When it comes to top-ranked golf in South Carolina, especially for the general public or resort player, proximity to the Atlantic Ocean is a fact of life.

That fact makes Orangeburg Country Club’s consistent position among the state’s top public-access courses, as determined by the South Carolina Golf Course Ratings Panel, even more noteworthy.

The panel, made up of more than 120 media, professional and golf business members, has released its 2020-21 “Top 30 You Can Play,” highlighting South Carolina’s best among courses available to tourists and non-club members. Of those courses, 25 are in the Grand Strand (13), Greater Charleston (8) and Lowcountry (4) regions.

OCC, meanwhile, is one of three Midlands courses named to the biennial rankings. The Upstate trails with two public-access courses. Along with Orangeburg CC, Aiken Golf Club – a historic gem built in 1912 – and the Country Club of South Carolina in Florence were the Midlands courses selected by the panel’s members.

“We are delighted to be back in such good company once again, and also to be considered ‘the place to go’ in the Midlands,” OCC Director of Golf David Lackey said. “I give much credit to Alex Tolbert and his team for continuing to provide a well-conditioned course to enjoy, and to all of the golf and clubhouse staff for their commitment to providing the best in hospitality to members and guests alike.”

While votes for the Top 30 were not disclosed, OCC has been a regular member of the panel’s Best 50 Courses rankings, which rate all of the state’s 360-plus courses (public and private) and are chosen in years opposite the Top 30 You Can Play listings. In 2019-20, Orangeburg was ranked 43rd among all courses in South Carolina.

OCC is officially a private club, but the club allows outside play via Santee Resort hotel/golf packages, thus qualifying the course as public-access per the ratings panel.

“From the top of our leadership down, the fact that we are in the people business is the mentality that we all strive to maintain,” Lackey said. “Marrying the excellent condition of the course, from tees to the treacherous greens, with a large dose of hospitality makes for a successful outcome, and that is the formula that we try to use daily.”

Kiawah Island Resort’s Ocean Course, host of the 1991 Ryder Cup Matches, 2012 PGA Championship and this May’s PGA, topped the 2019-20 rankings of all the state’s courses and, no surprise, rates among the Top 30 You Can Play. Other familiar names dotting the Top 30 are Sea Pines Resort’s Harbour Town Golf Links, site of the state’s annual RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing (the state’s lone PGA Tour stop); Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, True Blue and Pawleys Plantation, all in Pawleys Island; Myrtle Beach’s historic Dunes Golf & Beach Club; and Wild Dunes’ Links Course on Isle of Palms.

In addition to its Top 30 list, the Golf Course Ratings Panel also named its top courses in each region. The Midlands’ top five, in addition to OCC, Aiken and CCSC, lists two North Augusta courses, Mount Vintage Golf Club and the River Golf Club.

South Carolina’s most well-known resorts, Kiawah Island and Sea Pines, not surprisingly are heavily represented in the Top 30. Four Kiawah courses – the Ocean, Osprey Point, Turtle Point and Cougar Point – make up half the Greater Charleston’s eight courses. Sea Pines’ trio of courses – Harbour Town, Heron Point by Pete Dye and Atlantic Dunes by Davis Love III – are joined by the Jack Nicklaus-designed May River Golf Club of Bluffton.

Only two Upstate courses made the Top 30, both college-affiliated: the Walker Course at Clemson University and the Furman University Golf Club. Also in the Upstate-specific listings are Greenwood Country Club, Savannah Lakes’ Monticello Course in McCormick, and (tied) Greenwood’s Links at Stoney Point Golf Club and Greenville’s The Preserve at Verdae.

Hilton Head Island dominates the Lowcountry region; in addition to the Sea Pines courses and May River, Palmetto Dunes Resort’s R.T. Jones, Arthur Hills and George Fazio course and Palmetto Hall’s Arthur Hills Course are in the region’s Top 10. Joining those are Fripp Island Resort’s Ocean Point and Ocean Creek courses.

The Orangeburg Country Club’s Hole 18 was awarded the Midlands Most Challenging Finishing Hole in 2014 by the S.C. Golf Ratings Panel.

