Which five courses should I play in South Carolina next April?

[CLM]

Hi, I am going to be staying in Hilton Head for two weeks in late April. Good lady permitting (non-golfer), I hope to get in five rounds. So which courses should I play? I will pay what I need to pay and will travel at least an hour for a top game of golf. Now I know you guys are going to say I am mad, but I can't imagine travelling from the UK and not paying out to play HT and Kiawah Island's Ocean course. So that leaves three to decide on. I have been scouring the threads on here and I keep reading about the Trent Jones course and Long Cove. I would welcome any advice.

[moonshine]

Glad you are going to SC, my home state! Kiawah is a good clip from HH, just so you know! Long Cove is private, but if you can get on them then play them...Colleton...and don't forget May River. I think you have to stay there to play though.

[CLM]

Thanks Moonshine. I guessed Kiawah to be a 2 1/2 hour drive from HH....but I would regret it if I came all that way and didn't play it.

[GPoppaPump]

If you have the chance or connections to get on The River Course or Cassique on Kiawah (both private) I would highly recommend them (especially Cassique). Both are beautiful and look different from one another. I always found it amazing how all 6 of the courses on the island (and oak point off the island) looked and played different. If I had to rank the Kiawah courses it would be as follows:

Cassique
Ocean Course
River Course
Cougar Point
Osprey Point
Turtle Point
Oak Point

If you intend on playing the Ocean Course and can't play any of the private courses, I think the resort offers a pretty good deal on your replay rate for same day. Note the resort courses are a step down from the Ocean Course, but very enjoyable. I like Cougar Point just cause it suited my eye better. If you have any questions on the Kiawah courses let me know I just played them this April

[CLM]

Thanks for the info on Kiawah. Will certainly play the Ocean and perhaps Cassique.

[HackerDave]

Here are some options.

Ocean Course @ Kiawah Probably 2.5-3 hr drive from HHI
HT
May River
Jones @ Palmetto Dunes
Oldfield (Priv but they do allow outside play)
Cupp @ Palmetto Hall


Privates near HHI
Long Cove
Colleton River
Berkeley Hall
Belfair

[CLM]

Thanks HackerDave. Think I am going to be spoilt for choice!

Regards

Colin

[cottonseed]

You should look into Chechessee Creek which is a Coore & Crenshaw design. It is a private course but I think they are open to outside play these days. Being that you are coming from the UK some of the private clubs will be more receptive to your request, espeically if you have the secretary from your club in the UK make contact with them.

[CLM]

Thanks Cottonseed. Chechessee Creek looks a nice course. Appreciate the tip on getting my club to reach out to the private clubs in SC. Colin

[brownm]

get your club to arrange for play on Secession in Beaufort. Short drive from HH, and your lady can spend the day in Beaufort shopping and meet you for dinner after the round. Great layout at a golf only club, spectacular conditioning and some great marsh holes.

I second the recommendation for Kiawah - River course is actually the nicer of the 2 private courses, but Cassique is one of the more unique layouts you will see.

Played Chechessee last spring, stayed on site and it was fun, but not extremely memorable.

[CLM]

Thanks for your ideas. Plans have changed. I am exchanging my Sun City, South Africa, timeshare, and in the end we couldn't get a place at Hilton Head, so have ended up with a place in Myrtle Beach. That has changed my golf course choices a little. We will still do a two day trip to play Harbour Town and Kiawah Island. So now it's all about finding another 4 or 5 courses within an hour of Myrtle Beach. But it's so hard to choose with so many courses available. Right now my short list includes:
Caledonia Golf - but which course? True Blue or Caledonia?
Barefoot - Love course
Heather Glen
Heathland
Tidewater
Watchesaw

or do you go for a 4 round deal at Barefoot or Legend?

Any thoughts?

Colin

[sabram]

now it's all about finding another 4 or 5 courses within an hour of Myrtle Beach. But it's so hard to choose with so many courses available. Right now my short list includes:

Caledonia Golf - but which course? True Blue or Caledonia?

Barefoot - Love course

Heather Glen

Heathland

Tidewater

Watchesaw

or do you go for a 4 round deal at Barefoot or Legend?

Colin

 

Play both True Blue and Caledonia. They are two of the best near MB, they are quite different from each other, so you'll have some variety, and they are right next to each other so they are convenient.

