Golf & Gladiolas

It started with a field of gladiolas. That’s right, gladiolas. R.C. Craft, owner & founder of Craft Farms, had 870 acres of gladiolas and a dream of building a world class golf facility with home sites. Who to call? None other than the King himself, Arnold Palmer. As they say, the rest is history.

Today Craft Farms is home to two of the finest golf courses on the coast, Cypress Bend and Cotton Creek. Cypress Bend is links style course that features wide open spaces for the occasional errant shot. However, with water in play frequently, and numerous bunkers, it can also be challenging for a mid to high handicapper (like yours truly). The greens are generally spacious and gently sloped. The par four #2 generally is the toughest for me, a good drive and second shot are required to reach the green.

Cotton Creek is generally considered the more challenging of the two courses. It has fairways that are a little more confining and requires better shot making to score well. My favorite hole is #6, which requires two shots over water to reach the green.

The clubhouse houses the Cotton Creek Grill, a well appointed restaurant and locker room facility by anyone’s measure. They serve a full menu, but the Cotton Creek Club sandwich is my favorite. The clubhouse overlooks a lake and the 18th green of Cotton Creek. They also have several big screen TV’s, perfect for viewing the college football games during your after round meal. The food and the atmosphere are strictly top shelf.

If you’re planning on visiting the coast in the fall (and you should , the weather and the golf around here is unbelievable) make sure you pack your golf clubs and hit one of our excellent local courses.