Please note that while this article is dated June 2024 (date of the original post), it was updated in December 2024 to include original drone photography.

As I neared high school graduation in the spring of 2002, I had become a decent golfer thanks to a deepening obsession with the game. After hanging up my baseball cleats after my freshman year, I hit the course with passion, building a solid golf game to the point where I could break 80 on a good day.

At that young age, though, golf was essentially just a number on a scorecard, an athletic pursuit that often led to disappointment and frustration when things didn’t go so well on the course. I had yet to appreciate the finer aspects of the game, such as its benefits of exercise, being out in nature and the fascinating subject of golf architecture.

Then, while on spring break with my family, I got the chance to play The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island and my whole outlook on golf changed. I suddenly realized that great course design in a compelling location can take the experience to a whole new level. From that point forward, there was more to the game than the score on my card.

The Ocean Course blew my mind that day, introducing me to Pete Dye’s architectural style on a gorgeous, immaculate property next to the sea. I’ll never forget walking up the 18th that day with waves crashing on the beach within earshot. As I walked off that final green, I knew I had visited a special place, and I wanted to experience more courses like that.

This spring, as I was set to turn 40 within weeks and was once again on a family trip to the Kiawah area, we decided it was finally time to return to The Ocean Course for another round. To say I was excited to experience this great venue again would be a huge understatement. I couldn’t wait to be immersed in the magic of The Ocean Course that had so captivated my golfing spirit as a youngster.

On my bag was Hank McGannon, whom you may remember from his recent article on the caddie experience. Hank was a standout caddie, giving me great reads on the greens and providing all-around great service with a friendly and positive attitude. It was also neat to meet up with a fellow WiscGolfAddict contributor in a different part of the country, and I even got to learn more about Hank’s apparel company, RealGolfers. We’ve kept in touch since the round and I’m looking forward to reviewing RealGolfer’s Jester Diamonds Blue Polo this summer.

If you haven’t read Hank’s article yet, I’d highly recommend it, especially if you plan to take a caddie at a resort course in the near future. Even though I’ve taken caddies on many different occasions, the piece still was a good refresher on how to optimize the experience for both you and your looper. The Ocean Course was the perfect place to walk with a caddie, and Hank undoubtedly saved me several strokes that day while enhancing the overall experience in a big way.

The Ocean Course was a watershed achievement in Pete Dye’s career, a layout that was famously purpose-built for the 1991 Ryder Cup. With noteworthy assistance from his wife, Alice, Dye erected a world-class championship design towards the eastern tip of Kiawah Island, located just southeast of Charleston, South Carolina. The Ocean Course has gone on to host two PGA Championships, proving its mettle as a spectacular layout that can challenge the world’s best.

Despite literally being built for the pros and having a reputation as one of the nation’s toughest courses, The Ocean Course is actually one of the most playable Dye layouts I’ve seen. There’s plenty of trouble in the form of sand, marsh and waste areas, but in true Pete Dye form the hazards often appear more more intimidating than they really are, offering some room to miss laterally. If you select an appropriate set of tees and execute your game, there’s no reason why you can’t have an enjoyable round and post a respectable score.

In my experience, the greens at The Ocean Course present its greatest challenge, running firm and fast with swales, tiers and sections constantly demanding strategic thinking and sound iron play. With winds frequently whipping off the Atlantic, it’s essential to find yourself with optimal angles into greens and to have a savvy ground game.

These are without a doubt the best Pete Dye greens I’ve seen, featuring more strategic principles and interesting contours than anything else I’ve seen in his portfolio. With Hank’s help and my trusty Texas Wedge, though, I was able to navigate these perilous greens complexes successfully for most of the round.

Course Overview

The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island

Kiawah Island, SC

Architect: Pete Dye (1991)

Par 72, 7360/6779/6475/6202/5859/5307 Yards

Course/Slope Rating: 76.8/153, 73.9/148, 72.4/139, 71.1/134, 69.1/132, 66.4/125

Notable Acclaim: Golf Digest #25 Greatest in America/#3 Best U.S. Public/#1 Best in State, Golfweek #14 Best U.S. Modern/#9 Best U.S. Public, Golf.com #62 Best in World, WiscoGolfAddict #2 Best in America

Hole-by-Hole Rundown

Before I get to the course itself, I’d first like to point out the Ocean Course’s marvelous home base. Located right next to the beach with sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean, this is arguably America’s finest setting for a clubhouse and practice area. Even if you’re not there to play the course, the clubhouse patio is a spectacular hangout spot to watch golfers finish on 18 to an ocean backdrop.

