baseline of the brand, balancing the design and development of what’s new with the pristine natural perfection of what’s always been there.

“Callawassie has always balanced wildlife habitat with premier amenities as the Unique Selling Point of Callawassie Island. You hear people say, ‘you had me at the causeway,’ but what makes Callawassie Island so unique is that it’s built among a native forest that hasn’t been clear cut. Now, you look through the trees standing right where they’ve grown for decades and you see this manicured golf course like a shining gem coming through.” Palmetto – the last course completed – is the first one you see as you touch down across the causeway. “We’ve been able to elevate to an even greater world class golf facility while maintaining all that’s true to Callawassie Island.”

What now? Bagwell quips, you’ve got to treat your new course conditions like a child, taking time to mature, so with Palmetto opening this weekend we have among all the courses a 2-year-old, a 1-year-old, and a 6-month-old.” Three under three, as any parent will tell you, takes a great deal of diligence and care. “I tell everyone involved it takes a couple years for grass to mature and in the meantime, say you’ve got a 6-month-old, treating the growth carefully through this winter, each month you get to see that child grow stronger, but you have to provide the proper care and feeding to make sure they get there. Now that we’re not maintaining two while renovating one, we can maintain all 27 with full focus on that effort and when you focus on something more you can focus on it better.”

Looking back, Bagwell says the project has gone by fast, “a blip on the radar, looking back. It’s a pretty rewarding experience to be able to successfully do that and that’s kudos to absolutely everyone involved.” Bagwell calls out by name gratefulness for the TDI Golf contract crews, Billy Fuller the golf course architect and consultant, and Chris Jones, the golf course superintendent, and every member of the agronomy team who were the backbone of this project. “Incredible gratitude goes to the Callawassie Island staff, membership, and everyone behind the funding because without those who supported this endeavor, none of this happens for any of us.”

Along those lines, the Friends of Callawassie Island (FOCI) have played an influential role and a few of their members won the opportunity to play the first two rounds on the newly opened Palmetto course after the ribbon cutting at the end of October 2024, just a couple days before the FOCI golf event on the first all-open weekend since this all began in 2021.

When the grand reno-opening crowds quiet down, what the area and residents are left with is a world-class golf facility in its natural habitat with room to breathe, literally and fiscally, knowing their surroundings and their golf game’s home turf is going to be open, functional, and predictably pristine for the next decade or two. “Selfishly,” Bagwell says enjoying the fruits of everyone’s labor, “I and the agronomy team have a Ferrari of a golf course to have fun with and make shine.”

Whether you consider Callawassie Island courses as the vacation destination’s flagship amenity, an elite stop among competitive tourneys (the Men’s Big East is coming back this spring 2025!), or simply a calm-watered emerald city peeking through the pines, Bagwell ties it all together concluding, “We’re happy to see it come to conclusion for the members so they can enjoy year-round golf again.”