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Kiawah in July


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Going to Kiawah in mid July, Im assuming hot as can be and humid. 5 days , probably 4 of golf. We have a foursome of guys all 50 years old. Shorts everyday and bring rain gear I would guess. We just decided on Kiawah and haven't been there or done research yet. Any suggestions to which courses to play and or avoid. Plan to head to Charleston a couple of nights for food and drinks as well. Are these courses like Bandon where you keep it low and a lot of bump and runs. Went to Bandon last year and its pretty much stay in golf clothes all day and night while drinking but it appears the resort is pretty upscale, so Im assuming there is a need to bring some nice clothes. I hate bringing too much but don't want to be unprepared either. Any info will help, thanks.

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Ocean course 4x if you can swing it. I haven’t played the others, but I don’t travel down there to play the others. Ocean course is nothing like a true links course. The greens are elevated from the fairway so approach shots are a premium. A lot of the front 9 holes have water behind/near the green so long is dead. If you do miss the green, the ball will likely roll into a collection area and leave you with a funky chip, so you can get creative with putter and putting 3 woods. Play in the morning, it will be less hot and less windy. Get drinks at the clubhouse and watch the sunset. The sanctuary is very nice, and they have multiple restaurants there. Downtown Charleston is about 45 minutes away, so may want to look into a driver or something along those lines to enjoy all the lovely food and drinks the city has to offer. Let me know if you have any other questions. CHS is my favorite city, and OC is my favorite course!

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I recommend playing some of the other courses. Ocean is great, but it can kick your butt. The other tracks are fun and in great shape.

 

It is a serious hike into Charleston from Kiawah. May want to schedule your Charleston stop on the way in/out of town.

 

I believe the Sanctuary restaurant is the only jacket required one. The rest of the clubhouse restaurants cater to golfers and you can get away with jeans and a button up at the Ocean Course steakhouse.

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freshfields village is at the entrance of Kiawah Island...a handful of restaurants and bars there if you do not want to overspend at places within the resort

 

also Bohicket (sp) marina is right there close as you come onto Kiawah. several places to eat there. its a cool little place to stroll around

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Kiawah is excellent, OC is a brute but the Ryder Cup room after helps you appreciate the kicking you just received. Enjoy!

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or 3i: Cobra King Utility 21* (Tour AD DI)
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Live in Charleston, play all 5 resort courseat least once per year each.

- OC is not links style play (despite its links look). Seaside paspalum can get sticky around green and course is designed for aerial attach.

- all of the other courses at excellent. Over last few years, All have been redone in the same paspalum grass as OC...which is a dream , especially fairways.

- Here is my ranking:

1- Ocean, of course

2- Osprey Point- open forgiving layout, lots of fun and beautiful

3- Cougar Point- underrated course, most would rank it below turtle , BUT great layout, awesome views on backside marsh of island. Note they are still building the new Clubhouse, so out of a NICE temp trailer for now.

4- Turtle - kind of tight, Nicklaus small greens. Has a few holes on the ocean, BUT you can’t really see the ocean as they are set behind the dunes, so Meh.

5- Oak - only resort course off island- ny any other standard a fantastic course, but lacks the Kiawah feel a little because it’s not in the gates. Still always in great shape and a fun layout.

- Sanctuary is pretty swank. Probably don’t want to be there in sweaty golf clothes . Golf attire no problem for OC bar. Most restaurants are nicer, so probably want to clean up a bit. Don’t be afraid to use the showers at the courses rather than go back to the hotel/condo if time is tight.

- Charleston is great, but the hour drive may be a momentum killler, especially if just for drinks as there are good enough hang out spots on island. If you are going to Charleston for dinner, maybe worth it if you are a foodie. For me, I would just stay at Kiawah- excellent food drinks all around. I like going on vacanparking the car and not driving till I go home. If staying at resort hotel or condo, they have shuttle that takes you everywhere you need to go on island.

