LINKS & TEE’S the year-round golf facility has a warm and dry place for you, all weekend long to work on your golf game. Visit Addisonparks.org or call (630)-233-7275 for more information, and when Links & Tee’s will open it’s outdoor golf facilities. MCQ’s Dome in Bolingbrook is ready for a weekend of fun, indoor golf, horse racing in the OTB, plenty of sports to watch in the sports bar. Get that final off season tune up from a golf professional on the Mistwood golf club staff, see Mcqsdome.com or 630-739-7600. ______________________________________________________________________

The GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. At Santee National Golf Club in Santee SC.

In South Carolina that are many great places to play golf, some get more publicity than others.

Many of the top rated courses sit over in Charleston, Hilton Head Island or in Myrtle Beach. many of them have water or ocean views, and there is nothing wrong with that. Many of those courses come with bigger price tags as well.

That doesn’t work for everyone, and so if your a golfer with or without a big budget, and you would like to enjoy great golf with a price tag that is not so high, then why not visit Santee South Carolina. Several good quality courses that will leave you plenty of cash to visit the merchandise racks and the good places to eat.

The Villa’s at Santee National located just to the right of the first fairway are spacious and comfortable, and they kind of look like a famous clubhouse.

Santee sits some 55 miles northwest of Charleston in an area that would remind Illinois golfers of the Chain O’Lakes area in Lake County of Northern Illinois.

For years the golf in Santee was looked at as cheaper golf, but not offering quality of properties that were located on the coastline. THAT is no longer true.

Newer courses built in the last several years, along with better access to from the interstate to the Santee area have been game changers. As a result business is continuing to grow and more golfers are finding Santee.

  Clark’s is the historic center piece of Santee, it offers great food and a place to stay.

From behind the stick on the Par 5, second hole at Santee National Golf Club.

Santee has 8 courses that are within minutes of the downtown area, if you wish to expand your drive up to 30-60 minutes more, your list of options for great golf will grow in big numbers.

Golfers to Santee need to experience the Santee National Golf Club, designed by the late Porter Gibson.

Gibson’s straight forward approach gives the course a variety of looks, and it’s well routed to take advantage of elevation change.

 The Par 3, 5th hole, and the Par 4, 12th hole at Santee National combine the different looks the course has to offer. The 5th hole is a straight forward par 3, where par should be obtained with a good tee shot, and the 12th hole requires a solid tee shot with an uphill demanding tee shot, to a green that have some tricky pin placements.

The Par 3, 6th hole at Lake Marion Golf Club in Santee SC.

Santee National plays from the tips at 6,900 yards, but has four sets of tee’s, with the front tee’s playing at 4,719 yards.

Santee National is both enjoyable and challenging for golfers of all skill levels. If you spend the night in the villa’s at the course, there is nothing like walking out of them and right to the first tee.

The practice areas are great, especially for golfers coming down from up north who need to work off the rust from or during the winter season.

LAKE MARION is the perfect course if your in need of a quick in and out of town. Located only seconds off Interstate 95, golfers wanting to stop in Santee before moving on can play Lake Marion and stay on schedule.

The golf course is not long at 6,475 from the tips but that does not mean it’s easy. There are some tight holes where your tee shot needs to be well struck.

There are great chances to score right off the first tee and at the end of your round, since the course designed by Eddie Riccoboni opens and closes with par 5 holes that play at less than 500 yards. The first hole will require a water carry on your third shot.

The Lake Marion pro shop is one of the most stocked shops you will find anywhere. There is a large supply of balls, clubs, shoes, shirts, caps and more. The shoe area carries a very wide selection and quite often some good sales.

A few of the other good golf courses in the Santee area are the Orangeburg Country Club an Ellis Maples design that was renovated by Pinehurst area architect Richard Mandell in 2009. Santee Cooper Country Club and the Wyboo Golf Club wont disappoint you either.

For more information on Santee South Carolina area golf, please visit GolfSantee.com or call (800)-345-7888 or (803)-854-2149 or email Info@GolfSantee.com