New Holland Golf Club
Alex Elias
Drew Amato (@drew_amato)
Growing up in Augusta, Georgia, Jeff Warne, Director of Golf at The Bridge, has spent more than twenty-five years searching for property in nearby Aiken, South Carolina.
During that time, Warne frequently enlisted Tom Doak to evaluate potential sites through topographic maps, though most ended up on the cutting room floor.
In 2015, Warne had Doak and Brian Schneider accompany him on a visit to a combined 780-acre parcel outside Aiken. Ultimately, Doak identified a 408-acre portion of the property as the strongest site, prompting Warne to begin discussing the project with Schneider as the lead architect. The project, however, fell through after the Bridge member Warne was working with became ill.
A few years later, Warne’s interest was rekindled after the property was thinned, revealing more of its dramatic natural topography.
Warne reconnected with Schneider—who happened to be his partner in the Renaissance Cup in Australia—and began securing funding while working toward purchasing the property. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded in 2020, his attention shifted to overseeing more than 200 rounds per day at The Bridge during a period when the club would normally have been closed.
With the Tour on hold, Zac Blair acquired the land for what would eventually become The Tree Farm.
“I contacted Zac, and he was quite pleased to hear that Doak and Schneider had both visited the site and given it the thumbs up,” said Warne. “I was initially involved and, in fact, became a Founding Member, but I still had my eyes on the surrounding land in that area of Aiken County.”
With the capital he had earmarked for the original purchase, Warne instead acquired a 136-acre property with a half-mile of shoreline on Lake Seivern, where he currently resides.
Deciding to build a nine-hole course on the property where he, his wife Cindy, and son Sam live, Warne cut eight miles of walking and ATV trails. Cindy then asked him, “Do you really want dozens of golfers in our backyard?”—prompting another search.
Around that same time, Hurricane Helene devastated Warne’s father-in-law’s house in Augusta, leading to the decision to sell the home. At the closing, the broker mentioned that her maiden name was Mathis.
“Andy Mathis? He has that land on Highway 39 that's less than a mile from my house,” said Warne.
Visiting the property the following morning, which sits adjacent to The Tree Farm, Warne recalled, “Once we got 200 yards into the property, the land revealed itself in the form of a giant meadow and ridge—the current 10th and 18th fairways. Then, as we approached the rest of the property, there were perfectly sized ridgelines, with heaving and golf-sized landforms in abundance.”
“I was immediately blown away and knew this was the site to build my ideal golf course. In addition to the ridges, there were several natural punch bowls, as well as rolling, curving, undulating features and potential up-and-over tee and approach shots. My only hesitation was the size of the property.”
Once Schneider set foot on the property, the deal was effectively sealed. However, Joe Hancock—who likely would have served as architect had Schneider been unavailable—played an instrumental role in convincing Warne that the property could accommodate 18 holes.
As for the design, Warne said, “I am most excited about the routing, which I think is a sensational journey throughout the property.”
Though New Holland Golf Club has been described as a “minimalist design,” Warne said, “I would describe it as lay-of-the-land and old-school common-sense architecture—not necessarily minimalism. In my opinion, minimalism has become the most overused and misunderstood term in golf architecture.”
Set to open in Fall 2027, Warne said, “I’m honestly excited about all of the holes, but I might be most excited about Holes 13 and 14. Hole 13 is an extremely natural and photogenic, very uphill 275-yard Par-4 with a tiny green hard against a service road and property-line fence, while Hole 14 features an up-and-over tee shot followed by a climb back uphill to the green on a 500-yard Par-4.”
With just as much focus on the model as the design, Warne’s vision draws explicitly from the U.K. model.
“Great golf is meant to be shared, not hoarded. While New Holland is a private club, we will allow green fee access when capacity allows, particularly in the shoulder seasons, which is the exact model that U.K. clubs use. Members are expected to not only tolerate guests, but to embrace them, which is very much in the tradition of U.K. clubs,” said Warne. “And I can’t think of a better place for that model than Aiken. Aiken is a historic and charming town with ample dining, activities, and more lodging coming online. New Holland Golf Club is simply one of many amenities to the town, which will serve as an outstanding hub for our members and guests to stay in and commute out to the outstanding clubs located in and around Aiken.”
