Legend has it that one morning back in 1973, Sea Pines resident G. Stewart Smith called the
Harbour Town Golf Links to get a tee time and was told there weren’t any available. When he complained to a friend, Ruthven Vaux, about it, she said, “Stew, why don’t you just build your own golf course?”
And the rest – as they say – is history.The land Smith purchased to build his golf course was a parcel on the mainland known as Hog Bluff. And thirty years ago this month, Smith and his partner, architect Doug Corkern, broke ground. Their goal was to create the first mainland community consistent with the standards already established on Hilton Head, but with a lower density and more privacy than the island.
And today, just minutes from the bridge to Hilton Head Island, you’ll find a completely private country club community dedicated to the enjoyment of Lowcountry living.
Moss Creek, a 1,068-acre enclave, offers its residents beautiful views and a variety of recreational opportunities including golf, boating, sailing, tennis, hiking, swimming, fishing – or just enjoying an active social calendar.
In 1974, people moving to
Moss Creek were true pioneers, “but today, we’re right in the middle of everything,” said general manager & chief operating officer Cliff Charnes.
“The location really is ideal,” said
Moss Creek Owners Association president Terry Reynolds, who vacationed for years on the island before deciding to retire at Moss Creek. “But the number one thing for me is the sense of community. The people are very friendly.”
And why do they choose Moss Creek?
“The privacy is one of the main attractions,” said Jackie Riggins, a Moss Creek resident and Realtor with the
Sea Pines Company .
“You have all the advantages of a private club with the option of picking and choosing what you want to do,” she said, adding that members can choose to add on annual golf, tennis or boating memberships.
“And the price range in in Moss Creek real estate also offer many alternatives,” Riggins said. “We have everything from $200,000 patio homes to deep water residences in the millions – and almost every homesite has a view of either golf, lagoon, marsh or deepwater. There is truly something for everyone at
Moss Creek.”
Among Moss Creek’s claims to fame is its two championship golf courses – Devil’s Elbow South and Devil’s Elbow North. The South course is perhaps the best known, having been the nationally televised stop on the LPGA Tour for seven years. Tom Fazio himself has said, “Devils’ Elbow North may be my best work.”
And because Moss Creek is private, with access only to members and guests, these courses offer one of the most exclusive golf experiences in the Lowcountry. Where most clubs have 300-500 annual golf memberships per course,
Moss Creek boasts a low 150 per course.
However, residents of this community enjoy much more. Recreational amenities include a Tennis Center; a deep water docking facility with approximately 75 slips; a Golf Pro Shop; a driving range and putting green; and an impressive 14,000-square foot Clubhouse completed in 1996. Also included is the Bostwick Point Park with its swimming pool, volleyball court, playground, picnic area and the Bostwick Pavilion, available for cookouts and parties.
With so many options for lifestyle and ownership, the community is diverse. The majority are permanent residents who are retired or semi-retired. “However, we have seen a trend over the past few years of baby boomers buying property now that they intend to use later,” said Charnes. “And more young working families are moving in with children.”
Perhaps best of all, the people who own homes and homesites in
Moss Creek actually own the entire community and all its recreational facilities and common grounds. In 1985, a group of members formed Full Circle Corp. to purchase the remaining developer interests. In 1987, the members voted to take control of the remaining debt-free assets.
“The Full Circle group really set the community on the right path,” said Reynolds. “They enabled the residents to set up Moss Creek as a member-owned community.”
“We really are unique,” said Charnes. “We’re not structured like any community in the area – perhaps in the country.
Moss Creek is entirely owned by the property owners association but gives owners some options on how to use the amenities.”
All owners are provided with an equity position in all the amenities through their membership in the Moss Creek Owners Association, assuring them control of the community’s future.
