Slightly OT: Kiawah in August

[CJ Carder]

I'm thinking of taking the wife down to Kiawah in August for Anniversary #2 and would love some recommendations on places to stay, options, etc.  In other words, if you have any comments on going to Kiawah, I'd love to hear them.  I know the nice place to stay is the Sanctuary, but at $500/night, I wanted to see if there was anything on the lower end of the price spectrum.  Definitely want to visit The Ocean Course, but I don't really know much or have any opinion about any of the others.  Thanks!

[JMorgan]

CJ,

Two places I recommend without hesitation are Planters Inn (www.plantersinn.com) in downtown Charleston (about 30 min. drive to Kiawah) and Woodlands Inn in Summerville (about 35-40 min. to the gate), (www.woodlandsinn.com).  If you are a big fan of food and wine, both places will suit well.  Peninsula Grill is one of the best restaurants in Charleston.  At Woodlands Inn, not only is the food extraordinary but the wine list is phenomenal, thanks to the sommelier, Stephanne Peltier.  Personally, I find the price of the Sanctuary prohibitive for what you get in return.   Now the golf on the other hand ... .

[Jerry Kluger]

You should check on packages that include golf and other benefits such as breakfast and spa, etc. - the Sanctuary is a very special place - right on the ocean with a beautiful beach.

[Scott Weersing]

There are nice condos to stay at on Kiawah and that is where I stayed when I visited in 2002. The Ocean Course is one of kind. The other courses are good. I like Turtle Point the best because of a good variety of holes. I wonder how hot it would be in Charleston in August.

[Brent Hutto]

The Sanctuary is indeed a gorgeous facility in an equally gorgeous setting but for my taste (and my wife's) something a bit less posh is preferable. If you want to stay on the Island, as opposed to Charleston or Summerville each of which is charming, then simply rent a one-bedroom condo at the resort. The units themselves are perhaps a bit nicer than the run of the middle at Myrtle Beach or similar but the main advantage is being in the Kiawah Resort setting. I purely love the quietness and Lowcountry feel of all the overhanging trees, Spanish Moss, sea birds and just the general laidback vibe that the place gives off. You'll find the condo units are probably half the cost or less than the Sanctuary and I'd prefer them even if price were no object.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Taking wife to golf resort...in the South...in August...who's got the under on whether there's a 3rd anniversary?

[Brian Cenci]

Whatever you spend is worth it.  I stayed at the Sanctuary in December right on the water and it was perfect.  Never stayed anywhere better and the service was nothing but the best.

Also, for the Ocean Course, whatever it costs is worth it.  You won't find a better set of 18 holes on the water anywhere.  Just an overall great place and worth at least once in your life.  Come on...it is your second anniversary!


-Brian

[George Freeman]

CJ,

I definitely agree that you should stay on Kiawah (or next door at Seabrook Island) if you're planning on playing golf on the resort.  Not only will you be right there (as opposed to 30-40 min if you were in Charleston), I believe you will also get (slightly) discounted rates on some of the courses.  You can probably rent a spacious one/two bedroom condo on Kiawah or Seabrook for $800-1200 for the week, which would be much less expensive than the Sanctuary. 

Definitely play the Ocean Course...at that time of year I believe it will be at its lowest greens fee.  You might want to call ahead and check on the aerification schedule b/c they tend to perform it that time of year.  Also, if you stayed on Seabrook, you would have access to the two fun courses on that island (Ocean Winds & Crooked Oaks).

Even though I don't recommend you stay in Charleston, you should plan on making at least one day trip to the city.  It is one of the most charming cities I have ever visited.

Have fun!

[CJ Carder]

Taking wife to golf resort...in the South...in August...who's got the under on whether there's a 3rd anniversary?

Eh, I'm not that worried.     It was her idea to go there, and besides, we always spend a long weekend in Charleston in July or August every year... just thought we'd head a little further south this year for a change of pace. 