 

Selecting the next 2 or 3 courses is the more difficult decision. I would play the Dunes Golf & Beach Club. It is a RTJ Sr course, one of his best public access courses and other than TB and Cally, one of my favorites in MB.

 

For my last two I'd consider either Love and Dye at Barefoot or Moorland and Heathland at Legends.

 

Wachesaw Plantation (the private Fazio club... not the public East course, which is not a great choice) and Heather Glen are pleasant courses, but would not be among my top 10 choices to play in MB. One other suggestion is considering play on one of the "marshland" courses. They are a different look than you have in the UK and there are some pretty ones in MB. Consider Rivers Edge, Oyster Bay or Tidewater.

 

Here's a link to photo tours: http://www.flickr.com/photos/golfcoursepix/collections/72157632004669462/

 

 

Caledonia #7 from side of tee box rev by tewiespix, on Flickr

 

 

True Blue #10- par 5 from tee - r by tewiespix, on Flickr

 

 

Barefoot Love #1 from tee by tewiespix, on Flickr

 

 

Barefoot Dye #1 right green side bunkers - by tewiespix, on Flickr

 

 

Dunes Club #10 from tee r by tewiespix, on Flickr

 

 

Moorland #2 from tee by tewiespix, on Flickr

 

 

Heathland #14 approach b by tewiespix, on Flickr

 

 

Rivers Edge #5 rev by tewiespix, on Flickr

[CLM]

Thanks for the advice, and especially for the photos. Colin

[CaddiesFault]

Id recommend playing another course on kiawah if you have the opportunity to be there long enough to play 2 rounds. i may be a little biased b/c i worked there but they have more than 1 great track on the island. jack's turtle point, fazio's osprey point, and player's cougar point are all 4-4.5 star courses. theres 2 private courses on kiawah than id never pass up if i got the opportunity to play also but youll need to know someone to get on those. another charleston area course would be rivertowne, where annika holds her tournament.

on a side note, charleston and kiawah are about 2 hours from hilton head

[CLM]

Thanks CaddieFault. I will give some thought to a second round on Hilton Head. The plan was to drive from Myrtle B to Kiawah early morning, play the Ocean, and then drive on to Hilton Head, stay overnight and then play Harbour Town and drive back to Myrtle B.

To be honest there's just too many great courses and not enough time!

Colin

[kevcav2006]

I was in hilton head over thanksgiving and i would recommend Harbour Town of course and Jones at Palmetto Dunes. I also enjoyed Heron Point but i would not recommend it over the other two or any course at Kiawah.

[CLM]

Thanks KevCav

[sheppy335]

[quote name='CLM' timestamp='1354356443' post='6003795']
Thanks for your ideas. Plans have changed. I am exchanging my Sun City, South Africa, timeshare, and in the end we couldn't get a place at Hilton Head, so have ended up with a place in Myrtle Beach. That has changed my golf course choices a little. We will still do a two day trip to play Harbour Town and Kiawah Island. So now it's all about finding another 4 or 5 courses within an hour of Myrtle Beach. But it's so hard to choose with so many courses available. Right now my short list includes:
Caledonia Golf - but which course? True Blue or Caledonia?
Barefoot - Love course
Heather Glen
Heathland
Tidewater
Watchesaw

or do you go for a 4 round deal at Barefoot or Legend?

Any thoughts?

Colin
[/quote]
I would drop one of the courses and Play Both Caledonia and True Blue they are wicked good. I could make better recommendations by knowing where you are staying at(north or South)?

[CLM]

Hi Sheppy335,

Thanks. I will give some thought to playing both.

The timeshare we will be staying in actually in Surfside Beach.

Colin

[sheppy335]

CLM,
I stay in Surfside every year! Nice place and just out of the busy part but close enough to get to it all. I would stick to central to southern course for travel time. You travel times to Tidewater, Barefoot and Heather Glen will be extensive. Heathland and Caledonia will be not to bad same with Wachesaw. You could add TPC or Pawley's Island.

To get some other opinions and ideas come to this website i belong to www.myrtlebeachgolftalk.com great site that is all about MB golf, were to stay and attractions.

[CLM]

Thanks for this Sheppy335. Other than the overnight trip to play Kiawah and Harbour Town, I hadn't thought about the distances to travel around the area. I will check this out. Cheers. Colin