Candyroot Lodge tees up public golf retreat slated for SC Sandhills

A new golf destination is taking shape in South Carolina’s Sandhills region. Candyroot Lodge, a 1,210-acre public golf retreat named after a native plant that thrives in sandy soil, aims to grow the golf tourism industry that blooms year-round in the Palmetto State.

Located roughly an hour from both Charlotte and Columbia, Candyroot will open its first 18-hole course for preview play in November, with a grand opening slated for spring 2027.

The lodge is located in the town of Jefferson in western Chesterfield County.

The routing emphasizes the natural contours of the Sandhills, featuring serpentine fairways, ridgeline greens and strategic shot-making rooted in traditional “ground game” golf, according to a news release. Designer Mike Koprowski said his minimalist approach in the design was guided by the land itself.

Koprowski is a former U.S. Air Force intelligence officer whose debut design, Broomsedge, earned national recognition among top new courses in the United States.

“Candyroot is turning out to be a really old-school test of golf, more than I ever imagined,” Koprowski said in the release. “The land doesn’t need or want much alteration. The visual misdirection is intense and I think it’s going to enthrall golfers.”

Master planning and landscape design are led by Hart Howerton, with a long-term vision that includes four championship courses by emerging architects, a lighted par-3 course and walkable lodging integrated into the terrain. Amenities will extend beyond golf to include wellness-focused offerings such as saunas, steam rooms, hot-cold therapy, fitness facilities and an extensive trail network.

Candyroot proprietors Aaron and Ethan Oberman say the project is designed to meet growing demand for accessible, experience-driven golf destinations statewide and throughout the Southeast.

“The Sandhills offer some of the most compelling natural golf terrain in the country,” Aaron Oberman said in the release. “We saw an opportunity to create something publicly accessible and rooted in the land.”