New Public Golf Destination Candyroot Lodge to Open in Carolina Sandhills

The resort will feature four championship-level 18-hole courses and a short course with night play options.

Mar. 23, 2026 at 1:22am

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Candyroot Lodge, a new publicly accessible golf resort, is set to open in the sandhills of South Carolina in 2027. The resort will eventually feature four championship-level 18-hole golf courses and a short course with night-play options, sprawled across 1,210 acres of rolling sandy terrain. The first course, designed by architect Mike Koprowski, is scheduled to open for preview play in November 2026 with a grand opening in Spring 2027.

Why it matters

The Carolinas are known for their world-class private golf clubs, but Candyroot Lodge aims to offer a publicly accessible golf destination in the region. With its proximity to Charlotte, North Carolina and Columbia, South Carolina, the resort is positioned to attract both local and visiting golfers seeking a unique, minimalist golf experience in the Carolina Sandhills.

The details

Candyroot Lodge's first course, Course One, is being designed by architect Mike Koprowski, who previously designed the acclaimed Broomsedge Golf Club. Koprowski is taking a minimalist approach, using the natural sandy terrain and landforms to create visual misdirection and an old-school feel, with small, tilted greens and limited bunkering. The remaining three courses will be designed by other next-generation golf architects. Beyond the golf, Candyroot Lodge will offer a variety of wellness amenities and design-forward lodging.

  • Candyroot Lodge's first course, Course One, is scheduled to open for preview play in November 2026.
  • Course One at Candyroot Lodge is set for a grand opening in Spring 2027.
  • Candyroot Lodge is planned to eventually feature a total of four championship-level 18-hole golf courses and a short course with night-play options.

The players

Mike Koprowski

An architect leading the design of Candyroot Lodge's first course, Course One. Koprowski previously designed the acclaimed Broomsedge Golf Club.

Aaron Oberman

A proprietor of Candyroot Lodge, recognizing the opportunity to create a publicly accessible golf destination inspired by the natural terrain of the Carolina Sandhills.

Ethan Oberman

A proprietor of Candyroot Lodge, excited to offer a timeless retreat where guests can play, recharge, and make memories for generations to come.

Hart Howerton

A landscape architect and master planner leading the design of Candyroot Lodge's various amenities, including restorative wellness facilities and design-forward lodging.

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What they’re saying

“Candyroot is turning out to be a really old-school test of golf, more than I ever imagined during the pre-construction stages. Every time I think about adding a feature, I realize the land doesn't need or want it. The greens are small by modern standards and significantly tilted. There's a relative economy of bunkering, as the native grasses and serpentine fairway lines create most of the strategy. Some drives and approaches are semi-blind, as the landforms are just too beautiful to knock down with a bulldozer. With the entire course benched into the side of a descending sandhill, your eyes constantly lie about what's uphill and what's down. The visual misdirection is intense, and I think it's going to enthrall golfers.”

— Mike Koprowski, Architect

“The Sandhills offer some of the most compelling natural golf terrain in the country, and we recognized a clear opportunity to create a publicly accessible destination inspired by the land. We're excited to offer a timeless retreat where guests can play, recharge and make memories for generations to come.”

— Aaron Oberman, Candyroot Lodge Proprietor

What’s next

Candyroot Lodge's first course, Course One, is scheduled to open for preview play in November 2026 with a grand opening set for Spring 2027. The remaining three championship-level 18-hole courses and a short course with night-play options are planned to open in the following years.

The takeaway

Candyroot Lodge represents a unique opportunity for public access to high-quality golf in the Carolina Sandhills, a region known for its world-class private clubs. The resort's minimalist, old-school design approach and focus on wellness amenities aims to provide a distinctive golf destination experience for both local and visiting players.