[Jerry Kluger]

Kiawah does not have a whole lot of oceanfront options - if you have a week then you should certainly consider renting a unit in one of the oceanfront buildings - I think there are 2 one bedroom units are reasonable. If you rent through the resort - I think the website is kiawahresort.com - you get reduced rates on golf, shuttle transportaion, and access to the pools.  The best restaurant outside of the Sanctuary is called the Red Sky Grill - it's just before the entrance to Seabrook. I also think that Cougar Point is underrated, and to me, is the second best public course on the island. 

[Gordon Oneil]

Spent a long 4th of July weekend up there (yes it is "up there" when you live in FLA) a couple of years ago.  It was the summer before the Sanctuary opened but you could easily see how magnificent it would be.  And the reviews have done nothing but confirm it.
Stayed in a condo, no different than Innisbruck.  I think spartan is the word.
Played all the courses, good to pretty darn good...but the Ocean Course is even better than advertised, if that's possible.
Played it twice and almost squeezed in an emergency, sure to piss off the family 18.
Word of warning, SC low country, late summer, lucky to get a late afternoon hint of a breeze even out on the Ocean Course... I can't imagine HELL's got anything on Kiawah...!!!
Strictly as far as the weather's concerned.

[ChipRoyce]

Similarly to the Original Poster, my wife and I will be staying on site (cond) at Kiawah this June.

We'll be staying in a condo - does anyone have:
1) Suggested course for a second round after the Ocean Course?
2) Ways to save on greens fees (some sort of package)?

Thanks in advance!
Chip

[jonathan_becker]

Chip,

Unless you can get on Cassique or River, play your second round at the Ocean Course again.  I played on back to back days and got different conditions for each. 

[Brent Hutto]

I'm with Mr. Becker. No doubt the other resort courses are nice places to play but they are by my standards quite expensive and I can't believe any of them hold a candle to the Ocean Course. I'd dig deep and spring for a second go at the Ocean Course. Or do a same-day replay at a modest discount (I believe the replay rate is about half the regular green fee, still $$$).

The only exception would be if some sort of package arrangement offered a net cost of maybe <$100 to play the Fazio course or something as your second round. But at the rack rate they are just not an acceptable value for money proposition in my book.

[PCCraig]

Play the Ocean Course twice

If you can't and want to play another course on the island I would recommend Turtle Point. But then again for a marginal increase in green fees that time of year you get a MUCH better value and golf course IMO. Hope this helps.

[Jerry Kluger]

There is no question that the OC is very special although but be warned that it can be really tough and you should not be discouraged if you do not score well.  Just stand on the 14th tee and take it all in - there aren't many places in the US that can compare. 

My second favorite public course on the island is Cougar Point.  There are some really good holes, especially those along the river.  I have never been a fan of Turtle Point as the holes along the water are uninteresting and just jammed in there to claim that there are ocean front holes.  Osprey has some pretty holes but not much in the way of strategic design. 

If your wife doesn't mind then I would suggest you consider late afternoon golf which is just great along the beach and it is so beautiful that walking along with you can be enjoyable even if you're not a golfer.

[Steve D]

If you elect to rent a condo be sure to check with the rental company about golf.  Some of them have deals on the green fees and I've heard of people getting on the River Course and Cassique through a rental company before.  I've played both Seabrook courses and everything on Kiawah except Cougar Point and Kiawah Island Clubs River course.  The Ocean Course was far and away my favorite.  I'd rather play there twice than any of the other courses I've played on the Island. 

You also might look into trying to play at Yeamans Hall.  Its about an hour away up towards Charleston, but they relax their exclusivity during the dog days of summer and have "Summer Members".  You might be able to get a reciprocal play if you have a club pro that can call them for you.  Just a thought.

Steve
 

[Brent Hutto]

Based on my limited experience (three rounds played over a period of several years plus watching some competition rounds there) I feel that one of the Ocean Course's great features is how well its difficulty scales by simply changing tee boxes. If you feel that you're in for more of a beating than you desire, even if in the middle of the round, just move up one set of tees and I think you'll find the lost-ball and big-number fears will be substantially reduced.

