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Before Candyroot Lodge Opens to the Public, One Golfer Wants Back

Golfer Bo Wood, a South Carolina native, recently played an advance round at Candyroot Lodge’s newly opened 18-hole course, designed by architect Mike Koprowski, and found it far more challenging than expected. Describing the terrain as reminiscent of a Scottish Sandhills layout, Wood highlighted the course’s strategic blind tee shots, uneven elevation changes, and unpredictable wind conditions—features that forced him to reconsider his approach on nearly every hole.

The experience left him with roughly 15,000 steps, a typical count for an 18-hole round despite the course’s significant elevation shifts, which he had anticipated but still found surprising in execution. Beyond the playing experience, Wood praised the lodge’s thoughtful design, noting the inviting connection between the first tee, the 18th green, and the future gathering spaces, which collectively hint at a retreat atmosphere still under construction.

Candyroot Lodge’s first course is set to open to the public for preview play on October 28, offering a glimpse into what could become a four-course championship complex. Wood’s feedback underscores the course’s complexity, with standout holes like a front-nine par 5 featuring a blind drive that demands careful navigation.

Meanwhile, Michelle Wie West’s separate project, a lighted par-3 course called Sweet Tooth—also designed by Koprowski—remains a point of curiosity, as its social, shorter format may ultimately define the retreat’s appeal alongside the main championship layouts.

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