SOUTH CAROLINA GOLF COURSE RATINGS PANEL

TOP 30 YOU CAN PLAY

STATE TOP 30

Kiawah Island Resort – Ocean Course CHARLESTON; Caledonia Golf & Fish Club (Pawleys Island) GRAND STRAND; Sea Pines – Harbour Town Golf Links LOW COUNTRY; True Blue Plantation (Pawleys Island) GRAND STRAND; Kiawah Island Resort – Turtle Point Course CHARLESTON; Orangeburg Country Club MIDLANDS; Wild Dunes Resort – Links Course CHARLESTON; Dunes Golf & Beach Club GRAND STRAND; TPC of Myrtle Beach (Murrells Inlet) GRAND STRAND; Kiawah Island Resort – Osprey Point Course CHARLESTON; Pawleys Plantation (Pawleys Island) GRAND STRAND; Grande Dunes Resort Club GRAND STRAND; Kiawah Island Resort – Cougar Point Course CHARLESTON; Barefoot Resort – Dye Course GRAND STRAND; May River Golf Club (Palmetto Bluff) LOW COUNTRY; Tidewater Golf Club & Plantation (Little River) GRAND STRAND; Barefoot Resort – Fazio Course GRAND STRAND; Sea Pines – Heron Point by Pete Dye LOW COUNTRY; Walker Course at Clemson University UPSTATE; Furman Golf Club UPSTATE; Sea Pines – Atlantic Dunes LOW COUNTRY; Seabrook Island Club – Ocean Winds Course CHARLESTON; Prestwick Country Club (Myrtle Beach) GRAND STRAND; Barefoot Resort – Love Course GRAND STRAND; Aiken Golf Club MIDLANDS; Heritage Club (Pawleys Island) GRAND STRAND; Pine Lakes Country Club (Myrtle Beach) GRAND STRAND; Seabrook Island Club – Crooked Oaks Course CHARLESTON; Wild Dunes Resort – Harbor Course CHARLESTON; Country Club of South Carolina (Florence) MIDLANDS

GREATER CHARLESTON

Kiawah Island Resort – Ocean Course; Kiawah Island Resort – Turtle Point Course; Wild Dunes Resort – Links Course; Kiawah Island Resort – Osprey Point Course; Kiawah Island Resort – Cougar Point Course; Seabrook Island Club – Ocean Winds Course; Seabrook Island Club – Crooked Oaks Course; Wild Dunes Resort – Harbor Course; RiverTowne Country Club (Mt Pleasant); Links at Stono Ferry (Hollywood)

GRAND STRAND

Caledonia Golf & Fish Club (Pawleys Island); True Blue Plantation (Pawleys Island); Dunes Golf & Beach Club; TPC of Myrtle Beach (Murrells Inlet); Pawleys Plantation (Pawleys Island); Grande Dunes Resort Club; Barefoot Resort – Dye Course; Tidewater Golf Club & Plantation (Little River); Barefoot Resort – Fazio Course; Prestwick Country Club (Myrtle Beach); Barefoot Resort – Love Course; Heritage Club (Pawleys Island); Pine Lakes Country Club (Myrtle Beach); Myrtle Beach National – Kings North; The Founders Club at Pawleys Island; The Legends – Heathland Course (Myrtle Beach); Glen Dornoch Waterway Golf Links (Little River); Wachesaw East Golf Club (Murrells Inlet); The Legends – Moorland Course (Myrtle Beach); Tradition Club (Litchfield Beach)

LOWCOUNTRY

Sea Pines – Harbour Town Golf Links; May River Golf Club (Palmetto Bluff); Sea Pines – Heron Point by Pete Dye; Sea Pines – Atlantic Dunes; Palmetto Dunes Resort – RT Jones Course; Palmetto Dunes Resort – Arthur Hills Course; Palmetto Dunes Resort – George Fazio Course; Fripp Island Resort – Ocean Point (Cobb); Fripp Island Resort – Ocean Creek (Love); Palmetto Hall Plantation – Arthur Hills Course

MIDLANDS

Orangeburg Country Club; Aiken Golf Club; Country Club of South Carolina (Florence); Mount Vintage Golf Club (North Augusta); The River Golf Club (North Augusta)

UPSTATE

Walker Course at Clemson University; Furman Golf Club; Greenwood Country Club; Savannah Lakes – Monticello Course; (tie) Links at Stoney Point Golf Club (Greenwood) and The Preserve at Verdae (Greenville)

Orangeburg County recently received a $1 million grant from the Community Planning and Development Program, a division of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“Orangeburg County works hard to go after grant funding to improve the county without putting any more burden on the taxpayers, but making strides to improve what we have,” Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young said.

The Community Planning and Development Program’s webpage says it, “seeks to develop viable communities by promoting integrated approaches that provide decent housing, a suitable living environment and expand economic opportunities for low and moderate income persons. The primary means towards this end is the development of partnerships among all levels of government and the private sector, including for-profit and non-profit organizations.”