 

Enjoy, it’s truly a special place and first class all around

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Use the shuttle! Park the car when you get to Kiawah and use the free shuttle for everything except going to the Harris Teeter, that is okay to drive to.

Driver: Ping G410 LST (Diamana ZF)
5w:  Titleist TS2 (Ventus Blue)
3H: Titleist 818 H2 (Ventus Blue HB)
or 3i: Cobra King Utility 21* (Tour AD DI)
4-P: PXG 0311T (KBS $-Taper)
Wedges: 51* Edel TRP, 55* Edel DVR, 60* Cally MD5
Putter: PXG Mini Gunboat H

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Also will add - if you are a member at a private club and your pro can arrange- see if you can get on either of the two Kiawah Island Club (private ) courses - Cassique or River Course. Those jump to the top of the list behind Ocean

 

I second this. I caddied at Cassique and River for a short time. If I had to choose one, I'd play Cassique, but they're both amazing.

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I think you are getting much better advice as this thread continues. Started going to Kiawah in 1998 when the Sanctuary didn't even exist. Since 2009 have probably gone at least twice a year.

 

1) Don't limit yourself to just the Ocean Course, yes it is world class, yes it is the best course on the island, however, if the wind is up you will struggle, I don't care how good of a player you are. It is nice to get a break.

2) Osprey, Cougar and Turtle all have slightly different feels. If you are better players, you will love the shot values at Turtle, if you want to have fun and enjoy the scenery, Cougar and Osprey will fit the bill.

3) The River Course and Cassique are spectacular. River is a hard golf course, Cassique is a fun golf course. If you have a contact, play in the afternoon, get showered, have drinks and dinner, you will love it.

4) You are going to a 5 star 5 diamond resort. It doesn't matter which one you go to, food is not cheap, drinks are not cheap. If price matters to you go to Freshfields Village and eat off property. Within 30 minutes of the Sanctuary, you can be at great restaurants, Wild Olive and Fat Hen. Make reservations even in the middle of the week in the Summer.

5) There are two restaurants in the Sanctuary, The Ocean Room which is a steak house and Jasmine Porch. In the Summer I wear slacks and a button down shirt in the Ocean Room, in the winter I wear a sport coat. Jasmine Porch is pretty casual you can wear shorts, just don't come off the golf course with a hat and everything else. Get showered and you will be fine.

6) The Ryder Cup Bar at the ocean course is a must. I always eat lunch there when I play the ocean and normally osprey as well since it is only 10 minutes or so down the road. The Atlantic Room is very good which is also in the Ocean Course Clubhouse. Would use the same dress code for that as The Ocean Room minus the jacket in the winter.

7) All of the other clubhouse restaurants are casual.

8) Charleston is 45 minutes away at least. If we are there for a weekend we go in one night if we are there for 2 weeks in the Summer we go in maybe 3 or 4 nights. It is a tough drive if you don't know where you are going. If you have the means get a car or take Uber, you can enjoy yourself. It is a great food and drink city. If you like craft cocktails go to Gin Joint, amazing!

 

Finally with the ocean course, if you play it multiple times, in your first round look back from every green at the hole you just played. It will show you where you can miss, this best advice I ever received. There is a lot of room out there, it just doesn't look that way from the tee. Second if the wind is up, play one tee box shorter than you think you should. If it is calm play the distance you would play at your home club. Take ego out and the course becomes very fun.

 

If you have any other questions PM me, I am happy to answer.

 

One of my favorite places on earth,

 

Mark

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Seanachai on Johns Island is a nice Irish pub with the owner from The Old Sod. JB’s- BBQ, The Tattooed Moose - food and drink, Wild Olive, Fat Hen, a couple of other places on Johns Island.

As for the golf,

My personal preference:

The Ocean

Cougar (love the redo)

Oak (best bang for the buck in the Lowcountry)

Osprey

Turtle (hate the redo)

As the gentleman above said, If you can get the contacts to get on River and/or Cassique don’t hesitate.