Of course the green complexes will still pick your pocket a stroke at a time no matter what tees you use but tee to green it offers the most flexibility in level of challenge of any course I've played. From a set of tees up around 6,100-6,200 yards some of the scarier tee shots are either with a controllable club in your hand (the 17th for instance) or have minimal forced carries with some amount of bail-out room in play. And the huge waste areas, in which you may take practice swings and ground your club, are less formidable than water hazards or waist-high rough found on many coastal courses.

And for goodness sake if the breeze gets over 20mph keep your ballflight down no matter what it takes!

[George Pazin]

Taking wife to golf resort...in the South...in August...who's got the under on whether there's a 3rd anniversary?

Eh, I'm not that worried.     It was her idea to go there, and besides, we always spend a long weekend in Charleston in July or August every year... just thought we'd head a little further south this year for a change of pace. 

Fwiw, I don't think it is as hot as you'd expect. I was there in late July/early August with my wife back in '03, it wasn't bad at all, probably due to ocean breezes. I'm fairly immune to heat, with my 400 degree oven running all day in the summer at my shop, but my wife is not at all good with heat, and it didn't seem to be particularly tough for her.

We stayed at one of the condo unit Brent describes (Sanctuary was still being finished). It was quite nice, though I get the impression most on here have higher expectations than me.

Re: golf, I've been told the other privates are worth playing, if at all possible.

[Tim Martin]

Stay in the villas for less than half the price of the Sanctuary. But make sure you check out the Sanctuary for a drink because it is one beautiful hotel with plenty of southern charm. Additionally, Tomasso at Turtle Point is a very good italian restaurant in a nice setting. Forget the other courses and play the Ocean Course as many times as your wallet will allow. Drinks out on the porch overlooking the 18th green and the ocean is as good as it gets. Ask the caddies about some of the people they have carried for. They have some great stories. Enjoy.

[CJ Carder]

Taking wife to golf resort...in the South...in August...who's got the under on whether there's a 3rd anniversary?

Eh, I'm not that worried.     It was her idea to go there, and besides, we always spend a long weekend in Charleston in July or August every year... just thought we'd head a little further south this year for a change of pace. 

I about doubled over laughing when I saw this thread pop back up again.  Ironically, there is a 3rd anniversary coming up this August.  Perhaps it's because we decided to go to Savannah instead of Kiawah last August.  Now, with this August being our first with a child and grandparents keeping the child, I'm thinking of springing for Kiawah this year.  So what's the over/under on a 4th anniversary?   

[Sean_A]

Based on my limited experience (three rounds played over a period of several years plus watching some competition rounds there) I feel that one of the Ocean Course's great features is how well its difficulty scales by simply changing tee boxes. If you feel that you're in for more of a beating than you desire, even if in the middle of the round, just move up one set of tees and I think you'll find the lost-ball and big-number fears will be substantially reduced.

Of course the green complexes will still pick your pocket a stroke at a time no matter what tees you use but tee to green it offers the most flexibility in level of challenge of any course I've played. From a set of tees up around 6,100-6,200 yards some of the scarier tee shots are either with a controllable club in your hand (the 17th for instance) or have minimal forced carries with some amount of bail-out room in play. And the huge waste areas, in which you may take practice swings and ground your club, are less formidable than water hazards or waist-high rough found on many coastal courses.

And for goodness sake if the breeze gets over 20mph keep your ballflight down no matter what it takes!

Brent is right.  I think we played the Dye tees at about 6400 yards and moved up on a few holes and it wasn't onerous in a slight breeze of 10-12 mph.  The fairways are pretty wide and if you play safe golf in decent weather it should be a lot of fun.  TOC is probably the best newer course I have played and if you are into playing excellent courses it shouldn't be missed. 

Ciao

[ChipRoyce]

Thanks for all the great suggestions! Will report back on my results
Chip

[Roger Wolfe]

Bag Kiawah... go to Sea Island.  Stay in the Lodge... lounge at the Beach Club... play great, reasonably priced golf on amazing courses... get treated like royalty.  That is their off season and they are hurting... should be able to get some great deals.  It is a breathtaking place.

I dont know why Kiawah rubs me the wrong way, but I live for Sea Island. 

[Mark Manuel]

Rosebanks Farms Cafe is the place for dinner.