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50thAnniversary The Sea Pines Real Estate Co. One Solitary Light 50 Years of Community The Sea Pines Real Estate Co. Offices Beach Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363-4005 Old Town Bluffton Office . . . . . . . . . . . 815-4996 Brays Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 846-6444 Colleton River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 689-3131 Harbour Town Cottage . . . . . . . . . . . . 363-4517 Lighthouse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363-4579 North Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342-8500 Okatie-Sun City. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 705-7050 Plantation Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 686-7299 Port Royal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 842-1980 Professional Building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 842-3681 Rose Hill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 757-4945 Sea Pines Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363-4572 South Beach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363-4523 Welcome Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 842-1856 The Sea Pines Resort Directory Bicycle Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 842-1890 Fitness, Recreation and EcoTours . . . . . 842-1979 Harbour Town Bakery & Café. . . . . . . . 363-2021 Harbour Town Golf Links. . . . . . . . . . . 363-8385 Harbourside Café. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 842-1444 Topside at the Quarterdeck . . . . . . . . . 842-1999 The Quarterdeck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 842-1999 The Harbour Town Grill. . . . . . . . . . . . 363-8380 The Inn at Harbour Town. . . . . . . . . . . 363-8100 The Lakehouse Restaurant & Pub. . . . . 363-4500 Nature Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 842-1979 Ocean/Sea Marsh Golf Courses . . . . . . 842-1477 Racquet Club. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363-4495 Reservations. . . . . .1-800-732-7463 or 785-3333 Sea Pines Beach Club. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 842-1888 Proud to be Part of the Neighborhood 50thAnniversary The Sea Pines Resort Sea Pines is much more than simply a collection of golf courses, tennis courts, and beaches. It has truly developed into a world-class community in a world-class resort. The Sea Pines Resort and The Sea Pines Real Estate Company are honored to have had a role in shaping this community. We will do our best to keep this One Solitary Light shining bright for years to come.
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7 1981-2006 TheSecond25Years C O N T E N T S Sea Pines 50th Anniversary Published by Media Services, Inc. Custom Publishing Division www.SeaPines50thAnniversary.com www.SeaPinesHomesandVillas.com EDITOR Gary McCullough ASSOCIATE EDITORS Patra Bucher Barbara Millen Rebecca Walters COPY EDITOR Brian Sherman WRITERS Rebecca Walters Patra Bucher Barbara Millen Dorothy McFalls ART DIRECTORS John Chitwood Chris Norden ADVERTISING ART DIRECTORS Jennifer Rosen Dana Coleman MEDIA CONSULTANTS Jay Werth Will Moody Brandt Hosack Stan Wade Sean Stalls PHOTOGRAPHER Rob Kaufman PUBLISHER Bill Macchio DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Carol Collins INTERNET MARKETING Chris Conklin CHARLESTON OFFICE P.O. Box 22617 Charleston, SC 29413 (800) 433-7396 or (843) 881-1481 www.mediaservices1.com Sea Pines 50th Anniversary is published by Media Services, Inc. PO Box 22617, Charleston, SC 29413. All rights reserved. Reproduction electronically or in printed form without the express written permission of Media Services, Inc. is strictly prohibited and in violation of U.S. copyright laws. ��� ���������������������������� 8 The History of Sea Pines Creating a community that embraces Nature. 15 www.SeaPines 50thAnniversary.com More details about Sea Pines’ 50th Anniversary are available at this Web site, along with real estate and vacation information. 17 Hilton Head Fast Facts By the numbers 18 The Legacy Lives On Handing the torch to future generations 22 A Sea Pines Love Story Two people in love with the land and with each other 26 Golf at Sea Pines: Tee Up Three courses keep it interesting. 27 Sea Pines Racquet Club: Net Gains A premier tennis destination 28 Heritage Classic Foundation Tournament and community both benefit. 32 Verizon Heritage Fast Facts Golf stats about America’s favorite game 34 The Strength of Real Estate in Sea Pines A strong market well into the future 37 Real Estate Fast Facts Sea Pines real estate by the numbers 38 The Future of Sea Pines Sea Pines always finds ways to improve the quality of life. 40 Island Icons The people and places that make Sea Pines unique 45 Hilton Head Preparatory School Preparing students to lead rewarding lives 47 Accolades Citations and awards received by Charles E. Fraser and Sea Pines
