Detailed description of Kiawah Island Resorts, Ocean Course
Ocean Course At Kiawah Island Resorts, is a Resort, 18 hole golf course located in Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
Ocean Course At Kiawah Island Resorts opened for play in 1991. The course was designed by Pete Dye.
The Ocean Course just ranked 25th in Golf Digest's 100 Greatest U.S. Golf Courses List and 4th on Best Public Course List
Probably no other golf course in the world outside of the United Kingdom and Ireland is affected as much by the wind. From one round to the next, a player can experience up to an 8-club difference on holes depending upon the direction and strength of the wind. There are no prevailing winds on the course. Dye took this into account when designing the course. In fact, he designed two courses into one - one for an easterly wind and one for a westerly wind.
Located on the eastern-most end of Kiawah Island, The Ocean Course has more seaside holes than any other course in the Northern Hemisphere - 10 right along the Atlantic with the other 8 running parallel to those. Although it was originally designed to sit behind the dunes, Dye's wife, Alice, suggested raising the entire course to allow players unobstructed views of Kiawah's beautiful Atlantic coastline from every hole. This improved view, however, made the course substantially more demanding as it also exposed it to the area's brisk and unpredictable sea breezes.
The Ocean Course gained instant notoriety as the host of the most dramatic "War by the Shore," abattle decided literally by the final putt of Sunday's final match in 1991's Ryder Cup Matches. In 1997, The Ocean Course hosted the World Cup of Golf, with the world's finest golfers from 32 countries competing in the stroke play tournament. The inaugural UBS Cup took place on the course in 2001, and in 2003 the course hosted the World Cup Championships World Cup. The PGA Professional National Championship was played in June 2005.
With 18 holes offering panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean, it is likely The Ocean Course would have earned widespread acclaim had no tournament ever been played there. In May 2007, The Ocean Course hosted the Senior PGA Championship, and in 2012 the course will host the PGA Championship.
The Ocean Course made its big screen debut in the movie "The Legend of Bagger Vance."
$101 (cart included), played on Sunday, June 2015 at 9:00 AM
Played this course using a discount coupon book and then in a tournament. This is probably the nicest course I ever played. The greens were superb. Due to the type of grass on the greens they don't break as much as you would think. The wind is what makes this course so tough to play. You have to take a forecaddie if riding. They will guide you as to where to hit your tee shots and will give you distances to the pin. I was a little surprised however as to their miss reading some of the greens.
$176 (cart included), played on Monday, February 2011 at noon
Well worth playing if you are in coastal South Carolina. Host to 2012 PGA Championship. The course is being modified by Pete Dye for the tournament.
$351 (cart included), played on Thursday, October 2009 at 10am
Magnificent Overall
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$401 (cart not included), played on Wednesday, April 2018 at 9:00 AM
As part of a 3 course trip including Harbour Town and Pinehurst, played this course on a beautiful 80 degree day with consistent 20 mph winds. Expensive but at least you can walk and are not required to take a caddy or a fore-caddy. The course runs parallel to the Atlantic Ocean in amongst the sand dunes with great unobstructed views. Typically (if the wind are from the south) you play the first 4-5 holes downwind, then 9 holes back into the wind, and then the last 4 holes with the wind. The fairways are generous enough but wire-like grasses, sand, water, and alligators await errant shots. The real challenge is the perched-up greens that are firm and hard to hold. Any slight mis-direction or mis-judged shot will hit the green but roll off into bunkers or steep tightly mowed areas. Practice your bump and run shot or use a hybrid to run the ball up when chipping. I played one off my best rounds ever, hitting just about every fairway but still struggled to break 80. Bring lots of patience! Still, I loved this course and it was pleasure playing it and walking the fairways. Yes, it is too expensive but you need to play it at least once. Would love to see this course priced at around $200.