Kiawah Island Golf Resort: Awe-inspiring by nature
Secluded behind a private gate on a barrier island and immersed in natural surroundings, Kiawah Island Golf Resort’s five world-renowned championship courses stand at-the-ready to put your skills to the ultimate test—and deliver the rounds of a lifetime.
The Ocean Course, an American Icon
This fall provides you with the singular opportunity to play The Ocean Course before the pros step onto its storied greens to compete in the 2021 PGA Championship in May. Located at the tranquil eastern end of Kiawah Island, The Ocean Course—one of The Best Courses You Can Play (Golfweek 2020)—has also proudly played host to some of the game’s most indelible moments in the 1991 Ryder Cup and 2012 PGA Championship.
The esteemed Pete Dye designed The Ocean Course to showcase the greatest number of seaside holes in the Northern Hemisphere, with ten hugging the Atlantic and the remaining eight running parallel. Each one delivers commanding views of the sandy shoreline buffeted by rolling surf. Along with these spectacular panoramas comes the Atlantic Ocean’s brisk and unpredictable winds, an inarguably formidable foe.
Osprey Point, Perfectly Picturesque
Noted for its playability, the Tom Fazio–designed Osprey Point takes full advantage of the natural beauty of Kiawah Island as it winds through maritime forest, lagoons and saltwater marsh. Regrassed in Paspalum and fully renovated under Fazio’s direction in 2014, each hole on the course is unique and memorable. Test your mettle against four challenging par-3s, four extremely distinctive par-5s and ten outstanding par-4s ranging in length from 340 to 461 yards. A favorite with Resort guests, Osprey Point consistently receives unparalleled praise for its pristine conditions.
Cougar Point, Savvy Play Prevails
Following an extensive 10-month renovation in tandem with Gary Player Design, Cougar Point reopened in October 2017 to rave reviews—gaining fans among Kiawah Island golfers with its dramatic marsh vistas and superior playability of its Paspalum surfaces. The course’s short and long par-4s, great risk/reward par-5s and par-3s that are both breathtaking and challenging demand that you approach your round with a smart strategy.
Turtle Point, Strategy Over Strength
After a comprehensive nine-month renovation led by Jack Nicklaus and members of his architectural team in 2016, Turtle Point reopened to an enthused golf community. The course features a full regrassing in Paspalum and exemplifies the Nicklaus firm design philosophy to “make the player use his mind ahead of his muscles—to control his emotions sufficiently to really think through his options before drawing a club from the bag.”
Oak Point, a Shotmaker’s Paradise
Proud recipient of the 2019 Charleston Golf Course Owners Association Course of the Year, Oak Point delivers a superior playing surface regrassed in Paspalum, plus greater strategic challenges through a refreshed design, thanks to a full renovation in 2015. Built with the true shotmaker in mind, Oak Point showcases undulating fairways and exacting greens on a meticulously maintained course that favors a thinking approach over raw power.
The greatest names in golf have made their mark on Kiawah Island Golf Resort—both as designers and professional players competing in top-level tournaments. It is no surprise that the most respected experts place these courses at the top of their lists annually. When you are ready to add your own rave reviews to this chorus of accolades, you can take advantage of exclusive stay and play packages offered by the Resort year-round.