tern which other developers followed both here and around the world.” While Charles was known for his ideas, Joe was known as the behind-the-scenes and getit-done guy, helping turn the visions of his younger brother into reality. “In any company, you have a top guy with ideas and others to implement them,” said Fraser, who was primarily in charge of design and construction. “I fired the boiler while my brother made the speeches. I was just one of the many team players.” In the early 1950s, Hilton Head Island didn’t have electricity, phone service, gas stations or convenience stores. Only one paved road existed, and that was on the north end of the island. At the time, the Lowcountry area of South Carolina was one of the poorest in the state. Nevertheless, Fraser, a graduate of Yale Law School (he practiced law briefly in Augusta, Georgia) saw potential in the dense forest leading to the Atlantic Ocean. The Fraser family, from Hinesville, Ga., along with the Hack Family, owned the land. The Frasers were in the timber business and were quite successful at it. It took some prodding before Charles could convince his father, Gen. Joseph B. Fraser, to sell him the land to cut down a few trees – rather than completely level the area – and turn it into a resort/ retirement area. But as Joe Fraser has said, their parents were supportive of whatever they wanted to do. Initially, North Forest Beach, SeaPines50thAnniversary.com | SeaPinesHomesAndVillas.com 9 THE STORY OF SEA PINES HAS been told many times ... and then told some more. No matter who is telling it, or embellishing upon it, its central theme is always one of a man, Charles Fraser, who wasn’t afraid to share his ideas and dreams for doing something that had never been done before. As many have attested, some of his ideas seemed crazy, at least at the time. And some of his dreams have never been realized – yet. However, the fact that, a half century later,what had never before been done is still around – and thriving -- is a testimony in itself. The 50th Anniversary of Sea Pines is also telling in that it is a story of how one man’s vision for a world-class resort, coupled with a strong sense of integrity to preserve the environment, has withstood the test of time. It is also a story and lesson that money is not everything. When Charles E. Fraser and his brother, Joseph B. Fraser Jr., surveyed the land for timbering purposes, Charles Fraser saw green but not just the monetary kind. If Fraser and his vision for Sea Pines had been all about making money, then the Sea Pines we know today would have a very different look and feel. Reflecting on Sea Pines’ 50th anniversary, Joe Fraser said, “It’s rewarding to see how far Sea Pines has come and the fact that so many developers have modeled their communities after it. I think Sea Pines has far exceeded any of our expectations.” Joe Fraser believed his brother established a “patAbove: Early view of Sea pines from the air. Left: Joe Fraser works on plans for open space in Sea Pines.~ 1982 Right: Charles Fraser, Bernard Rothchild, and Joe Fraser studying early plans of Sea Pines.
Ocean-front lots started at $5,300 but quickly jumped to $7,500 as the development took shape. Charles built himself a house on the second row of Green Heron Road and, by 1960, was using it as both an example of his idea of what a Sea Pines house and landscape should look like and as a place to entertain clients. Some of them were turned down as buyers if they didn’t meet the high criteria set by Charles and his executives. There were three primary builders of the early houses on Hilton Head – Robert Graves, Bobby Woods and Faris Highsmith. Initially, Fraser, who wasn’t a golfer himself, thought it would be difficult to sell any inland homes, but an innovative T-road design, along with the idea of building homes along golf courses, helped sales along. Fraser wanted to make sure the community and environment would withstand the years and came up with a rock-solid set of covenants that are attached to each private property, dedicated open space (common areas), commercial property and forest preserve. Fraser wanted to ensure that these covenants could not be breached. One of the “clicker” clauses included in the covenants stated that when Sea Pines reached a certain percentage of build-out (which occurred in the mid-70s), the property owners through an association would take over the common elements of the community, including landscaping, forests, roads, easements and waterways. Each owner would be assessed an annual fee to generate funding to manage these elements. Today, those fees add up to nearly $7 million a year for the upkeep and maintenance of common elements. The association is run by an elected board of directors who serve two- or three-year terms and is comprised of commercial and residential representatives. In creating a community and all that it entails, Fraser also saw to it that educational facilities and churches would locate at Sea Pines by donating large sums to such entities, many of which are now located on prime property along Pope Avenue and South Forest Beach Drive. The first private school on the island, which was underwritten by Fraser and Sea Pines, was located where the Holiday Inn near Coligny Circle now stands. The first Montessori school was established by his wife, Mary Wyman Stone Fraser. Recreation for all ages was to be The concept of building homes along the golf courses greatly aided the sales of interior lots during the early years. SeaPines50thAnniversary.com | SeaPinesHomesAndVillas.com 11 South Forest Beach, Point Comfort and what is now Wexford and Shipyard plantations were all part of the 5,250 acres that comprised Sea Pines, which today stands at 4,450 acres. The Fraser and Hack families had owned the land, and, when