Young said the money, “usually flows through the Lower Savannah Council of Governments, and it’s for us to do different studies within the Lower Savannah region, as well as Orangeburg County, to basically produce planning documents and other things that go towards engineering to be able to help us produce projects within the region.”

While there are no immediate plans for the funding, in the past the money has been used “to do upgrades to the roadways, and sidewalks and stuff like that to create walking trail plans, to create plans for pedestrian trail access.”

Construction has started on a new, 100,000-square-foot industrial facility for INDEVCO Plastics in Orangeburg, according to Frampton Construction Company.

“This project is off to a great start with an impressive team, and we’re confident this will be a swift and successful endeavor we’ll all be proud to witness,” said Lindsay Sewell, principal at Brookwood Capital Partners, which is developing the project.

INDEVCO Plastics produces a range of recyclable plastic film and bags. Orangeburg County Council has approved economic development incentives with the INDEVCO North America, but details about project have not been officially released.

Orangeburg County Development Commission Executive Director Gregg Robinson said additional details will be released at the appropriate time.

Construction on the Orangeburg project began in February and is currently in the sitework phase.

The 100,000-square-foot, pre-engineered metal building will house manufacturing, storage, office and lab space for the flexible packaging company.

“We’re looking forward to establishing a presence in the Southeast, and Frampton Construction has been a reliable partner in that venture. We’re set for an on-time opening and excited to make our entry into Orangeburg and the larger S.C. community,” said Robert Laird, president at INDEVCO Plastics.

The facility includes a 20,000-square-foot penthouse area with 63-foot-high ceilings designed to accommodate large manufacturing machinery.

The remaining 80,000-square-feet has a 30-foot clear height.

Rail access enables efficient transportation of plastic resin to the facility, which is then manufactured into flexible packaging and distributed throughout North America for a range of industries.

Keaton Green, vice president of Frampton Construction, said, “To have the chance to build a new facility for a multi-national company like INDEVCO, known not just for plastics, but for recyclable materials that make for a more sustainable world, is an honor for all of us at Frampton Construction.”

Carlisle Associates completed the design for the building and Hoyt + Berenyi provided civil engineering services. Construction is expected to conclude in the fall of 2021.

Sen. John Matthews, the longest-serving African American state lawmaker, announced Tuesday that he is not seeking re-election this year.

Matthews said he’s been blessed to serve the people of South Carolina, but it’s time for a new generation.

“I am very fortunate to have served in the General Assembly for 46 years at the end of this session, and after much deliberation, have decided that the best way to continue the momentum my colleagues and I have worked so hard to build over these many years is to open my seat in the South Carolina Senate to a new generation of leadership,” he said in a release.

He represents Senate District 39, which includes portions of Berkeley, Calhoun, Colleton, Dorchester and Orangeburg counties.

Matthews was first elected to the S.C. House of Representatives in 1975. He has served in the state Senate since 1985.

While S.C. has made progress, more is needed, Matthews said.

“I will continue to be a supporting resource for anyone who wishes to make meaningful change in South Carolina, and I am excited for what the future holds,” Matthews said.

“I’d like to first thank my family for their unwavering support. I’d also like to say thank you to every person who supported me in my many elections, thank you to my fellow senators who have been loyal friends and who have stood with me in even the toughest fights and thank you to the people of District 39. It has been a pleasure to serve,” he said.

Matthews was the first African American to hold the position of assistant minority leader in the Senate. He has also served as leader of the Legislative Black Caucus.

The Bowman Democrat is being lauded for his more than four decades of service in education and economic development, and his efforts to empower his constituents and people statewide.

“He’s had a wonderful and tremendous career as a statesman serving all of the people of South Carolina, but particularly Orangeburg,” said Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg.

“With the amount of time and energy that he has spent in promoting economic development and new jobs for Orangeburg, promoting educational reform, looking out for the environment, John Matthews is a true champion of the people of Orangeburg County,” he said.

“I think it speaks just volumes to the fact that he was recognized recently when his portrait was hung in the chambers of the South Carolina Senate. That’s a recognition that people across South Carolina know of the volume of work that he has done over four decades now,” Hutto said.

Matthews’ grandchildren unveiled his portrait during a ceremony held on Dec. 19.

Hutto recalled the first time he met Matthews.

