Kiawah Island Golf Resort: Why You Must Play This South Carolina Course

Kiawah Island invites golfers to play five championship courses, each crafted by a world‑class architect, said Brian Gerard, director of golf at Kiawah Island Golf Resort. Among them is Pete Dye’s internationally renowned masterpiece, The Ocean Course, which boasts the most seaside holes in North America. The Ocean Course will host this year’s PGA Championship (May 17–23) and previously welcomed the 1991 Ryder Cup and the 2012 PGA Championship. The resort offers diverse accommodations, including The Sanctuary, a Forbes 5‑Star beachfront hotel, along with 10 miles of beach, more than a dozen restaurants and a wide range of recreational programs that make Kiawah Island Golf Resort a premier golf destination.

Life on Kiawah moves at a relaxed pace across this warm Lowcountry barrier island. Rather than rushing through all five courses, enjoy them as you would a multi‑course meal—savor the character of each layout before moving on to the next.

THE OCEAN COURSE
(7,356 yards, par 72, 144/77.3)
With sweeping waste areas, wetlands, elevated greens and pot bunkers rimmed with shaggy grasses, The Ocean Course offers both a rigorous test and stunning coastal scenery. Following a suggestion from Alice Dye, Pete raised the course so every hole would have an ocean view; that exposure to ocean winds often proves demanding. Club selection can vary widely, making a skilled caddy invaluable. Among many signature holes is the 221‑yard, par‑3 17th—water hugs the front and right of the two‑tiered green while two pot bunkers protect the left.

PHOTO: © KIAWAH ISLAND GOLF RESORT

COUGAR POINT
(6,814 yards, par 72, 134/72.7)

Located at the opposite end of the resort from The Ocean Course, Gary Player’s Cougar Point is exposed to wind but typically less severe than the oceanfront layout. Its scenic appeal comes from interactions with the Kiawah River and marshes rather than ocean vistas. Several holes encounter river and lakeside views, with wetlands often presenting the bigger challenge. The fourth hole, the course’s No. 1 handicap, is a 458‑yard par 4 dogleg right that plays into the wind and features fairway bunkers tucked in the bend. A notable change from Player’s 2017 redesign is the 11th hole, which appeared in The Legend of Bagger Vance.

TURTLE POINT
(6,911 yards, par 72, 134/73.0)
Jack Nicklaus’s 2016 renovation introduced salt‑tolerant paspalum grass across Turtle Point and now the resort’s other courses. The layout touches the ocean on three holes, beginning with No. 14, a downwind 171‑yard par 3 with a central depression that gathers balls. Hole 15, a 375‑yard par 4, presents a strategic choice: attack from the left to a green that slopes away or play right and face a partially blind approach over a dune. The next hole is a 177‑yard par 3 often influenced by ocean winds, occasionally requiring a bold seaward shot that relies on the wind to steer the ball back toward the green.

OSPREY POINT
(6,902 yards, par 72, 135/72.8)
While Osprey Point doesn’t touch the ocean, water features define the routing at nearly every turn. Tom Fazio’s redesign offers generous fairways and inviting greens, but numerous lakes and ponds keep players honest. The ninth hole, a 461‑yard par 4 and the course’s toughest, demands a precise tee shot—a challenging water carry with a bunker strategically placed in the landing area. Missing left risks a bounce into water; playing right leaves a longer approach but a larger green that accommodates run‑up shots.

OAK POINT
(6,701 yards, par 72, 130/71.9)
Clyde Johnston’s Oak Point is the resort’s only inland course on the west side of the Kiawah River. Generally considered the gentlest of the five courses, it still requires thoughtful shot making, with the river, Haulover Creek and other water hazards coming into play on 17 holes. The course is lined with ancient oaks and finishes with a striking par‑4 406‑yard 18th. From the elevated back tee you can see a sweeping panorama of the river and creek. Although there is a tee‑shot water carry, the larger hazard is the marshy area guarding the front and wrapping the right side of the green.