Kiawah Island Golf Resort

700 Governors Drive,

Kiawah Island, South Carolina SC 29455

  • Office

    +1 (800) 654 2924
  • Pro shop

    +1 (843) 266 4640
  • Fax

    +1 (843) 768 2736
  • Golf pro

    Deron Lee (PGA, Head Professional); Brian Gerard (PGA, Director of Golf).

About the course

  • The Course:

    18 holes. Tree-lined parkland. Gently undulating terrain - easy to walk.

  • Surroundings:

    Woodland, lakeside and residential.

  • Designer:

    Tom Fazio

Back
tees
Club
tees
Front
tees
Yards
6932
6326
5023
Par
72
72
72
SSS or slope
73.3
70.6
70

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:

32.614237

Longitude:

-80.052771

How to get there:

26 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 3 miles turn right into Osprey Point clubhouse. (* Note : Main Road also connects directly to Hwy 17, ten miles west of Charleston).

Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Osprey Point course)

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.

Est. 1986

Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Osprey Point course): This scenic, testing and thoroughly enjoyable golf course, occupies a quiet setting in a dense maritime forest. Four large natural lakes, several fingers of saltwater marsh and many connecting water channels are all integral to the challenges of this excellent Tom Fazio design.

Originally conceived as a member’s only course, Osprey Point is very playable for the average golfer. It features generous landing areas and few forced carries. However, the presence of water is a constant that flows through the design. If water is not flanking the usually good-width fairways, then a mix of live oaks, pines, palmettos and magnolias will be. Strategically placed bunkering also makes its presence felt, sometimes in the middle of the fairway.

Osprey Point possesses a wonderful variety of straightaway and dog-legging holes, with fairways leading to often elevated greens. Deep pot bunkers complement an array of shallower more open bunkering. While some sections of the layout are quite open, other stretches are more tree-lined.

A respite from the lakes, ponds and small canals generally comes at pairs of holes. On the front nine the 4th and 5th, and 7th and 8th are less intimidating thanks to a relative absence of water. On the back-nine the short par-4s at 13 and 14 provide an opportunity to "regroup" before taking on the water-laden closing stretch.

The par-3 15th elegantly combines water, golf and real estate into a wonderfully picturesque golf hole; take away any one of these elements and the hole would be the poorer for it.

Water inevitably plays its part in the final trio of holes, with the par-5 18th also boasting an extravagantly undulating fairway. Many adventurous souls, with eagles in mind, have foundered in Canvasback Pond, which lines the left-side of the closing hole from tee-to-green.

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 $305 for non-resort guests.

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

Other information

Non-metal spike facility. Walking permitted.

Practice facilities

Good

Did you know?

The Osprey Point and Ocean courses are located within the Vanderhorst Plantation, Kiawah's upmarket residential community. According to historians, the Vanderhorst family who owned most of Kiawah Island in the late 1800's, farmed the Osprey Point location for timber.

Until Hurricane Hugo (September 1989) Osprey Point was thick with pine trees; however, the storm took out over 30 percent of all the trees on the course.

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

Osprey Point course:
South Carolina's 41st best course (Golf Digest, 2023/24).

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.

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