This week it's Cheers to 50 Years on Hilton Head Island as we celebrate the golden anniversary of the RBC Heritage Golf Tournament. What a "heritage" indeed as the best golfers on the planet will be on display trying for the coveted plaid jacket! The alternate battle cry for this event as it draws near each year it's "get your plaid on." That's exactly what they did for the famous Harbour Town Lighthouse that is one of the most iconic scenes in golf as one looks down the 18th fairway. What you're looking at is a wrap just like you see on many vehicles these days. But this is no ordinary job and the honor of doing it fell on Savannah's own Kennickell Printing and owner Al Kennickell who is also now a member of the Heritage Foundation Board.
The wrap was printed on 100-foot sheets that had to be placed up on the lighthouse with the precision of a surgeon. All the seems had to match perfectly on the vertical portion of the structure but then came the tricky part--like the other portion wasn't--the walkway at the top. Now the material had to match as it angled up underneath before returning to the vertical. This "mission impossible" was done without a flaw. It took four days to get the job done and the finished product so stunned the natives that even those who might have had doubts about it were amazed. It is breathtaking!
When the project began the Sea Pines event planners had to contact no less then 50 brides-to-be to let them know about the "new" plaid lighthouse since wedding parties always make sure they get pictures at Harbour Town with the lighthouse as a backdrop. The pitch to the brides and wedding planners was, your pictures will be unique since the wrap will be up for only a short amount of time. Not one objected. Originally the wrap was supposed to be up through the end of April but the result was so popular that's been extended at least through summer. Kennickell was asked how long it could stay up before it begins to fade. He says it's pretty high quality stuff and will probably last for a good five years before it needed replacing. Good news there since it's such a hit the "powers-that-be" are considering leaving it.
What a great project and what a feather in the Kennickell Printing cap on an incredible and unique job that'll bring joy to so many over the next few months or years . I vote for leaving it up for all time but I'd like your vote as well. So along with everyone else, now the lighthouse has its plaid on. Cheers to 50 years--and beyond! Now let's work on the Globe on DeRenne!