Every time I wear my Tree Farm hat, I inevitably get asked the question. How was it? And how did you find your way on? I answer the first question by saying it might be one of the most beautiful golf courses I have ever played. From the large expanses of nothing but grass, to the great atmosphere, and finally, how much fun the golf course is.
Then I get to answer the second question, and this is where no one believes me. I tell them that Zac Blair invited me out. What? Do you know him? Nope! I don’t know him. But I started following the Tree Farm story on Instagram in 2021 and always left a little comment on his posts. He replied to all of them, sometimes with a heart emoji, sometimes with a thumbs-up emoji, but most of the time he would write something back, saying thanks for following this journey.
In early 2023, Zac posted that it was time for the Tree Farm to open for play. I was so excited for him- all this work, all the effort put into making this dream come true. And it’s now here.
I sent him a nice message congratulating him on the opening of the course and saying that I hope it is everything he imagined. He replied instantly, “Thanks, Dave! This almost doesn’t feel real.” So, I figured it was time to take my shot. Why not? I mean, what’s the worst thing he could say, no? I then direct messaged him and said, “Would you ever host a complete stranger?”
His response, honestly, caught me completely off guard.
“Yeah, send me some dates and let’s make this work. I would love to have you as my guest.” As you can imagine, I sent him those dates he asked for. Unfortunately, the Tree Farm was closed on all the dates I had sent him. I didn’t know this then, but this golf course is closed during the summer. But he responded and said, “Give me a few dates in October.” I sent two weeks of dates that worked for me, and fortunately one of them worked for him too. This is it! I’m going to play the Tree Farm with Zac Blair.
As the date loomed closer, everyone in golf was talking about what Zac had built there in South Carolina. I would sit up at night and think about what I'd see, how it would be playing with Zac, and how much fun it was going to be. Then the email came: “Dave, I am sorry. I qualified for the PGA Tour event in Japan during the week that you will be here. But I would still love for you to come out and bring 3 friends, and you can all play as my guests.” I responded While I am bummed that you will not be there to see the smile on my face, I am excited that I get to share this moment with three friends.
The day finally arrived. We were greeted in the dirt parking lot outside the luxury port-a-potties and the circus tent that served as the clubhouse, locker room, and dining area. From the moment we arrived, they made us feel like members. It was like 4 kids dropped off at Willy Wonka’s candy factory with 10 hours to enjoy all we could. We had the best time: 36 holes of walking, fantastic caddies, divine brisket, and the best golf course any of us had ever played. It was a far cry from the Muni we were all used to playing. And as we sat around the fire pit, we all received a text from Zac asking us how our day was and whether there was anything they could do to make the experience better. Yes, let me come once a year to play the Tree Farm. His last response was, “I think the membership director is there this weekend.” "I've played a lot of golf in my life, but that day at The Tree Farm will always be one of my favorites. Not simply because of the golf course, the caddies, or the incredible hospitality, but because someone I had never met took the time to make a stranger feel like a friend.
Zac, I know I've thanked you before, but I'll say it again. Thank you for giving four guys an experience we'll never forget.
And now, whenever someone asks me how I got to play The Tree Farm, I get to tell them a story that's even better than the golf course itself.
~Dave Warner, guest writer