The Ocean Course

A round on The Ocean Course is shaped first by the wind. Alice Dye’s decision to lift the fairways above the dunes means every hole has a coastal outlook, but it also leaves the golfer exposed from the opening tee onwards. Ten holes run alongside the Atlantic at Kiawah Island’s eastern tip, while the remaining eight travel inland on parallel lines. With no dependable prevailing wind, the same shot can call for a radically different club from one day to the next, with changes of up to eight clubs possible between rounds. Pete Dye and Alice Dye’s par 72 layout rewards controlled flight, committed lines and patience around its demanding greens. It has the tournament pedigree to match, having staged the 1991 Ryder Cup, but its lasting challenge is reading the day’s conditions rather than relying on a scorecard plan.

The Ocean Course clubhouse sits by the 14th hole, a 24,000 square foot coastal-cottage building with wraparound porches, low rooflines and ocean-facing space to settle into after golf. The Ryder Cup Bar is the natural place for a post-round drink, while The Atlantic Room serves seafood and has an 80-seat dining room, a 30-seat bar and an outdoor porch for 24 diners beside the water. The resort can combine rounds here with its other championship courses, including Turtle Point and Osprey Point, while nearby villa accommodation ranges from one to four bedrooms for groups who prefer their own base. The course is at 1000 Ocean Course Drive on Kiawah Island, with the clubhouse and its 149 lockers providing a straightforward starting point for each day’s golf.