differences on how to develop it arose, the families decided to divvy it up, with the Frasers getting the southern-most portion. The price: $800 an acre, a pretty penny at the time. To convert the swampy, mosquito-infested area of the island required much forethought, something Fraser was well known for. Although there have been subsequent edited and added-to master plans for Sea Pines, Fraser’s intent was to do it right and do it right the first time. His concept was a planned unit development with strict land-use and land-preservation covenants. Part of his research prior to development also involved air conditioning and a mosquito control program, two innovations that radically improved yearround living. Based on principles he had learned at law school, particularly under the direction of Myres S. McDougal, Fraser and others crafted a master plan for the resort, incorporating the use of private-deed covenants to implement comprehensive land-use development. It was in 1956, under the Fraser Land Holding Company, that a master plan for Sea Pines came about, followed by the construction of the resort’s roads and other infrastructure. Sea Pines Company didn’t start out as such. It has had many names over the course of the years, including Fraser Land Holding Company and Sea Pines Plantation Company. In the 1970s, “plantation” was dropped from the name because of its negative connotations associated with slavery. Today three companies operate within the flagship -- Sea Pines Resort, Sea Pines Real Estate (which also encompasses residential and commercial properties outside of Sea Pines) and Community Services Associates. Fragile and faded development plans still exist with architects’ names at the bottom including Sasaki, Walker & Associates in 1956, John Wade in 1962, Corkern & Wiggins Architects in 1964, and George Cobb, who designed the first golf course (Ocean Golf Course) in 1961. On June 20, 1957, the Sea Pines Plantation Company was incorporated. Charles, who was 28 years old then, became president and Joseph became senior vice president. Their father served as chairman of the board. The 1961 executive staff at Sea Pines Plantation. Left to right: standing: John McGrath, Wallace Butler, John McGowan and Ted Armstrong. Seated (left to right) are David Pearson, Charles Fraser and Larry Orr Construction begins at Sea Pines 10 SeaPines50thAnniversary.com | SeaPinesHomesAndVillas.com
event was just what the island and Sea Pines needed. Again, his foresight didn’t fail him. Since that first Heritage Classic Golf Tournament in 1969, attendance has grown to more than 100,000. In addition, Sea Pines hosted the Family Circle Tennis Cup tournament for several years. Today there are three golf courses in Sea Pines – Ocean Golf Course , Sea Marsh and Harbour Town Golf Links, which was finished in 1969 – just in time for the first Heritage golf tournament. As the story goes, sand was still being poured in bunkers as golfers were teeing off for the first round. The Harbour Town Lighthouse (“Fraser’s Folly”) was still under construction at the time of the first tournament. But Fraser believed the tournament and the lighthouse were the “hooks” that he was looking for – the things that would make Sea Pines stand out and be recognized. Today the lighthouse is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the country and one of the most recognized corporate logos in the world. In the early 1960s, the first condominiums in Sea Pines were built, most of them clustered along Lighthouse Road. With them, the nature of Sea Pines changed. It no longer was just a private residential community but was quickly becoming a resort destination catering to vacationers. Visitors became buyers, and, before long, Sea Pines was running out of new property for sale. In the 1970s, Sea Pines bought the northeast end of the island for more than $8 million, which quickly sold and became its own village, Hilton Head Plantation. For nearly two decades, Sea Pines enjoyed successful growth. Between 1968 and 1974, employment at Sea Pines Company increased tenfold. Charles surrounded himself with smart people, and, in the early 1970s, he was reported to have recruited more Harvard MBAs than any other firm in America. Getting their feet wet at Sea Pines, many of them went on to develop other world-class resorts themselves. Feeling that Sea Pines was close to completion, Charles tried to develop 3,000 acres on Cumberland Island, Georgia, and all of Bald Head Island, North Carolina. In both cases, his efforts were thwarted. In addition, Fraser invested in Puerto Rico’s Palmas del Mar in 1970, which incurred “intractable problems” – a combination of the ailing economy and a culture clash. In 1974, with the national economy plummeting and interest rates soaring, the resort’s second home market suffered. Between 1980 and 1986, Sea Pines and Hilton Head Plantation changed ownership three times. In 1982, Vacation Resorts, owned by Heizer Corp., paid $10 million for the company. Then Bobby Ginn came along with a slew of deal-making concepts to get the company back on track, none of which panned out. Ginn sold to Roylat Holding Corp, with financing from Philip Schwab, who sent in a new management team. Fraser sold his stake in Sea Pines in 1983. However, he continued to live on the island, serving on the island’ council and boards of other