LPGA standout Michelle Wie West spreads her wings on Carolina course design

LPGA pro Michelle Wie West is trying something new on the golf course, and she’s picking a still-developing South Carolina course to do it.

The U.S. Women’s Open Champion and five-time LPGA Tour winner will design her first golf course at Candyroot Lodge, a public golf destination in Chesterfield County. Named Sweet Tooth, developers say the course will be a challenging, yet playable par-3 layout designed in collaboration with architect Mike Koprowski.

Set across approximately 25 acres within the broader 1,210-acre property, Sweet Tooth will blend traditional Sandhills design with modern playability. West and Koprowski will bring to life a terrain-driven course rooted in inclusivity, creativity and multi-generational play, according to a news release. Night play, along with a routing where holes crisscross and converge, are designed to foster a social, communal atmosphere.

“My golf journey began on par-3 courses, so this project feels incredibly personal to me,” West said in a news release. “I grew up playing on a public course, and that shaped my love for the game. With Sweet Tooth, I want to create that same kind of environment, where families can connect, kids can discover golf for the first time, and players of all levels feel welcome and excited to play.”

Sweet Tooth will feature elastic tee boxes and irregularly shaped greens with multiple pin positions, allowing holes to play at dramatically different yardages and angles depending on the daily setup, the release said. Two distinct scorecards will offer varied course experiences — one preserving a traditional par-3 format for more advanced players and another that reimagines select holes as par-4 and par-5s to better suit beginners and juniors.

Candyroot proprietors Aaron and Ethan Oberman in April announced plans for the golf retreat.

Designed to emphasize a firm-and-fast ground game, Sweet Tooth will encourage creative shot-making, from low skippers to bump and runs, reinforcing a dynamic and engaging experience for every golfer, the developers say.

The course also reflects West’s deep familiarity and appreciation of the Sandhills landscape from a player’s perspective, shaped in part by her 2014 U.S. Women’s Open victory at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina.

Designed for players of all ages and skill levels, Sweet Tooth aligns with Candyroot’s vision for a modern, walkable public golf destination centered on accessibility, community and memorable experiences.  Candyroot will include four championship courses, a par-3 course with night play, design-forward lodging and restorative wellness amenities, according to the release.