Coach Swinney’s golf club builds miniature football field emblazed with Tiger Paw on clubhouse lawn
Here’s more proof that Clemson fans are among the most spirited and loyal in the country.
For the second consecutive year, The Reserve at Lake Keowee—a mountain-lake golf club located 16 miles from Clemson University, and home golf club to the Tigers’ head football coach Dabo Swinney—is celebrating the Tigers’ second bid in as many years in the College Football Playoff by transforming the lawn outside its clubhouse into a half-size football field, complete with a Tiger Paw painted from the same stencil used in Death Valley at Memorial Stadium.
The idea, which came from The Reserve’s golf maintenance crew, drew national attention in 2015 as Clemson contended for the national championship. This year, The Reserve’s membership and staff are staging a repeat—not simply to nudge the formation of a new tradition, but for the sheer fun of it. The field at The Reserve will stay painted through New Year’s Day and be available for member families and guests to use for flag football and other games.
The No. 2-ranked Clemson Tigers take on the No. 3-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday, Dec. 31, at 7 p.m. on ESPN in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl Playoff Game.
“For our members who can’t make it out to the Fiesta Bowl, this is our way of bringing the fun to them,” stated Dave Fleming, General Manager for The Reserve at Lake Keowee. “It’s no secret we live and work in ‘Tiger country.’ We’re proud of that, as are our members, and we all want Coach Swinney and the players to know that we are cheering them on.”
Swinney stages his annual Football Media Day golf outing on The Reserve’s award-winning Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, which will also play host to the 2nd Annual Clemson Invitational on Lake Keowee on March 31–April 2, 2017, for participating women’s golf teams from across the country.
“The Reserve has really embraced Clemson,” Coach Swinney has said of the club’s community. “I love that it’s just 20 minutes from the university. Here, I can really relax, enjoy my family and privacy, and recharge for all the demands of college coaching. My family absolutely loves Lake Keowee, especially The Reserve’s amenities.”