Kiawah Island Golf Resort#Ocean Course
{{Short description|Resort in South Carolina, U.S.}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Promotional|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox golf facility
|golf_facility_name = Kiawah Island Golf Resort
|image = Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Kiawah Island, South Carolina.jpg
|image_size = 240
|caption =
|location = Kiawah Island, South Carolina, U.S.
|pushpin_map = USA#USA South Carolina
|pushpin_relief= yes
|map_caption = Location in the United States##Location in South Carolina
|coordinates = {{coord|32|36|34|N|80|05|52|W|display=inline,title}}
|establishment = {{start date and age|1974}}
|type = Resort
|owner = CCA Financial{{Cite web | title = Affiliated Companies | work = CCA Financial | access-date = 2017-10-24 | url = http://www.ccafinancial.com/affiliated-companies/}}
|operator =
|holes = 90
|tournaments ={{plainlist|
PGA Professional Championship (2005)
Senior PGA Championship (2007)
}}
|website = [http://www.kiawahresort.com/ kiawahresort.com]
|course1 = Ocean Course
|designer1 = Pete Dye & Alice Dye
|par1 = 72
|length1 = {{convert|7876|yd}}
|rating1 = 79.1
|record1 =
|course2 = Turtle Point
|designer2 = Jack Nicklaus
|par2 = 72
|length2 = {{convert|6911|yd|m}}
|rating2 = 73
|slope2 = 134
|record2 =
|course3 = Osprey Point
|designer3 = Tom Fazio
|par3 = 72
|length3 = {{convert|6902|yd|m}}
|rating3 = 72.8
|slope3 = 135
|record3 =
|course4 = Oak Point
|designer4 = Clyde Johnston
|par4 = 72
|length4 = {{convert|6701|yd|m}}
|rating4 = 71.9
|slope4 = 130
|course5 = Cougar Point
|designer5 = Gary Player redesigned
|par5 = 72
|length5 = {{convert|6814|yd|m}}
|rating5 = 72.7
|slope5 = 134
|record5 =
}}
Kiawah Island Golf Resort is a resort on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, located along a {{convert|10|mi|adj=on|spell=in}} mix of island and beachfront property approximately {{convert|30|mi|spell=in}} southwest of Charleston.
Opened in May 1974, the resort is home to The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, a Forbes Five-Star{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbestravelguide.com/hotels/charleston-south-carolina/the-sanctuary-at-kiawah-island-golf-resort|title=The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort - Charleston Hotels - Kiawah Island, United States|website=Forbes Travel Guide|language=en|access-date=2020-01-20}}/AAA Five-Diamond{{Cite web|url=https://www.aaa.com/diamonds/diamond-awards|title=AAA Five Diamond and AAA Four Diamond hotels and restaurants listed|website=www.aaa.com|language=en|access-date=2020-01-20}} 255-room hotel and spa. The resort also manages nearly 500 private villas and homes and has more than a dozen restaurants.
Best known for its golf courses, the resort also features the Roy Barth Tennis Center, which has 22 tennis courts and is home to the Barth-Hawtin Tennis Academy.
Golf
Kiawah Island Golf Resort is home to five championship golf courses, most notably The Ocean Course, added in 1991.
=The Ocean Course=
The Ocean Course on Kiawah Island, designed by Pete and Alice Dye, provides players with views of the Atlantic Ocean shoreline and exposes them to the area's strong winds. The Ocean Course has been named one of the best courses in the world by several publications, such as Golf Digest and Golf Magazine. It is also a "Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary" by Audubon International for its design protecting native bird species. {{As of|2010}}, The Ocean Course was rated 25th in Golf Digest's 100 Greatest Golf Courses in America.{{cite journal|url=http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-courses/golf-courses/2009-05/100_greatestgolfcourses |title=America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses/2009-10 |magazine=Golf Digest}}
The Ocean Course is a par 72 course, and from the championship tees, it stretches to {{convert|7876|yd}} with a slope rating of 155 and a course rating of 79.1, the highest in the country according to the United States Golf Association. Because of its large slopes, numerous bunkers, and challenging Bermuda grass, it was named the toughest course in America in 2010 by Golf Digest.{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/thelife/news/story?id=5257611 |title=Field of bad dreams (Nos. 1 to 25) |work=ESPN/Golf Digest |date=June 8, 2010 |access-date=July 24, 2012}}
The Ocean Course was featured in the 2000 film The Legend of Bagger Vance.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1347&dat=20001101&id=wOsSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=b_0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6417,135166 |title=Bagger Vance Shot At Ocean Course |newspaper=Lakeland Ledger |page=C5 |first=Pete |last=Jacobelli |agency=Associated Press |date=November 1, 2000 |access-date=May 3, 2010}} In October 2008, the Ocean Course became the first course to be available to play in the online video game developed by World Golf Tour. Helicopters equipped with cameras and GPS tracking devices were used to photograph and record the entire course to produce a geographically accurate simulation.{{Cite journal |url=https://money.cnn.com/2009/06/11/technology/virtual_golf.fortune/index.htm |title=Golf goes virtual |magazine=Fortune |last=Yen |first=Yi-Wyn |date=June 11, 2009}}
The Ocean Course has hosted several major professional golf tournaments. The course hosted the 1991 Ryder Cup matches, dubbed the "War by the Shore". The United States team won 14½ to 13½. It was also the site of the 2007 Senior PGA Championship, the 2012 PGA Championship, and the 2021 PGA Championship. The Ocean Course was the fourth course to host each of the PGA of America's major championships: the Ryder Cup, the Senior PGA Championship, and the PGA Championship.
=Turtle Point=
Jack Nicklaus designed this course, which is known for its challenging layout, small greens, and tight fairways. This course hosted the 1990 PGA Cup.
=Osprey Point=
This course, designed by Tom Fazio, features water on fifteen of its eighteen holes. It is known for its picturesque and challenging design.
=Oak Point=
Located on the site of an old indigo and cotton plantation, this course is characterized by large fairways, challenging greens, and Scottish-style bunkers. The Kiawah River and Haulover Creek come into play on many holes.
=Cougar Point=
Cougar Point was originally designed by Gary Player and was redesigned in 2017 to lengthen the course and add new greens and bunkers.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.kiawahresort.com/}}
{{Ryder Cup venues |state=collapsed}}
Category:Buildings and structures in Charleston County, South Carolina
Category:Golf clubs and courses designed by Pete Dye
Category:Golf clubs and courses in South Carolina
Category:Resorts in South Carolina
Category:Tourist attractions in Charleston County, South Carolina