About McCormick County, SC

Welcome Hooters Golf Tour to Savannah Lakes Village & Golf Clubs!

The NGA Hooters Pro Golf Tour is having its premiere golf tournament, the Savannah Lakes Village Classic at Monticello Golf Course in McCormick, SC this week. On Sunday and Monday, more than 170 professional golfers arrived in our community to prepare for the tournament.

Monday’s activities included Monday qualifying (10 qualifying spots) and practice rounds, a Junior Golf Clinic conducted for young people from McCormick and the highlight of the day – the Palmetto Angler Fishing Contest. The fishing contest has become a favorite of the golfers – a way to kick back and relax before the tournament begins.

Because McCormick is such a small community, residents of Savannah Lakes Village house and feed these young golfers for the week of the tournament. In addition, we are volunteers for the tournament and along with the NGA Hooters organization, secure sponsors.

Tuesday’s activities included practice rounds and the 10 two-man (and woman) team shootout. A pro golfer is paired with a sponsor, a Savannah Lakes Village golfer, or other qualified participant. After the shoot-out, the annual volunteer dinner was held at the Monticello Club House with over 350 golfers and volunteers in attendance!

Wednesday’s activities included practice rounds, a putting contest, and the Pro – Am with local teams paired with pro golfers for an afternoon round of golf.

Thursday, the real excitement begins with the tournament’s first golfers teeing off at 7:30 AM. Those who make the cut for the weekend will be announced on Friday afternoon and the tournament will end with the awards presentation at 2:00 PM Sunday afternoon.

It’s an exciting event for the Monticello Golf Course at Savannah Lakes Village and for residents of Savannah Lakes who form special and lasting friendships with the golfers. This is the fifth year that the NGA Hooters Golf Tour has had a professional golfing event at Savannah Lakes.

In the event that you don’t know the Hooters Tour, many fine golfers have gotten to the PGA by way of this tour. Memorable names include PGA golfers Vaughn Taylor, Camilo Villegas (winner of the 2005 Savannah Lakes Classic), Chad Campbell (1997 Hooters Rookie of the Year), Ben Curtis, Jim Furyk, Lee Janzen, Zach Johnson (NGA 2001 Tour Player of the Year) and others!

If you’re in the area, it’s the best entertainment in town and very reasonably priced – free - so come to McCormick, follow the signs to Monticello Golf Course and enjoy!

Check out Savannah Lakes Village Classic for more info!

Bruce and Mary are South Carolina REALTORS® specializing in Savannah Lakes Village, a planned retirement and second home golf and lake front community in McCormick County, South Carolina.

©Bruce & Mary Smith "Welcome to Savannah Lakes Village & Golf Clubs!"

'Firewise' Landscaping

In a previous blog, How 'Firewise'Is Your Home?,we addressed suggestions for 'Firewise' construction. This is especially relevant in our area because the woodlands of our state, South Carolina are easily susceptible to fire fires. But all areas of the country are susceptible to fires to one degree or another. With the ongoing and devastating fires in the Myrtle Beach(Horry County) area of South Carolina, all home owners should learn and incorporate 'fireswise' practices.

Savannah Lakes Village in McCormick County has been designated as a 'Firewise' Community since 2006. In the Architectural Expectations for new construction in Savannah Lakes Village, guidelines are given for ‘Firewise’ landscaping. They are as follows:

SUGGESTED FIREWISE LANDSCAPING CHECKLIST

When designing and installing a Firewise landscape, consider the following:

Local area fire history

• Site location and overall terrain.
• Prevailing winds and seasonal weather.
• Property contours and boundaries.
• Native vegetation.
• Plant characteristics and placement. Widely space and carefully situate the trees you plant. Be sure to leave a minimum of 30' around the house to accommodate fire equipment, if necessary.
• Take out the “ladder fuels” — vegetation that serves as a link between grass and tree tops. This arrangement can carry fire to a structure or from a structure to another area.
• Give yourself added protection with “fuel breaks” like driveways, gravel walkways, and lawns.

When maintaining a landscape, homeowners should:

• Keep trees and shrubs properly pruned. Prune all trees so the lowest limbs are 6' to 10' from the ground.
• Remove leaf clutter and dead and overhanging branches.
• Mow the lawn regularly.
• Dispose of cuttings and debris promptly, according to local regulations.
• Store firewood away from the house.
• Be sure the irrigation system is well maintained.
• Use care when refueling garden equipment and maintain it regularly.
• Store and use flammable liquids properly.
• Dispose of smoking materials carefully.
• Become familiar with local regulations regarding vegetation clearances, disposalof debris, and fire safety requirements for equipment.
• Follow manufacturer's instructions when using fertilizers and pesticides.

Bruce and Maryare South Carolina REALTORS® specializing in Savannah Lakes Village, a planned retirement and second home golf and lake front community in McCormick County, South Carolina.

®Bruce & Mary Smith - "'Firewise' Landscaping"

Being 'Firewise'

With the ongoing and devastating fires in the Myrtle Beach (Horry County) area of South Carolina, we are reminded of the need to be extra careful with any outside burning! This is expecially true in wooded areas. McCormick County is made up of primarily woodlands with much of our county acreage designated as Sumter National Forest, South Carolina Wildlife Management areas, and South Carolina State Parks. The woodlands are part of the charm of our area and provide wonderful resources. However for the sake of fire safety, Savannah Lakes Village in McCormick County has been designated as a 'Firewise' Community since 2006.

Being 'Firewise' in Savannah Lakes means not only understanding the potential of wildfire in our area but taking steps to limit the risk. Although we have had quite a lot of rain this month, our region's prolonged drought and extremely dry conditions continue to increase the threat of wild fires here and across the southeast. Any brush fire could easily escalate into a full-blown wild fire capable of destroying homes.

