Dunes West Golf Club

Guest (cart included), played on Saturday, July 2017 at 10:44 AM

Dunes West Golf and River Club is ideally situated along Wagner Creek and the Wando River, offering up some spectacular views of the surrounding aquatic life. The course itself was designed by renowned golf course architect Arthur Hills and is a “must play” for any golfer traveling in or around Charleston, SC. Dunes West has been proclaimed by both Golf Digest and Golf Magazine as a “Top 10 Resort Course”. The course plays 6,859 yards from the back tees, with a course rating of 73.0 and a slope of 134. Most golfers will find that the Blue Tees (6,100/69.0/122) will give them all they can handle and still maintain a little dignity. Hills took full advantage of both the Wando River and Wagner Creek when he built this masterpiece. As you make your way around the course, you’ll see saltwater marshes and coastal tidelands; all commonplace for those who live in the South Carolina’s lowcountry, but visually stunning for those who don’t. Like most Arthur Hills, there’s a lot of mounding in the peripheries of the fairways and around the green complexes. Grass bunkers and swales are every bit as challenging as the light, fluffy sand you’ll find in any of the traps. Greens come in all shapes and sizes, most have subtle undulation and all roll true. There were several challenging holes on the front nine at Dunes West, but none more memorable than the four finishing holes. Number 15 is a Par 5 that has two sets of four fairway bunkers that challenge players off the tee and in the layup landing zones. The first set are on the edge of the fairway and shouldn’t cause much trouble; the second set bisect the fairway and catch a good deal of layup attempts. A long drive up the left side sets up a good opportunity to get home in two and go for broke. Number 16 is the toughest hole on the inward nine. Water come into play over the trio of fairway bunkers on the right off the tee, but is more in play on your approach shot. The green is small with subtle undulations. Number 17 is a par 3 that is by far the most challenging par 3 at Dunes West. With water on the right side and sand left and long, there is no room for error off the tee. Miss the left fairway bunker long and you’re facing a tough lie in a grass swale. The green is small and slopes left to right. Best of luck! Number 18 is a great finishing hole. With no bunkers on the hole your biggest challenge is to control your drive off the tee. Keep it in the short grass and leave yourself a clear shot into the green and you’ll finish strong; just be sure to avoid the marsh area short left. In addition to a superb golf course, Dunes West also has a 6000-square foot clubhouse with full service dining. One of the specialties at The Grille are the tacos, which come in several varieties, and the burgers are outstanding. On Thursdays, The Grille is open for dinner with delectable entrees of beef, chicken and fish. There’s also a full array of country club amenities including swim and tennis. Because of its location, Dunes West is a picturesque and memorable location for weddings. Their experienced event and culinary staff can help you put together your special occasion. It’s also a great venue to host your next tournament or golf outing.

$46 (cart included), played on Monday, June 2011 at 8am

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Guest (cart included), played on Wednesday, December 2010 at 8am

December is usually warmer, but I trekked out to Dunes West to photograph the course and play a little golf in 40 degree temps. The course is an absolute gem and even in their off season looked pretty good as they overseed the tees, fairways and greens and let the rough turn a beautiful tan. The layout is excellent and makes it easy for anyone to play with wide fairways, large greens, but still enough water and bunkering to keep you humble. The club house is absolutely stunning with a great resturant on the main floor and additional area upstairs to include a great balconey with gorgeous views of the course and wetlands. One of the best features is the outside stairs from the balconey which is cement stairs with sea shells encrusted into the cement. Their Pro Shop is outstanding and has everything you could want while visiting this fine Arthur Hills design. A must play while in Charleston!

$46 (cart included), played on Monday, April 2008 at noon

pretty - half the greens needed work. Beer / food cart not seen much.