developments. Sea Pines and Fraser’s visions have served as the template for the planning of Hilton Head Island, as well as other resort communities, including Amelia and Kiawah islands. “Through all of the ups and downs offered – walking, biking, tennis, golf, playgrounds and swings – a full family package. “There literally was nothing here,” said Mary Fraser. “We celebrated when a grocery store came here, a doctor, a laundry service. “There was a man who came from Orangeburg once a week to deliver milk and eggs,” she added. “He never knocked or spoke for that matter. He’d just come in and rearrange my refrigerator. But then, we never used to lock our doors back in the early days.” Mary Fraser is credited with making Sea Pines “family friendly.” Although she never drew a paycheck after she and Charles were married, she played an instrumental, behind-thescenes role in the success of Sea Pines. For instance, when Mary heard about an innovative playground located in the heart of Harlem in New York City, she went there (without Charles’ knowledge) and shot roll after roll of film. She then modeled the original playground in Harbour Town after that playground, designing it so each piece of equipment worked a different muscle group. At one point, Mary pushed for mopeds so the children could “buzz around the community.” They have since been outlawed within Sea Pines. Charles Fraser wanted to bring in professional sports, which at the time were just starting to resemble what they are today. He was convinced a Professional Golfers Association Arnold Palmer’s 1969 victory at Heritage which launched Sea Pines into the limelight. The Harbour Town Lighthouse, which was still under construction at the time, can be seen in the background. 12 SeaPines50thAnniversary.com | SeaPinesHomesAndVillas.com
MERCEDES-BENZ on Hilton Head Serving Hilton Head for Over 20 Years 355 WM. Parkway • Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 (843) 681-8500 • (843) 681-6660 fax • (843) 298-2487 cell Coggin_HiltonHead@MBRetailer.com in the industry, Charles persevered,” Mary said. “He changed so many lives for the better.” In 1986, Sea Pines declared involuntary bankruptcy. However, it emerged just one year later, better and stronger for the most part. John Curry was appointed as trustee and John West as legal advisor. Company assets were sold off and Sea Pines residents formed Sea Pines Associates, a publicly held company, to own the existing resort properties. Community Services Associates, which had been formed to own all common property, including roads and open space, was officially dedicated out of the bankruptcy as a viable, independent entity. As the company struggled, the future of the Heritage golf tournament also was uncertain. In 1987, however, the tournament and golf course were saved with the creation of the Heritage Classic Foundation. The same yearSea Pines Associates brought together all of the resort community except for South Beach. The formation of Sea Pines Associates was the important next step in taking Sea Pines where it needed to go, convincing the community and financial world that it would be able to stand on its feet once again. It also made improvements to Harbour Town and other recreational facilities. Only three years ago, Sea Pines Associates board members, after accomplishing what they set out to do, announced their intent to sell the resort, but only a person or entity who would be a good steward and who would carry on Fraser’s original intent for the community. They also insisted that potential buyers be of sound financial standing. During Sea Pines’ publicly held years, several people purchased large blocks of stock, including Bill Goodwin of The Riverstone Group. In March 2005, the Riverstone Group purchased Sea Pines. In one of the few times in its history, Sea Pines is now in good financial standing. Its future looks bright. For Charles and Mary Fraser, Sea Pines was “really a love effort. We lived it,” Mary said. She recalls that shortly before his death, the couple was driving through Sea Pines one afternoon. “He looked at me and said, ‘You know, the road system in here really works.’” 14 SeaPines50thAnniversary.com | SeaPinesHomesAndVillas.com
2.3 million visitors in 2005 $1.57 billion economic impact General population for Hilton Head Island is 35,000 Average dollar spent (includes lodging, food/meals/groceries and transportation for the majority of that spending) $2,477 Top five states of origin include Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois and Florida 45% of visitors were repeat. 13% of visitors have visited six or more times in the past 10 years. Mean household income of visitors: $96,014 Source: Hilton Head Island Chamber of Commerce Hilton Head Island Fast Facts 16 SeaPines50thAnniversary.com | SeaPinesHomesAndVillas.com We Raise A Toast To Sea Pines! From All The Forsythe “Gems” The Shops at Sea Pines Center www.ForsytheJewelers.biz Toll Free 1-877-436-7070 ~ Office (843) 671-7070 Explore, Experience, Enjoy! The Coastal Discovery Museum offers numerous activities for all ages, including nature tours, cruises and kayak trips. Times may vary, so please call for details. Visit The Museum store for art, books and gifts on cultural heritage, the environment, local interest (sweet grass baskets) and children’s gifts. Memberships available. Call 689.6767 Today!
