The course to happiness

In a fire, Don and Beth Cronin would grab pictures of their grandchildren first.

But, Mr. Cronin said, he'd then go back to save golf memorabilia, at least some of the collection amassed in his 19 years as golf editor of USA Today .

His favorites include a photo of himself with Sam Snead and a signed print of Jack Nicklaus that hangs in the living room of the Cronins' Woodside Plantation home.

He and Mrs. Cronin retired to Aiken four years ago from suburban Washington. They chose Woodside Plantation after playing its golf course.

"It's a fun course to play," Mr. Cronin said. "When I first played it, I described it as a course I could grow old on."

Mrs. Cronin joins him a few times a week.

"A long time ago I decided I could either learn to play and enjoy it or I could be mad at him for being gone all the time," she said. "Now I love it."

Their home flanks the second tee. They spend most of their time at home on the screened-in porch overlooking the course, or in the living room, which features a collection of golf-theme nutcrackers and photos and paintings of courses they've played.

It also includes a chair Mrs. Cronin found covered in golf-theme upholstery at La-Z-Boy.

"It's amazing how much golf stuff there is out there," she said.

Even their salt and pepper shakers are shaped like golf balls. A chess set in Mr. Cronin's study is modeled after the sport.

Memorabilia overflows into the study, including an engraved brass scorecard of one of Mr. Cronin's best rounds, and a picture commemorating a hole-in-one on Woodside's third hole.

The master bedroom is across from the study. It was painted a soft sage green to complement the buttery yellow throughout the rest of the house.

Two guest bedrooms adjoined by a bath are painted a bright lilac. The beds are covered in coordinating purple and white comforters.

"My builder asked me if we were going to have an Easter egg hunt," Mrs. Cronin said, "but I like it."

The rooms are usually reserved for the Cronins' two sons and five grandchildren.

"We laugh because we have 3,500 square feet, but we live in less than half that," Mr. Cronin said.

Nonetheless, the Cronins say the home suits them.

"We did this from scratch," Mrs. Cronin said. "We love the house, we love Aiken.

"At first our boys didn't understand why we moved here, but they came down for a visit, they met the people, they played the course, and then they knew."

Reach Kelly Jasper at (706) 823-3552 or kelly.jasper@augustachronicle.com.