“I was working as a page for Sen. Williams and got to know then-Rep. Matthews pretty well and worked on his campaigns for election to the Senate there in the ’80s. He’s really just been a truly outstanding representative for all of the folks. I mean, he’s looked out for the people in rural South Carolina,” Hutto said.

Sixth District U.S. Congressman James Clyburn has known Matthews since their days at South Carolina State University. They are alumni.

“He didn’t live on the campus. I didn’t enjoy campus life with him, but I remember him. He was a year or two ahead of me,” Clyburn said.

“We interacted a little bit, and then, of course, I went off … and lost track of him. But when I came back … I reconnected with John Matthews and we became political and personal friends. His late wife and now my late wife became great friends. In fact, we even spent a couple of weekends together as couples. I remember a weekend out in Hilton Head we had together. We shared a villa,” Clyburn said.

The congressman described Matthews as a “great guy.”

“He never really showed anger. He’s just been pretty much even-keeled. He’s just made an outstanding contribution to the political process. He’s going to be missed. I spoke to him a couple of nights ago when he called to me inform me that he was not going to run again. I told him how much I appreciated working with him,” he said.

“Hopefully whoever succeeds him in that office will continue his legacy of service,” Clyburn said

Orangeburg County Development Commission Executive Director Gregg Robinson said, “He has been by far a champion throughout the state, but specifically in his district. I have never seen such a commitment from any other senator when it came to raising the bar of the standard of living through economic development and education.”

Robinson added, “Economic development is a prerequisite to get a job and so is education … He recognized the support of both of those to get the livable wage higher, to reduce unemployment, to give opportunities to the less fortunate in our area and at the same time create an environment where businesses can be successful.”

Robinson said Matthews was “a true champion” for the county and state.

“There’s a reason his portrait is in the Senate chambers, and it’s an honor to have worked with him while I’ve been here in Orangeburg County,” he said.

Hutto said Matthews, who will turn 80 on April 21, is “a true voice for the people.”

He believes in faith, family, rural communities, the importance of a job, the importance of education and health care, Hutto said.

“I mean, you can’t name an issue that impacted people and people’s lives that John Matthews wasn’t an integral part in trying to come up with a better solution to address those problems,” the senator said.

He added, “He’s made the decision on his own that he wants some time to himself. And he has certainly earned that. I congratulate him on all of his years of service and look forward to working with whoever the people in his district send up to Columbia next time.”

Matthews and his late wife, Geraldine, had five children.

A member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Matthews has served in many capacities, including as chairman of the Orangeburg County Legislative Delegation, and as a member of the Southern Regional Education Board and the Governor’s Middle Grades Task Force.

He is the recipient of the South Carolina State University Distinguished Alumni Award and was honored as Orangeburg County Democrat of the Year, South Carolina Primary Health Care Legislator of the Year and as Minority Business Advocate of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. He has also been inducted into the South Carolina Black Hall of Fame.

The Army Corps of Engineers will provide $10 million for the expansion of the Lake Marion Regional Water Agency’s water lines, U.S. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn announced on Tuesday.

“I am pleased by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announcement today of an additional $9.63 million for the Lake Marion Regional Water Agency,” Clyburn said in a prepared statement.

“These funds were provided in the omnibus appropriations bill I was pleased to help pass in December,” he said.

The Corps is providing the money toward construction of the Orangeburg-Berkeley branch of the water system. The branch is a 16-mile stretch going from Holly Hill to the intersection of U.S. Highway 176 and S.C. Highway 311.

Clyburn said, “Today’s announcement will allow construction of the first phase of the Orangeburg-Berkeley reach.

“This significant investment will provide large quantities of safe drinking water to water deserts, providing those communities with clean drinking water, enhanced fire suppression and better opportunities for economic growth. This funding builds on my 26-year effort to bring potable water, a better quality of life and more economic investments to counties along the I-95 corridor.”

The Lake Marion Regional Water System was formed to help bring clean, quality water to parts of Berkeley, Calhoun, Dorchester and Orangeburg counties and the Town of Santee. Santee Cooper runs the water plant near Santee.

Lake Marion Regional Water Agency Chairman Johnnie Wright said he was ecstatic and grateful to hear about the money.

“This means a whole lot to the Orangeburg-Berkeley reach,” Wright said.

Expanding the water system will allow more customers to join, lowering the overall cost of water for all customers, he said. In addition, the extension will allow the region to have ample water for future growth without pulling from the groundwater.

Wright added, “Thank you to Congressman Clyburn and all of the South Carolina delegation. I really appreciate their collective effort in getting that money.”

Wright is also chairman of Orangeburg County Council.