Columbia Country Club

Columbia Country Club's Tall Pines course sits in Blythewood, a community northeast of Columbia in the South Carolina Midlands. Ellis Maples designed the layout, bringing his characteristic approach to working with natural terrain and native vegetation. Maples, who practiced primarily in the Carolinas and mid-Atlantic during the mid-twentieth century, often routed courses through wooded corridors and incorporated strategic bunkering that rewards accurate play over pure distance. The course takes its name from the mature pine stands that frame many holes, typical of the Sandhills transition zone where the coastal plain meets the Piedmont. The property features moderate elevation changes and sandy soil that provides good drainage and firm playing conditions. Maples shaped greens with subtle contours and positioned hazards to create risk-reward decisions on approach shots, a hallmark of his design philosophy during this era. Columbia Country Club serves as a private facility for members in the greater Columbia area. The club offers traditional country club amenities alongside the golf course, functioning as a social and recreational center for its membership. The Tall Pines course provides a tree-lined, parkland-style test that emphasizes course management and accuracy, reflecting the design sensibilities of its era while maintaining relevance for contemporary play.