The front nine ventures into coastal marshland before briefly encountering the ocean and then heading back into the marsh. This outward loop is a tour of South Carolina’s unique natural lowcountry topography, with ever-present sawgrass, sand and marsh adding to the challenge. Some of the most amazing golf trees I’ve ever seen can also be found on this side of the course, in particular live oaks shaped over the centuries by the coastal winds.

The opening hole is a straightforward, shorter par four that’s a gentle handshake for the average golfer and suits my fade quite well. Even though there’s plenty of room left and right, a big miss off the tee would result in a lost ball, so I’d recommend having a breakfast ball in your back pocket for what’s sure to be a nervous first shot.

Any generosity provided by the opening hole is quickly erased at the second, a double dogleg teeming with trouble. While length isn’t a problem on this shorter par five, every shot through the green requires great precision. With the fairway bending to the left about 240 yards from the middle tee, longer hitters will be tempted to cut the dogleg. The marsh crosses the fairway about 120 yards from the green, requiring a carry either on the second or third shot to an elevated, undulating green guarded by deep bunkers on multiple sides.

The short par four third features one of the toughest greens on site, a small target surrounded by steep runoffs. Longer hitters have the option to cut the dogleg and challenge the green off the tee, but it’s probably wise to lay back and approach with a wedge. We watched our playing partner get eaten up by this green, ultimately picking up for a 10 after several chip shots ran off the surface. It made me feel even better about saving par.

The difficult par 4 fourth plays from one island of grass to another with marsh lurking on all sides. With a waste area crossing the fairway about 230 yards from the middle tees, clubbing down off the tee is advisable despite a total yardage of 400+. It’s a wide target off the tee, though, so finding the fairway should be straightforward to set up a lengthy approach shot to a green flanked by sand to the right.

The fifth is the closest you’ll get to the ocean on the front nine, with the beach only a couple hundred yards away. This par three can play dramatically different depending on the wind conditions, with a sea of sand up the front-left side perfectly positioned to catch mishits. Tee selection is critical here, as the back tees top 200 yards. From the middle tees with little wind, though, I was able to hit 9-iron safely onto the green to set up a routine par.

Standing on the tee of the par four sixth at just one over par, visions of grandeur and a sub-80 round started to creep into my consciousness. That’s usually a recipe for disaster, which definitely was the case here as I pulled my drive left into deep sawgrass. Even worse, I had to take a drop in a waste bunker lining the entire left edge of the fairway, setting the stage for a treacherous third shot.

Even though I was able to salvage a 5 from there, it still seemed like a lost opportunity as the sixth is relatively straightforward, with a wide fairway bending slightly to the left that should be easy to hit. The green complex at the sixth is the main challenge, though, sloping front-to-back with a swale in the middle that will propel low approach shots off the back of the green.

The seventh is a vintage Pete Dye risk-reward par five, first bending around a large waste bunker up the right side. Challenging the sand off the tee is probably worth the risk, especially if you can work the ball left-to-right. The approach is a straightaway shot to a relatively unprotected green, perhaps one of the best birdie opportunities on the whole course.

The par three 8th features yet another elevated, smaller green with sand on three sides framed by specimen live oaks along the marsh. Despite only needing 8 iron on this tee shot, I still succumbed to the challenge of this green complex, leading to a third straight bogey (note to self, don’t get too excited about a good start through only five holes!).

The long par four ninth features sand and marsh lining the left side all the way to the green. It may be tempting to bail out to the right (as I did) but that leaves a tricky approach with mounds and fescue guarding the entrance to the right side of the green. Those who can play a power draw up the left side in rebuke to Dye’s visual deception will be rewarded with an optimal angle of approach.

The acclaimed back nine guides players through rollicking man-made dunes, with marshland bordering the opening four holes before the routing takes a turn up the beach for an exhilerating conclusion. The Ocean Course’s most famous holes can be found on this closing stretch along the Atlantic.

