On Land

Generations of golfers, most from the Northeast and Midwest, have taken advantage of Santee Cooper [1]’s location off I-95. While these duffers are more downscale than their counterparts in Hilton Head [2] or Charleston [3], they seem to have more fun, and pay a good bit less for the privilege.

There are three links of note on Lake Marion around the town of Santee: Santee Cooper Country Club (630 Santee Dr., 803/854-2467 www.santeecoopergolf.com [4], $30–60), the area’s first; Lake Marion Golf Course (9069 Old Number Six Hwy., 803/854-2554, www.santeecoopergolf.com [4], $27–51), built in 1979; and Santee National Golf Club (8638 Old 6 Hwy., 803/854-3531, www.santeenational.com [5], $40–60).

But the best course might well be Wyboo Golf Club (1 Warrens Wy., 803/478-7899, www.wyboogolfclub.com [6], $40–50), a Tom Jackson design near Manning (take exit 119 off I-95), which is the best course in Clarendon County and consistently rated one of the top ten public courses in South Carolina.

There are tons of golf packages available in the area; call 800/227-8510 for more info.

Hikers can traverse a segment of the Palmetto Trail (www.palmettoconservation.org [7]) on Lake Moultrie. The trailhead is at the U.S. Forest Service Canal Recreation Area on the west side of Highway 52.