In the Architectural Expectations for new construction in Savannah Lakes Village, guidelines are given for ‘Firewise’ construction. They are as follows:

SUGGESTED FIREWISE CONSTRUCTION CHECKLIST

When constructing, renovating, or adding to a 'firewise' home, consider the following: Choose a 'firewise' location for construction; design and build a 'firewise' structure; and employ 'firewise' landscaping and maintenance.

To select a 'firewise' location, observe the following:

• Slope of terrain; be sure to build on the most level portion of the land, since fire spreads more rapidly on even minor slopes.
• Set your single-story structure at least 30 feet back from any ridge or cliff; increase distance if your home will be higher than one story.
• In designing and building your firewise structure, remember that the primary goals are fuel and exposure reduction.

To this end, utilize 'firewise' construction guidelines:

• Use construction materials that are fire-resistant or non-combustible whenever possible.
• For roof construction, consider using materials such as Class-A asphalt shingles, slate or clay tile, metal, cement and concrete products, or terra-cotta tiles. Constructing a fire-resistant sub-roof can add protection as well.
• On exterior wall facing, fire resistive materials such as stucco or masonry are much better choices than vinyl which can soften and melt.
• Window materials and size are important. Smaller panes hold up better in their frames than larger ones. Double pane glass and tempered glass are more reliable and effective heat barriers than single pane glass.
• Plastic skylights can melt.
• Install non-flammable shutters on windows and skylights.
• To prevent sparks from entering your home through vents, cover exterior attic and under floor vents with wire screening no larger than 1/8 of an inch mesh.
• Make sure undereave and soffit vents are as close as possible to the roof line.
• Box in eaves, but be sure to provide adequate ventilation to prevent condensation.
• Include a driveway that is wide enough to provide easy access for fire engines (12 feet wide with a vertical clearance of 15 feet and a slope that is less than 5 percent).

General yard and driveway guidelines:

• The driveway and access roads should be well-maintained, clearly marked, and include ample turnaround space near the house.
• Provide easy access to fire service water supplies, whenever possible.
• Provide at least two ground level doors for easy and safe exit and at least two means of escape (i.e., doors or windows) in each room so that everyone has a way out.
• Keep gutters, eaves, and roofs clear of leaves and other debris.
• Make periodic inspections of your home, looking for deterioration such as breaks and spaces between roof tiles, warping wood, or cracks and crevices in the structure.
• Periodically inspect your property, clearing dead wood and dense vegetation at distance of at least 30 feet from your house.
• Move firewood away from the house or attachments like fences or decks. Any structures attached to the house, such as decks, porches, fences, and outbuildings should be considered part of the house. These structures can act as fuel bridges, particularly if constructed from flammable materials.

Also consider the following:

• If you wish to attach an all-wood fence to your house, use masonry or metal as protective barriers between the fence and house.
• Use metal when constructing a trellis and cover it with high-moisture, low flammability vegetation.
• Prevent combustible materials and debris from accumulating beneath patio decks or elevated porches.
• Screen or box-in areas below patios and decks with wire screen no larger than 1/8 inch mesh.
• Make sure an elevated wooden deck is not located at the top of a hill where it will be in direct line of a fire moving up slope. Consider a terrace instead.

The 'Firewise' Communities/USA Social Network is a network of fire professionals, government agencies and concerned homeowners throughout the United States. Savannah Lakes Village is one of four 'firewise' communities in South Carolina.

Tomorrow I will provide information on 'Firewise' Landscaping.

Bruce and Mary are South Carolina REALTORS® specializing in Savannah Lakes Village, a planned retirement and second home golf and lake front community in McCormick County, South Carolina.

®Bruce & Mary Smith - "Being 'Firewise' in Savannah Lakes"

Georgia Bike Ride to Finish in Savannah Lakes Village

BRAG (The Bike Ride Across Georgia), with more than 1,600 riders, will complete their week long bicycle ride through Georgia at Savannah Lakes Village in McCormick, SC on Saturday, June 13. With registration beginning in Hiawassee, Georgia on Saturday, June 6, the riders will ride across Lake Thurmond to Savannah Lakes by way of Dahlonega, Mt. Airy, Athens, Elberton, and Washington. If you’re in the area, keep your calendar free for this amazing sight!

The riders will begin to arrive at the Savannah Lakes Resort, just across Lake Thurmond into South Carolina around 11:30 (for the first and fastest finishers). Others will arrive throughout the morning and afternoon until about 2:30 or 3PM.

‘The National Treasures’, the Beauty Becomes You Foundation’s cycling team whose members are primarily 60 and above (to over 80!) will be riding in the BRAG. (You can check this BRAG site for their pdf about the ride!) Beauty Becomes You is a non-profit organization based in Mid-town Atlanta that serves the senior community and works to ensure their health and well being.

Volunteers are needed for the Beauty Becomes You Foundation; volunteer and get a t-shirt. Here at Savannah Lakes, we want as many people out as possible to greet all Bike Ride Across Georgia riders with water and a GREAT APPLAUSE for completing the course! Contact Alison at askalison@mac.com; call her at 404-386-6118; or better yet go to the Beauty Becomes You website and sign on to be a volunteer!

Put the date on your calendar and plan to be there on Saturday, June 13th!

Bruce and Mary are South Carolina REALTORS® specializing in Savannah Lakes Village, a planned golf and lake front community that features retirement and second homes in addition to lakefront and golf course lots. Our community has two premier golf courses, Monticello and Tara, and amenities including a Health & Wellness Activities center, clubhouses and restaurants. For additional information on retirement or second homes in Savannah Lakes Village, email Bruce and Mary or visit Savannah Lakes Homes.

© Bruce & Mary Smith - "Georgia Bike Ride to Finish in Savannah Lakes Village"