The transformation at the old Pickens Country Club took another step forward when the lights were turned on and golfers got to enjoy playing the new Par 3 course after dark .

The opening of the “Short Course” follows on the planned development that has converted the old course into what soon will be a must stop for RV enthuiasts traveling along the top of the Palmetto State,

While some speed bumps in the economy and a lengthy battle with Mother Nature slowed the completion of some elements of the high end RV camping site, much of the promised development has been complted.

“Pickens is the 50 yard line between Charlotte and Atlanta,” said Duane Bishop, whose company bought the troubled old course in 2021 ” We did a study and there are 11 1/2 million people who have a propensity to camp in those areas and countless more who travel through the area,” he added.

Since the old course closed, redevelopment of the golf course, the addition of a new clubhouse, parking lot, driving range and resort style swimming pool has kept the landscape at the club founded in 1953 changing.

The opening of the “Short Course” moves the future high end RV park a step closer to completion.

The Short Courws eopened with a tournament that was filled almost as so0on as it was announced. The father and son team of Jeff and Colton Evatt won the first official tournament on the course.

The lighted par 3 course is just anther amentity that has Bishop believind the new project is going to be a sucess and a game changer for the Piciens area.

“The response to the rediesign Pickens course has been great and the restaurant is also doing very well. Up till now we have done most of the work with our staff,, but when the RV park opens it is going to mean more jobs and more economic decelopment for Pickens,” he said.

The final step int he conversion of the old country club to a modern RV resort will see the first RV sstart to role into the camp space opening ext month. Twelve cabins and 26 RV spots will be open now that the Par 3 course has been completed. Reservations for the RV park can be made at www.carolinacampcedar.com

And keep in mind these are RVs that could cost up to a half imillion dollars. The resort will not be populated with picup trucks with camper tops, the campers will be the equal of the quality of the resort.

“We are going to have 60 cabins and 175 spots for the RVs. There will be no permant residents alth0ught there probably will be some seaosnal guests. RV and camping ehtusiasts travel all year so we expect Pickens to be busym” he said.

Bishop and his ownership group have done the math and while they don’t expect to get every RV or camper traveling in the upstate the number of possible guests of the resort are almost a little staggering.

The reosrt is just a short distance off Hwy 11 across the top of the Palmetto State. Bishops’ reserarch indivates over 200,000 recreational vehincles tracvel between North Carolina and Georgia who can now make plans to stay a Pickens.

“There are a lot of golfers and a lot of campers out there and we are looking forward to the next phase here at Pickens,” concluded Bishop.