Kiawah Island Golf Resort

1000 Ocean Course Drive,

Kiawah Island, South Carolina SC 29455

  • Office

    +1 (800) 654 2924
  • Pro shop

    +1 (843) 266 4670
  • Fax

    +1 (843) 768 2736
  • Golf pro

    Stephen Youngner (PGA, Head Professional); Brian Gerard (PGA, Director of Golf).

About the course

  • The Course:

    18 holes. Seaside links. Gently undulating terrain - easy to walk.

  • Surroundings:

    Seaside and marshland.

  • Designer:

    Husband/wife team of Pete & Alice Dye

Back
tees
Club
tees
Front
tees
Yards
7356
6105
5327
Par
72
72
72
SSS or slope
77.2
71.1
72.7

At the same location:

Kiawah Island Resort is home to five 18-hole championship courses: The Ocean Course (par-72, 7356 yards from the back tees); Osprey Point (par-72, 6932 yards); Turtle Point (par-72, 7061 yards); Cougar Point (par-72, 6875 yards), and just before you get onto the Island, Oak Point (par-72, 6701 yards).

Location

Latitude:

32.613026

Longitude:

-80.019651

How to get there:

27 miles SW of Charleston

From the centre of Charleston, take Hwy 17 West. After crossing the Ashley River Bridge (with Holiday Inn rotunda on your left) turn left onto the 171 (Wesley Drive / Folly Bridge Blvd). After 1 mile turn right onto the 700 (Maybank Hwy). After approx 7 miles at crossroads, turn left onto Bohicket Road (Main Road*). After approx 10 miles turn left at roundabout, direction Kiawah Island (turn right for Seabrook Island). After 1 mile stop at gatehouse. After 3 miles stop at second gatehouse. 100 yards after gatehouse turn right into Governors Drive. After 4 miles you'll arrive at the Ocean Course clubhouse. (* Note : Main Road also connects directly to Hwy 17, ten miles west of Charleston).

Kiawah Island Golf Resort (The Ocean Course)

5-PLUS: In the world’s elite - has few peers; one of our top-rated 5s!

Est. 1991

Kiawah Island Golf Resort (The Ocean Course): This spectacular oceanside golf course, magnificently designed by Pete Dye, understandably ranks with the world's best. For golfers of all levels it represents a tough challenge, and if the wind is blowing, it's definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Every hole on the Ocean Course is a gem, individually crafted and presenting its own unique challenges. The early holes play through a natural marshland environment, before the layout's oceanside credentials are fully revealed at the excellent par-3 5th. On the back-nine the Atlantic Ocean is constantly in view, with many tee-boxes located right alongside the beach. On the final four-hole stretch you experience the thrill of high-octane links golf at its oceanside best.

The wind is not the only feature that gives teeth to the toughest layout on Kiawah Island. There are long carries to be made over wetlands or sand from several tees, with some landing areas not always clear to see. Large sandy waste areas often flank the fairways from tee-to-green; some of these "rivers of sand" ending their journey as steep-faced greenside bunkers. Small, deep pot bunkers are also deployed around the greens - just to add to the fun!

The putting surfaces themselves are fast, and full of mercurial slopes and borrows. Getting down in two is rarely a certainty. Over-hit putts can disappear down steep run-offs, which further add to the layout's myriad short game challenges.

Among the 18 excellently crafted holes, the visually intimidating par-3 17th deserves a special mention. The only safe shot here is onto the green, but that involves a demanding carry across a large pond - a mere 220 yards from the back tees. The two back-left pot bunkers might look inviting from the tee, but less so when you play out of them towards the water.

The par-4 18th brings you to the steps of the elegantly designed beachfront clubhouse. Here you can enjoy the ocean vistas, while recounting your triumphs and disasters on one of the world's most celebrated courses.

List of courses: Charleston / Kiawah

Visitors

Who can play and when?

Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.

Must book in advance.

Green fees

Visitor fee, 18-holes in high season: starts from $650 for non-resort guests.

Contact club/resort for full details, discounts, resort guest rates, etc. [Last updated: 2024].

Other information

Non-metal spike facility. A walking-only course. Golf carts permitted after 10am during June thru' Aug. Caddies available, and used by most players.

Practice facilities

Excellent

Did you know?

The Ocean Course has staged many top level golf tournaments, none more so than the 1991 Ryder Cup, known as "The War by the Shore" and thrillingly won by the USA team by a slender point. For more details see Top Golf Tournaments at Kiawah Island, Ocean Course.

The Ocean and Osprey Point courses are located within the Vanderhorst Plantation, Kiawah Island's most upmarket residential community. The Sanctuary Hotel provides luxury resort accommodation, and is the hub location of the Kiawah Island Resort. Previously this role was played by the Kiawah Resort Inn (now demolished), which was located in the West Beach area of the island, close to the Cougar Point clubhouse.

Published ranking

Ocean course:
South Carolina's No.1 course (Golf Digest, 2023/24).
USA's 24th best course, and 3rd best public access course (Golf Digest, 2023).
World's 62nd best course (GOLF Magazine, 2023/24) and 52nd best public access course (Golf World, 2023).

Where2Stay

  • The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf ResortAAA 5-diamonds

    One Sanctuary Beach Drive, Kiawah Island, SC 29455

    +1 (843) 768 6000

    Visit website

    Located along the pristine shores of Kiawah Island, this luxurious oceanfront hotel, just thirty minutes from downtown Charleston, captures the spirit, history and charm of the beautiful south. It also provides the perfect base from which to discover Kiawah Island's five championship golf courses.

    • Golf at this hotel:

      Kiawah Island's five championship courses are all within a short drive: Ocean Course, Turtle Point, Cougar Point, Osprey Point and Oak Point.

    • Golf within 5 miles:

      No

    • Golf within 20 miles:

      Patriots Point; The Links at Stono Ferry; Shadowmoss Plantation.

  • Kiawah Island Villas

    Kiawah Island, SC 29455

    +1 (843) 768 6000

    Visit website

    Resort villas of different sizes and price options are available on a vacation rental basis, providing an ideal base from which to discover Kiawah Island and its fabulous array of championship golf courses.

    • Golf at this hotel:

      Kiawah Island's five championship courses are all within a short drive: Ocean Course, Turtle Point, Cougar Point, Osprey Point and Oak Point.

    • Golf within 5 miles:

      No

    • Golf within 20 miles:

      Patriots Point; The Links at Stono Ferry; Shadowmoss Plantation.

Find a course

Or

Tournaments

Ryder Cup: Rome plays host to the first ever Ryder Cup to be staged in Italy, with the USA defending golf’s greatest team trophy at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (Sept 29-Oct 1).

Solheim Cup: also in September, also in southern Europe, the 18th Solheim Cup will be contested at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol, with Europe defending after their surprise win in Toledo, Inverness Club (Ohio) in 2021 (Sept 22-24). 

Who's Who

Céline Boutier: with many successes as both an amateur and professional golfer, Boutier added a major championship title to her impressive résumé at this year’s Evian Championship.

Alex Cejka: buffeted by rain and high winds, especially on the high-scoring final day, Čejka prevailed over Pádraig Harrington in a playoff at Royal Porthcawl, to scoop the Senior Open Championship title.

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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