Greenville / Clemson University SC Golf Weekend

Golf Magazine, 3/11

Per Golf Magazine's Travelin' Joe:

Clemson is best known as a football power, and its recent-vintage course is definitely bowl-worthy. The Walker Course at Clemson University ($38-$56; 864-656-0236, www.Clemson.edu/centersinstitutes/madren/golf) is named for John E. Walker Sr.—carts are permitted—and sits 40 minutes from Greenville. Densely treed, with well-placed if shallow bunkers, the Walker hits its stride on the closing holes, notably the 17th. Known as "Tiger Paw," this 192-yard par-3 plays to a peninsula green jabbed into Lake Hartwell.

Closer to Greenville proper are River Falls Plantation ($44.25-$54.75; 864-433-9192, www.riverfallsgolf.com), a wooded, watery Gary Player design with a bit of elevation change that features risk/reward par-5s that close both nines; and Verdae Greens ($48-$58; 864-676-1500, www.verdaegreens.com), a former Nationwide Tour site that sports plenty of carries over a mountain brook that twists through the layout.

If you've got time for a journey through Blue Ridge country, Sequoyah National Golf Club ($65-$110; 828-497-3000, www.harrahscherokee.com), a stunning Robert Trent Jones II/Notah Begay creation on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains, awaits across the North Carolina border.

Where To Booze:  "Coming from Clemson's central campus to downtown, TD's is the first bar you see because it occupies one of the most visible pieces of real estate in town. That said, TD's has been a popular gathering place for students since George I held office thanks to the always-successful combination of good eye-candy, full bar, tasty eats, and solid entertainment (ranging from live bands and karaoke to disco nights). In the afternoon, TD's kitchen serves up burgers, sandwiches, and meat-n-three plates that are the popular lunch choices for students and staff alike." [10Best.com]  Or, hit Tiger's Town Tavern.  In Greenville, hit Bailey's Sports Grille for plasmas, good apps, and pool tables.

Where To Grub:  For wings in Clemson, hit Wingin' It.  In Greenville proper, head for Smoke On The Water in the West End for good BBQ and a lively happy hour in an upscale setting; or hit the Greenville outpost of Charleston stalwart High Cotton Maverick Bar & Grill (www.mavericksouthernkitchens.com) for the multi-level dining room, soaring glass walls, contemporary decor, the jumbo lump crab Oscar, or one of the best steaks in the South.