The drama of the back nine kicks off with a getable par four in the 10th. A deep bunker visibly guards the right side but should be an easy carry for most players. Taking on the bunker is the optimal route, as well, given a kicker slope just past it that will propel balls to short wedge range. I wisely took Hank’s advice and ripped a three wood over the bunker into great position. From there, it was an easy short iron and a 15-foot putt to secure my first birdie of the day.

The par five 11th offers another chance to gain ground on the scorecard, reachable in two for longer hitters. Its elevated green is quite tricky, though, with plenty of trouble in the surrounds to penalize an errant approach. I learned that lesson the hard way after chunking a wedge shot and struggling around the green en route to a double bogey.

After a relatively tame start to the back nine, the long par four 12th packs a punch with the marsh infringing on the right edge of the fairway all the way to the green. With large dunes and waste area to the left, this is a demanding, narrow approach shot that’s likely to be tackled from longer distance. After almost finding the marsh off the tee with my trusty slice, I was happy to walk away from this beast with a five.

The 13th features one of the most dramatic tee shots on site, with the back tee box located some 100 feet across the marsh, only accessible via a narrow walking bridge. Hank talked me into playing from this position, even though the middle tees were much further up and did not require a significant carry. Fortunately I picked the perfect time to hit my best drive of the day, ripping a baby cut down the center of the fairway.

The marsh continues to stalk golfers all the way up to the green, making precision essential on the approach. Even though I would still squander a chance at par on the 13th, my drive was still one of the best shots of the day and took a potentially big number out of play on this demanding par four.

The 14th kicks off one of the most spectacular finishes I’ve come across. The first of five holes hugging the Atlantic Ocean, Dye yet again used contours to dial up the challenge of this one-shotter. With a right-to-left orientation and sand in front and to the left, this green has a redan vibe that encourages bailing out to the right. My stock cut was ill-suited for this tee shot, a recipe for a routine bogey.

The journey up the beach continues at the stout par four 15th. Of particular note is a cavernous Dye-esque bunker sternly protecting the left side that I had the dubious honor to play from. Predictably this ended with a double bogey and a serious blemish on an otherwise solid round. An accurate tee shot is essential to ensure safe passage here, but even after finding the short grass a right-to-left shot shape is preferred into this green complex.

The long par five 16th winds through dunes and waste bunkers, requiring three precise shots for anyone hoping to make par. The approach plays over another indimidating sand expanse, so it’s best to get your second shot as close as you can to setup a short wedge in for the heroic shot.

The iconic 17th is famous for the closing drama it produced in the 1991 Ryder Cup as well as the two PGA Championships hosted later. With water from tee to green, this par three could be quite sinister playing from the back tees at 223 yards. I’m no fool, though, and played a more proper set of tees which only required a mid-iron. I was able to take advantage, too, with a well-struck tee shot barely staying dry on the right side of the green. I buried the ensuing 15-footer for a highly memorable birdie.

The closer is a challenging par four that doglegs to the right around a collection of waste bunkers before an uphill approach to a green in plain sight of the clubhouse and ocean. Save your best putt for this spot! It’s a magnificent finish walking up to this green with a “gallery” watching from the clubhouse patio.

Closing Thoughts

Coming into the round, I was excited to see if The Ocean Course would live up to the incredibly high expectations I had established many years ago. Could it be that I just hadn’t yet experienced a great golf course at such a young age and had overrated it in my mind all these years?

In short, absolutely not! This place delivered an unforgettable experience yet again, and many of its strengths that stood out to me the first time – great architecture, challenge paired with playability, immaculate conditions, superb scenery – once again left me floored, and I was aching for another loop after we finished. This is a legitimate U.S. Top 100 course that all golf enthusiasts should visit, even if you’re paying full fare for the greens fees. It’s worth it!

Since this round came together last minute, I wasn’t able to arrange drone photography in time (and special thanks to Kiawah Island Golf Resort for furnishing some of the aerial photos shown earlier), but in November I was able to return to capture the property from the air. The landscape is stunning, to say the least, especially from above where the ocean views are all the more impressive.

Kiawah Island Golf Resort also features four other outstanding 18-hole layouts and world-class hospitality, which could be the subject of an entirely separate article. Suffice to say, though, Kiawah’s crown jewel in The Ocean Course makes it a destination that any golf lover should cherish.

Kiawah Island Golf Resort Website