Since everybody is playing at Augusta this weekend, I figured that I would go out and play at the Sumter National Golf Club 09, instead, and I don’t regret my choice as this par 72 is gorgeous too !
With a panorama that includes a nice lake surrounded by small mountains, plenty of tall and thin trees all around the course, manicured fairways, nice smooth greens and gorgeous flowers, you will spend more time gazing at the landscape than playing….
This course is simply beautiful from the 1st tee to the 18th green, with some holes really standing out more than others : the right dogleg par-4 2nd, for example, has beautiful flowers on the sides of the tee box and an elevated green with five bunkers around, whereas the left dogleg par-5 4th requires a downhill tee shot to reach the fairway, with a meandering creek on the right, then flowing real close to the green, making your approach shot quite challenging.
After the next two doglegs, the par-4 5th hole to the left, with a downhill tee shot and four big bunkers around the elevated green, and the par-4 6th, to the right, with a big pond on the right of the green, you will reach the “easy" par-3 7th hole, quite pretty with its flowers around the tee box and its wide elevated green.
The par-5 8th and par-4 9th holes are simply gorgeous : the first one has a downhill tee shot with one pond on the left side, not far from the tee box, and another one to the right, with beautiful flowers on its bank, near the green, whereas the latter has a tall and lone tree with two bunkers around in the middle of the fairway, a big pond on the left of the flower-filled green, and a great panoramic view of the lake and mountains below.
The back 9 has more gorgeous holes, some reminiscent of Augusta, such as the left dogleg par-5 11th, with a small river crossing the fairway in front of the slightly downhill green (with a beautiful wooden and covered bridge on the left), surrounded by gorgeous flowers.
The right dogleg par-4 12th, on another hand, is a short risk/reward hole, about 320 yards away but, with a small river hugging the fairway on the right, you might not want to take any chances…
As you stand on the tee box of the par-3 13th hole, don’t forget to take out your camera as this hole will remind you of the 16th hole at Augusta : with a covered bridge on the left of the tee box, beautiful flowers on the right side of the lake and the green on the other bank, with the flag real close to the water, you will have sweaty palms teeing off !
Then after two more nice par-4 holes, the left dogleg 14th, with its elevated green and the lake behind, and the right dogleg 15th, with a little pond on the right of the wide and downhill green, you will reach the other gorgeous par-3, the 16th hole (another one of my favorites), simply stunning visually, looking like a real postcard with all those beautiful flowers all around and a big pond in front of the green.
Finally, after the left dogleg par-4 17th hole, with an uphill tee shot and a downhill green (with a beautiful panoramic view behind), you will finish with the gorgeous right dogleg par-5 18th hole, with a small lake on the left, midway through, and another one in front of the elevated green, making your approach shot quite challenging.
With beautiful textures used for the soil below the trees, nice bunker work and, of course, those gorgeous flowers, Sumter National Golf Club 09 is a pure gem, thanks to the great designing job done by jmwall24 !

Excellent course to play. Planting and look of this course top notch in my book. Play this one before or after Masters time as it looks like it should be played at that time. Looks great - plays great. Awesome. 5 stars!

I had to add a few comments to my previous post. As noted this is a fantasy course, however if it were ever built to this design it would immediately become a 'had to play' course in the real world. It ranks IMHO with any other TW08 course ever designed for this site. Try and play this course on very dry greens and breezy settings and you'll be lucky just to shoot par. It is with out doubt one of this sites 'real 5**** gems.

A real beauty. Perhaps the toughest course I have ever played in TW08. The long par 4's are killers and the greens are nothing short of scary. A wonderful course that I'll be playing for quite some time.

Just played this course and I must say you have done a fantastic job. The course plays beautifully with great challenges and isn't that final par 5 at the 18th a great way to finish. Keep up the good work!

You were right about the graphics settings, by the way. Tweaked the shader level a bit, and the course is pretty now! In the process of trying a few more new courses, but I stand by my comment that this could be the best of '09. Do yourself a favor and get this one folks.

This course is outstanding and a remarkable creation, will enjoy this one for many years to come. JmWall, excellent work and great attention to details and splendid job on plantings,textures, and surreal feel of Augusta National. 5-star rating ***** Golfman1965PD

Super course, really like the Augusta look and feel.
Gonne play this one alot.

This is a great course. The visuals are stunning, you have choices on most of the holes and risk/reward factor comes into play on most of the holes. Great job.

One great course. I reiterate the one comment about the bird sounds. They were so unobtrusive that I didn't notice them until several holes in. There are some courses, I wish I could carry a shotgun as one of my clubs. I would like to put them out of my misery. Keep up the good work ..

I loved this course. It played smoothly and it seemed that the yardages were perfect. As a tournament director in the WFGA, I will be adding this course as one to be played. Great job!!!!

Gary

very , very , nice course, great to look at and enjoy as well as a fun challenge. Thanks for the course jmwall24

nelson, You must get this one. It may not really exist, but it is a must have. I have all of JM's courses and this is a must. I too usually only play the real recreations. Trust me, you will not be disappointed

No it is not real, I tend to think of it as fictional as opposed to fantasy, as I designed it as a course that could easily exist.

Also forgot to mention the subtle bird sounds, like they would be! too many designers go mad on the birds and they are in your ears all away around the course! but this is very nice.

This is an amazing piece of course design one of the best i have played, looks great and plays a treat ,awesome job .

Oh, and also on 15, the tee has been moved back and slightly left 31 yards.

Very nice! What has changed from the 08 course you put up?