 

Cigars/drinks at sunset a must at the Ocean.

 

And you are correct about the heat and humidity.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just played Kiawah OC a couple weeks ago. We played on a Monday, teed off at 10:00 am. Our caddie, Will was a pretty cool guy, lots of funny stories.

 

We walked the 18 in about 3:45. The winds weren't too bad that day, and according to Will we "got lucky in that we hit a Monday during busy season that wasn't too busy".

 

My buddy and I both really liked it. I hope to get back there in a few years with the wife this time around. She really wants to check out Charleston. I think I'll play OC again, and at least one of the other courses.

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Just returned from Kiawah last Sunday. It was the 15th straight year we’ve taken 8 golfers there; love the place. My thoughts are:

 

Agree with comments ‘hangontight’ & ‘gerdy’ have made. My ranking would be:

1. Osprey

2. Ocean (I know everybody puts it first but, it is a very tough course & I find Osprey a better overall experience; especially #9 & #18.)

3. Cougar

4. Turtle

5. Oak

Agree with course descriptions by ‘hangontight’.

 

Musts are:

1. Play Ocean, walk & use a caddie. I also think Dan is a great caddie (excellent green reader) & a good guy; he caddied for me last week.

2. Have a drink & a meal @ Ryder Cup bar after your round.

3. Have breakfast @ Jasmine Porch

4. Walk on the beach

5. Play Cassique and/or River if you can get on. If you’re a Club Corp member, you can get on Cassique but, it’s very pricey.

6. This is a ‘Must Not’ (for me): don’t go to Charleston unless it’s on the way in or out & for an extra day (or two). It’s just too far & too much of a hassle if you’re on Kiawah for golf.

 

Enjoy yourself; it’s a special place.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I appreciate all the info and advice. Got the tee times booked, we arrive Thursday evening and are staying in Charleston so dinner and cocktails. Friday we Uber it or shuttle to Kiawah, 2:00 Osprey, Sat Ocean course, Sunday open for now my buddies are pansies and probably won't play 5 straight. Monday Cougar, Tuesday Turtle before we fly out tuesday night. I will probably try and guilt them into playing Sunday as well, its not like we are playing 36, although I might guilt them into that as well. If not might head into Charleston, I have no problem hanging at resort like most have said its 5 star and on the beach but one of my buddies is pretty bent on going to Charleston , hopefully Thursday night appeases him. I bought some cigars, and my buddy who is in the booz business has a bottle of Johnny Blue, and says he is working on a bottle of Pappys, so I am pretty excited.

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  • 1 month later...

Mmmmm pappy

just confirmed my buddy has pappy in hand. Technically its the 10 year so not a pappy I was told. I have had the 12 once, doesn't really matter I'm sure its excellent. Im excited and am leaving for sac airport at 3:15 am. Thanks again for info, plan on hitting most if not all the recommended bars and restaurants. Hoping I can talk group into second round at ocean to play 5 straight days.

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If your group is interested in playing 36 in one day you can play one of the other courses as a morning tee time and will get to play ocean course in the afternoon at half price if times are available. I have family that lives on Kiawah and every time I visit I use this to my advantage to play two rounds on their great courses for a better price. If you play the courses like this your total price for the two rounds usually ends up being equal to the price for one round on the ocean course.

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If your group is interested in playing 36 in one day you can play one of the other courses as a morning tee time and will get to play ocean course in the afternoon at half price if times are available. I have family that lives on Kiawah and every time I visit I use this to my advantage to play two rounds on their great courses for a better price. If you play the courses like this your total price for the two rounds usually ends up being equal to the price for one round on the ocean course.

 

We did this exact strategy on our trip but just played 9 on the first course as a warm up.

 

You will enjoy all the courses at Kiawah. Oak course was a bit of a disappointment but all the courses on the island were quality IMO.

 

Enjoy your trip!

 

 

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