communities on Hilton Head Island, and each followed this same paradigm. Soon other developers came and created their own communities, each following Fraser’s lead in environmentally sensitive planning. When The Town of Hilton Head Island incorporated in 1983, it made many of Fraser’s covenants law, dictating that the whole of the island should be as peaceful and beautiful as Sea Pines. Soon other resort developers took notice. Whether by word-of-mouth, television exposure thanks to the Verizon Heritage Golf Tournament, or through Fraser’s students who struck off on their own to develop, the word spread. Now, 50 years after that first spark of inspiration, it would be difficult to find a resort community that doesn’t owe some debt of gratitude to Fraser, his work his influencing countless others that have come since. One such developer is Jim Chaffin, of Chaffin/Light Associates. Chaffin and his partner, James Light, were instrumental in the development of Harbour Town before branching off on their own to develop communities from coast to coast, including nearby Spring Island, in the same mold as Sea Pines. Chaffin quickly acknowledges that Charles Fraser was more than a mentor, more than an inspiration. He was also a friend. At a panel discussion regarding Fraser’s impact on the industry, Chaffin said, “Life was no brief candle to Charles Fraser. It was a sort of splendid torch that he had hold of for a moment, and he wanted to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations. “He demanded excellence,” Chaffin continued. “If it was worth doing, it was worth doing well. Once he was confident that a specific idea had merit, he insisted on using the finest land planning and architectural talent available.” Chaffin’s praise of Fraser is echoed by fellow developer David Ames of Amesco, Inc., who crafted Long Cove using the same covenants that Fraser pioneered. “Certainly a very prominent contribution to my thinking was the careful planning with respects to the environment, along with a consciousness of how residents would enjoy the community and of how people within the community would come together,” Ames said. “Charles was very unusual in understanding what people wanted to do, how people THE LEGACY LIVES ON SeaPines50thAnniversary.com | SeaPinesHomesAndVillas.com 19 WHEN CHARLES FRASER FIRST set foot on Hilton Head Island, it was to survey its potential for logging. However, what he saw there was more than timber. He saw an opportunity to change the way the world looked at resort communities. Knowing what had become of resort communities throughout the Southeast, where the philosophy was to build, build, build, Charles decided on a different path. He took what he had learned during his studies of land planning at Yale University and drew-up a master plan for what would become Sea Pines Resort. What seems so obvious now was revolutionary at the time: homes built in the resort would co-exist with the surrounding nature, rather than intrude upon it. The entire resort was built around this principal, with strong emphasis on strict covenants to keep away the neon glow that most resorts embraced. Thanks to Fraser’s vision, Sea Pines flourished. He developed other 18 SeaPines50thAnniversary.com | SeaPinesHomesAndVillas.com
wanted to interact in public spaces, both environmentally and from a human aspect. He added, “Charles saw things in the broadest terms but understood how the details added up to a successful development.” Fraser’s influence wasn’t limited to the South Carolina Lowcountry. Once finished with Sea Pines, Charles moved into other areas. Another resort community built in the same mold as Sea Pines was Amelia Island in Florida. Norman Bray helped with the development of the community and he is quick to acknowledge how far Fraser’s influence has spread. “Much of what was done in Sea Pines and Amelia Island later became standard in developing a resort, whether through emulation or through legislation,” he said. And just as Fraser’s vision influenced other resort communities, it also influenced other industries. Perry Wood is a senior partner and principal behind Wood + Partners Inc. and a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects. His firm specializes in land planning and landscape architecture that draws connections from its surroundings, rather than intruding. This philosophy, of course, came from Fraser. “Charles was highly influential in East Coast development,” Wood said. “He pioneered many of the planning techniques that get taken for granted in landscape architecture. He was totally instrumental in the way resorts and communities developed up and down the coast, if not the whole country.” Wood is one of the increasingly few who remember how it was when Hilton Head Island was in its infancy. “I’ve lived in the area for 30 years. When I first got here, there were 3,000 people, no stoplights, and Charles was king. He could do no wrong. “His legacy lives on today as strong as it did 20 years ago,” Wood added. Noted Chaffin, “The true legacy of Charles Fraser was not just his brilliance, his courage, his vision and the communities he created, but rather the people that he mentored and the impact that they have had on the community development business as it is known today.” It’s rare that one man can have such a gigantic influence, but as anyone who knew him will tell you, Fraser was a rarity in himself. While those around him literally could not see the forest for the trees, Fraser looked around Hilton Head Island and saw promise. The effects of that promise ripple on today, and will do so as long as new lands wait to be transformed. The Tradition of Great Real Estate Service Continues ��������������������� ����������������������������� ���������������� �������������������� ���������������������������� ���������� ����������������������� ����������������� ����������� ����������������������� ������������������ ������������� ����������������������� �������������������� ������������� ����������������������� �������������������� ��������������� ����������������������� ��������������������� ������������ ����������������������� ������������������� ������������ �������������� ��������������������� ������������ ����������������������� ��������������������
ous as she made him out to be. Mary said every time she talked or socialized with a male peer, Charles would somehow manage to weave his way into the conversation. “Sometimes it felt like there was a conspiracy going on,” she said. Charles would come over with his “intellectual sword,” and before she knew it the man would be gone. “I told (Charles) he was being rude.” Having accepted Charles’ proposal, Mary returned home to Greenville. Being away, Mary started having doubts, which she shared with her father. “He told me I had g better be sure,” she said. With that advice, Mary returned to Hilton Head Island. “After the drive, I was exhausted and lay down for awhile. I was waiting for Charles to return from work. “He rounded the steps, and right then and there I knew. That was it. A deep, deep love dropped inside of me,” she said. Laura Lawton Fraser, their youngest daughter, said watching her mother and father in action was inspiring. “They had an exquisite working relationship,” she said. “Very few women could have lived with my father,” she added. “They loved each other deeply and respected each other’s passion for ambitions in life.” “I just realized he was so bright. I fell in love with his vision,” Mary said. “He loved the boldness in me.” While her father brought an intellectual aspect to their relationship and to the family, Mary balanced it with spirituality, having a deep faith in Christ, Laura Lawton said. Married Nov. 30, 1963, Mary and Charles were married for almost 40 years. Although she never drew a paycheck from the company after the two were wed, Mary continued working behind the scenes, helping Charles turn Sea Pines into a family-oriented, world-class resort. And although she goes by Mary Wyman Stone Fraser, Mary said knew when it was appropriate to switch hats. “I’ll always be Mrs. Charles E. Fraser. That’s who I am,” she said. Charles died when a chartered boat exploded on Dec. 15, 2002. Today, Mary lives in Brevard, North Carolina, and has a home in Atlanta. Charles Fraser and Mary Wyman Stone Fraser fell in love with Sea Pines and with each other. SeaPines50thAnniversary.com | SeaPinesHomesAndVillas.com 23 MANY PEOPLE HAVE FALLEN in love with Sea Pines over the years. But no two people have fallen in love with Sea Pines quite the way Charles Fraser and Mary Wyman Stone Fraser fell in love with it and, in the process, fell in love with each other. It seemed at first, however, that everyone but them knew they were destined for one another. As the story goes, Charles needed a social director to entertain clients and executives. Someone suggested Mary Wyman Stone, whose family was in the textile industry in Greenville. Mary was working in Washington, D.C., for U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond at the time. When Charles contacted Harry Dent, Thurmond’s assistant, and asked whether he should hire this girl from Greenville, Dent’s reply was, “Hire her? You ought to marry her!” “My mother wanted me to marry him, too,” Mary added. This was even before the two had laid eyes on one another. “Charles sent me literature about the company, which I quickly filed in the trash can,” Mary said. For whatever reason, in 1963, Mary agreed to work for the company, but only for three months. Three months turned into six months, and Charles asked if she could stay on a little longer. Charles and Mary never really dated, but they spent just about every waking moment together during that six months as they both put in long hours with the company during Sea Pines’ formative years. “Charles and I were together constantly,” she said. “It really was a love effort.” Back then, Mary said, there really weren’t many options to go out to eat except the William Hilton Inn. “Charles always would invite people to sit with him at his table and made sure that I was always seated there ,too,” Mary said. It wasn’t until right before Mary was scheduled to leave Hilton Head Island that Fraser realized he might never see her again. Charles proposed. “I think he just woke up to the thought (of marrying me),” Mary said. Maybe Charles wasn’t as oblivi- A Sea Pines Love Story 22 SeaPines50thAnniversary.com | SeaPinesHomesAndVillas.com
���������������������������������� ������������������� ����������������������������� ������������������������������ ���������������������������������� ������������������������������ ��������������� ����������������������������� �������������������� ������������� ��������������������� ������������������� �������������������� ������������� ��������������������� ������������������� ���������������� ����������������� ��������� P.O. Drawer 14 • Hilton Head, SC 29938 Charles A. Scarminach Dale E. Akins Regina M. Strickroth Daniel A. Saxon Herbert L. Novit of counsel Elizabeth B. Mayo of counsel 785.5850 Jade Bldg., Suite 400 52 New Orleans Rd. Hilton Head, SC 29928 Fax: 785-2090 706.5850 10 Plantation Park Dr. Suite 104 Bluffton, SC 29910 Fax: 706-2090 Residential Real Estate • Taxation Probate & Estate Planning • Business & Corporate Law Commercial Real Estate Development • Criminal Law Civil Litigation • Land Use & Zoning Property Owners Assoc. & Condo Law • Personal Injury Employment Disputes • Civil Rights Cases NOVIT, SCARMINACH &AKINS,P.A. Attorneys at Law 24 SeaPines50thAnniversary.com | SeaPinesHomesAndVillas.com Internet & Print Advertising Advertise With Us! ������� �������������� �������������������� ������������������� ����������� ����������������������� ������������������� ������������������� ����������� ������������ �������������������� ��������������������� ������������� ��������� ������������������������������������������������������������ ��������������������� ��������������������������� ���������������������� ����������������������� 01_cover.indd 1 6/22/05 11:48:33 AM � ������������������������������������������� ������������������������� ����������������������������� ��������������������� �������������� ���������������������������� ���������������������������� ���������������� ��������������� ������������������������������������ �������������������� ���������������������������� ������������������� ���������������� �������������������� �������������������� ���������������� ����������� ����������������� ��������������������� Magazine advertising, links, banner ads & Web site development www.CoastalCondoLiving.com www.SouthCarolinaBuilders.com www.CarolinaHomesAndInteriors.com call 1-800-433-7396 or e-mail Publisher@MediaServices1.com ��� ����������������������������
Sea Pines Racquet Club: Net Gains LOCATED JUST STEPS FROM the Harbour Town Yacht Basin, active travelers will find one of the Southeast’s premiere tennis destinations: Sea Pines Racquet Club. The club’s 23 clay courts have hosted some of the sport’s biggest names in competitions including the Family Circle Cup, the DuPont All-American, the CBS Classic and the World Invitational. Visitors can either enjoy a few matches with friends or hone their game with some of the finest instructors on the planet, offering basics courses, cardio tennis, and round robin tournaments plus instruction for the kids. There are also demo days where players can try out the latest gear, plus pro exhibitions where club pros take on players in fun, spirited competition. The Sea Pines Racquet Club is under the direction of Stan Smith, a man who, in the tennis world, needs no introduction. In addition to teaching at the Racquet Club, Smith is a touring pro, writes a weekly syndicated tennis column for King Features, and serves as a contributing editor for Tennis Magazine, and competes in the senior circuit. He also coached the USA men’s tennis team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. His trophy case is filled to the brim with singles and doubles trophies, including several he picked up for winning Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, the Grand Prix Masters and more. His collection of 25 U.S National men’s singles and doubles titles is the second largest in the world. Despite all he has accomplished, Smith’s biggest joy comes from giving back to the sport, and he does that every day at the Sea SeaPines50thAnniversary.com | SeaPinesHomesAndVillas.com 27 THE HISTORY OF SEA PINES is tied inexorably to its golf. It was, after all, the Heritage that first introduced Sea Pines to the world at large. Thanks in part to the climate, golf on Hilton Head Island is a year-round pursuit and, in Sea Pines, it comes in three distinctly different flavors. The Ocean Course is steeped in tradition as it winds golfers through scenic ocean-front views. The first course on the island, the Ocean Course continues to challenge pros and amateurs alike with its deep bunkers and lagoons. Along with the Sea Marsh Course, the Ocean Course is one of two Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary courses at Sea Pines Resort. The two courses have also received the “beginner-friendly” certification. The Sea Marsh Course takes duffers through Sea Pines’ lush forests, weaving in and out of tidal marshes and dense oak trees. More forgiving than Sea Pines’ other two courses, the Sea Marsh Course challenges golfers with its greens nonetheless. The big name in Sea Pines golf has to be the Harbour Town Golf Links. Designed by Pete Dye in consultation with Jack Nicklaus, this picturesque course has hosted the Heritage every year since 1969. Charles Fraser saw the course as the perfect vehicle to promote his resort,and began planning for a tournament even before the course was finished. According to several who were involved with that first tournament, men were still laying carpet in the clubhouse on the first day of the Heritage. Nearly every major golf publication has sung Harbour Town Golf Links’ praises, and the course has repeatedly been named one of the top 20 courses in the country by Golf Week and Golf Digest magazines. It has been ranked as the top course in South Carolina by Golf Magazine. The South Carolina Golf Course Owners Association also has named it “South Carolina Course of the Year.” Having world-class golf inside the resort helps make Sea Pines Resort truly unique. Golf at Sea Pines: Tee-Up 26 SeaPines50thAnniversary.com | SeaPinesHomesAndVillas.com
“Creating the Foundation as a non-profit was a requirement in order to get back in good standing with the golf commissioner,” Fraser noted. However, its formation had an even greater economic impact on the community. By establishing it as a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, any proceeds left over from the tournament were to be donated to local charities. “They wanted to give back to the community by giving to charitable groups who needed it most,” said Steve Wilmot, tournament director. In that first year, the Heritage Classic Foundation distributed $133,695 to 18 charitable organizations. Last year, it donated a record $1.6 million to various organizations. Thanks to that dedication and support of sponsors, volunteers and spectators, the Foundation to date has donated more than $13 million. Although the Heritage only comes once a year, organizing it is a yearround effort. According to Wilmot, the Foundation employs 10 full-time employees and hires four full-time interns during the weeks leading up to the tournament. It also relies heavily upon volunteers who put in countless hours of their time to handle registration duties, update