Nestled on 575 acres of sandy soil and rolling hills surrounded by towering longleaf and loblolly pines, Old Barnwell is a private national club near historic Aiken, South Carolina opening in 2023.
From the moment you arrive, you’ll feel it. Warmth and welcome. Kindness. A spirit of camaraderie and healthy competition. A genuine curiosity and care for you — and your golf game.
Bringing People Together Through Golf
There are few activities that have the power to bring people of all ages, identities, genders, experiences, and origins together the way golf can. At its best, golf connects us with nature and each other. It feeds our competitive spirit, inspires our imagination, builds relationships, and gives us the opportunity to make unforgettable memories that enrich our lives.
Old Barnwell exists to celebrate all that’s exciting, affirming, and joyful about golf, with a modern approach that serves all kind of players, families, boon companions, and connoisseurs of the game.
We’re creating programs that empower, invite, and celebrate people and communities historically underrepresented in the game of golf – to create new traditions and a legacy that belong to everyone.
ANNIKA Development Program
HBCU Partnerships
Local Caddie Program
Maintenance Apprenticeship
Local Kids Clinics
The first of three courses, Old Barnwell is designed to challenge and delight. The Kids’ Course will provide an ideal space for children and families looking to learn and enjoy the game together. The Gilroy, expected to open in 2027, will serve as a holiday course, presenting players with strategy and fun in equal measure.
Old Barnwell
Opening Fall 2023
Par
72
Old Barnwell
Opening Fall 2023
Par
72
This 18-hole gem requires strategy, shot-making, and a sense of humor. Culling inspiration from English heathland courses like Woodhall Spa and Swinley Forest, Old Barnwell presents top-flight players with an old-school challenge that invites craft and creativity, while still offering an enjoyable, non-intimidating experience for the high handicapper and beginner.
The Kids’ Course
The Kids’ Course
A joyful entry point for both kids and adults who simply want another reason to play.
The Gilroy
The Gilroy
Slated for a 2027 opening, The Gilroy will ask players to answer an entirely different set of questions over its “holiday course” layout. With shorter distances, funneling greens, and generous landing areas, The Gilroy promises a fantastically fun challenge and the perfect setting for beginner and family golf.
Are you game?
Old Barnwell’s design and maintenance team represent the skills, experience, knowledge, creativity, and passion that make the game great.
Brian Schneider
Course Architect
Brian Schneider
Course Architect
A devoted student of classic golf architecture, Brian Schneider has been in the course design, construction and maintenance business for over 25 years. He has visited over a thousand golf courses across the globe and been a member of maintenance crews at some of the very best, including Pine Valley, Augusta National, Merion, Shinnecock Hills, and The Old Course at St. Andrews. As Partner at Renaissance Golf Design, Brian led the on-site teams at modern classics like Barnbougle Dunes and Dismal River (Red) and most recently oversaw the resurrection of CB Macdonald’s Lido Golf Club in Wisconsin. He currently serves as the consulting architect to numerous classic clubs including Hollywood, New South Wales and Garden City Golf Club.
- Favorite golf course: The Old Course
- Latest obsession: Using contour and short grass as hazard
- Describe the first course at Old Barnwell in one word: Adventurous
Blake Conant
Course Architect
Blake Conant
Course Architect
Since meeting Brian Schneider in 2012 while serving as an intern for Tom Doak during the building of Dismal River (Red), Blake Conant has gone on to play a prominent role in projects as diverse and celebrated as Orlando’s Winter Park Nine, Houston’s Memorial Park, and the restorations of Bel-Air in Los Angeles, Oakland Hills outside of Detroit, and Dornick Hills in Ardmore, Oklahoma. A painter by training, Blake brings the sensibilities of an artist and the mindset of an engineer to the sandy terrain at Old Barnwell.
- Favorite golf course: North Berwick
- Latest obsession: Māori forts (pā) and alpinist routing maps
- Describe the first course at Old Barnwell in one word: Dramatic
John Lavelle
Director of Agronomy
John Lavelle
Director of Agronomy
John has spent his career at some of the finest courses and clubs in America, beginning with a five-year stay at Augusta National. Prior to joining the leadership team at Old Barnwell, John spent the last 16 years as the Director of Golf Course Operations at Diamond Creek Golf Club, and for the last seven years, serving in the same position at Congaree Golf Club, where he led the build-out and grassing of the course. John brings an incredible eye for the details that help define great golf courses, and a hands-on approach to ensuring an incredible golfing experience.
- Favorite golf course: Friars Head
- Latest obsession: Less is more
- Describe the first course at Old Barnwell in one word: Inspired
Camaraderie
and Community
Old Barnwell offers a warm, welcoming, secluded retreat on 575 acres of rolling hills, sandy soil, and soaring pines. From striking terrain, expert course design, and inviting clubhouse and lodge, to a novel approach to a building community of members, Old Barnwell nurtures a sense of belonging that honors the game – and all who love it.
Clubhouse
and Lodging
Partnering with Northworks Architects + Planners for the clubhouse and lodging architectural design, Old Barnwell draws on the creative minds that enhanced premier golf destinations like Sand Valley and Tributary, Idaho. In collaboration with Northworks, Old Barnwell selected Basic Projects, a hospitality-focused design and development firm founded by Kate and Ben Towill.
Together, these celebrated firms will craft an environment that reflects the beauty of its surroundings and creates an inviting, convivial experience. A clubhouse with library, bar, restaurant, locker rooms and guest suites, along with a host of designed spaces for gathering both indoors and out, provide and enhance a welcoming retreat unlike any other.
Get in Touch
Get our latest news and updates
We’re building Old Barnwell to be a truly special community — and a one-of-a-kind golf club.
That’s why we’ve gathered all the necessary ingredients for a world-class club — striking terrain in Aiken, a beautiful, accessible, fast-growing golf destination; a talented team of design experts; and a group of thoughtful founding members committed to promoting and enhancing our mission.
The only thing missing in our vision is you.
