Yeamans Hall - South Carolina - USA

This course has lost its greens for the second year in a row, which is a shame. I last played this course 10 years ago and the expectations remained high given how much I enjoy the treat of playing an original Raynor course.

The layout looks tired and a little outdated. The greens are in bad shape, and the template holes are subtle in comparison to others in Raynor’s celebrated portfolio. Although no surprise, the land around Charleston does not offer much undulation, which is a shame as it’s the rolling topography that augments the quality of Raynor’s other courses around the country.

With mundane land and hazards that feel a little out of place, Yeamans Hall is underwhelming and may begin to slip in the rankings. The template holes add character and charm, especially the Knoll and Redan – but the course can only offer so much before a larger perspective begins to take over.

Seth Raynor’s template holes abound here. I find their charm not in their sameness but in the subtle differences. Here, for example, the Biarritz’s valley is in front of the green a la Fishers Island. And the punchbowl is not nearly as pronounced as the ones you’d find at courses like Mountain Lake. Moreover, not all the holes are templates.

There’s more fairway bunkering than you’d find at Fishers Island or Mountain Lake. This makes Yeamans more difficult, but not in a bad way. After a simple opening hole, numbers 2, 4 and 5 challenge the tee shot with fairway bunkers and the player has to choose the line (and the club) for the tee shot carefully. Both par 5s require thinking on the second shot as well.

The greens give plenty of challenge as well with Raynor’s characteristic spines bisecting four of them. And the thumbprint, a subtle depression in the middle of the green, shows up not once, but twice.

My favorite of this genre is Yale, but I can think of no other Raynor course I’d rather play than Yeamans Hall.

Charleston, South Carolina has retained its uniqueness and character and has resisted the homogenization that has largely swept most parts of the U.S. South Carolina is still representative of the Deep South and jealously guards its heritage. The club is very discrete and isolated, located off a street marked "No Outlet". Reminiscent of Pine Valley, you have to cross a railroad track and immediately have to stop at a guard gate. Nowhere is there an indication that this is Yeamans Hall Club; it is an un-marked, low-key entrance. After the guard verified my credentials I passed through the entrance to an enchanted setting. With a golf course designed by Seth Raynor, all the typical prototype holes present on his courses are there in classic form. The overall feel of Yeamans Hall is magical. The place has character, old-world charm and a sense of complete isolation from the outside world. More or less, everything is perfect. I like their philosophy and approach, as exemplified in their recommended pace of play, "3 1/2 hours is adequate for four ball match." After our round we had sandwiches - shades of Augusta National - I had a delicious pimento cheese sandwich. Yeamans is much more than a golf course set in an old plantation surrounded by a marsh; it is an experience in Southern charm and hospitality that is hard to beat.

John Sabino is the author of How to Play the World’s Most Exclusive Golf Clubs

The club itself is off the charts amazing. A real throwback and a true delight to be there. The course is pretty solid. It gets all the hype associated with Raynor designs, but man I don't understand the adulation. It is good. The template holes are really neat. But they don't look natural at all. They are so similar to other course's template holes, that the originality is simply non-existent. Again, it is good. A lot of fun. I'd play it again in a heart beat, but I guess I just don't see it as truly a world class as a golf course. However, as a club it might be #1.

Unbelievably good. Befriend anyone you must to get a chance to play. Top conditions, wonderful staff, and a timeless, consistently intersting design. Country Club of Charleston is a less-hearalded but only slightly less excellent Raynor in the area.

Yeamans Hall is a Seth Raynor hidden gem on property very unique to the Low Country of South Carolina. Greens and bunkering are exceptional. I’ve played Shinnecock, Pebble, St. Andrews, Medinah, Olympic and many more and Yeaman’s can hold court with those.