scoreboards, serve as marshals and scorekeepers, and help make the professionals and their families feel welcome. Past champions of the tournament, which is now called the Verizon Heritage, include Nick Faldo, Hale Irwin, Bernhard Langer, Johnny Miller, Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Nick Price, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and the late Payne Stewart. But the real winners of the Verizon Heritage continue to be the thousands of individuals the tournament helps each year through the Foundation. Past recipients include Hilton Head Heroes, Volunteers in Medicine, the Children’s Center, and the Boys & Girls Club. The Heritage Classic Foundation donates funds in several different ways. Each year, the Foundation’s Charity Committee meets to grant a portion of the tournament proceeds. In 2005, it donated $535,000 to 64 non-profit groups throughout South Carolina and Georgia. Through its Scholar Program, which was established in 1993, the Foundation assists Beaufort County students who want to attend college. In 2005, 13 students were named Foundation scholars. In addition it has a Birdies for Charity program in which charitable organizations use the Verizon Heritage scores as a fund-raiser. Organizations ask their supporters to pledge a small amount for each birdie made at the tournament. Traditionally, the Foundation has matched each donation. “With support from loyal sponsors, spectators and volunteers, the Verizon Heritage looks forward to continuing its tradition of giving year after year,” Wilmot said. While Sea Pines is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the Heritage Classic Foundation is celebrating its 20th year in existence. And Fraser, who is celebrating his 80th birthday this year, recently announced his plans to step down as chairman after this tournament. “It’s been a good journey,” Fraser said. “We had to set a limit on the terms. So when I turned 80 I said I would step down.” His son, Simon Fraser, currently vice chairman, will take his place. The 38th annual Verizon Heritage will be held April 10-16, 2006. The Verizon Heritage, South Carolina’s only PGA Tour event, is recognized as one of the premier golf tournaments in the country. Played at the famed Harbour Town Golf Links in Sea Pines Resort since 1969, the event has rich history in the Lowcountry that continues to flourish year after year – due in large part to the Heritage Classic Foundation. SeaPines50thAnniversary.com | SeaPinesHomesAndVillas.com 29 BY THE MID-1980S, SEA PINES Company was in financial trouble and the future of the Heritage Classic was uncertain. Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head Island’s own PGA Tour stop since 1969, was in poor condition because the funds were not available to properly maintain its upkeep. Unless something was done, Harbour Town would lose its spot on the Tour. In 1986, Joseph B. Fraser Jr. stepped to the plate with a plan to save the tournament, and in doing so set precedence for giving back to the community. “We had to do something,” Fraser stated. “The course was unacceptable.” Fraser, John Curry and Sol Blatt put their heads together and enlisted a group of local businessmen to help. Together they created the Heritage Classic Foundation, a non-profit organization that became the general sponsor of the Heritage, providing the financial stability, guidance and direction the tournament so desperately needed. The men also raised the $300,000 necessary to restore the course to playable condition and acquired the resources needed to for the $1 million in prize money. TOURNAMENT & COMMUNITY BOTH BENEFIT FROM THE HERITAGE CLASSIC FOUNDATION Harbour Town Golf Links is recognized annually as one of America’s top courses and is repeatedly selected by the PGA TOUR professionals as one of their favorites. Designed by Pete Dye in consultation with Jack Nicklaus in 1969, the course has always served as the host of the Verizon Heritage. 28
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Name changes over the years: Heritage Classic – 1969-1970 Sea Pines Heritage Classic – 1971-1986 MCI Heritage Classic – 1987-1994 MCI Classic – The Heritage of Golf – 1995-2000 WORLDCOM Classic – The Heritage of Golf – 2001-2002 MCI Heritage – 2003-2005 Verizon Heritage – 2006 How the purse has grown: 1969 - $100,000 2006 - $5.3 million Top 5 money earners (over $100,000): Davis Love III – $2.5 million Stewart Cink – $1.6 million Peter Lonard – $936,000 Glen Day – $777,063 Justin Leonard – $771,195 Biggest 36-hole lead: 6 strokes – Darren Clarke (2005), Jack Nicklaus (1975) and Johnny Miller (1974) Longest tournament: 2001 – 77 holes (two playoff holes Sunday, play suspended, darkness, play resumed Monday morning for three more holes) 2004 – 77 holes (champion decided after five playoff holes) Highest score by a winner: 283 – Arnold Palmer – 1969 Heritage’s top 10 finishes (three or more): 11 – Davis Love III 10 – Tom Kite 9 – Hale Irwin 8 – Craig Stadler 7 – Gil Morgan and Tom Watson 6 – Bob Murphy, Hal Sutton and Lanny Wadkins 5 – Chip Beck, Ernie Els, Ray Floyd, David Frost, Mark McCumber, Larry Mize, Greg Norman, Nick Price, Payne Stewart, Tom Weiskopf and Fuzzy Zoeller 4 – Stewart Cink, David Edwards, Beinhard Langer, Larry Nelson, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Ed Sneed and Doug Tewell 3 – Andy Bean, Homero Blancas, George Burns, Russ Cochran, Fred Couples, Rich Crawford, Ben Crenshaw, Bob Estes, Gibby Gilbert, Hubert Green, Jay Haas, Nolan Henke, Scott Hoch, John Huston, Don January, Tom Lehman, Graham Marsh, Billy Mayfair, Mac McLendon, Andy North, Mark O’Meara, Jesper Parnevik, Steve Pate, Kenny Perry, Gary Player, Loren Roberts, Gene Sauers, Vijay Singh, Jeff Sluman and Scott Verplank Source: Heritage Classic Foundation Verizon Heritage Fast Facts
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