While staying at Kiawah my bro in law, Remy, dragged me out to The Ocean Course for what was likely the most expensive game of golf I have ever played. I thought about bailing, but this guy has been dreaming of TOC since his side took a beating in the War on the Shore. I must admit to being interested in how a modern American based archie would treat a piece of property which reputedly has a view of the sea from every hole (a claim I didn't verify). In any case, I thought a Dye contrasted with a Raynor (Yeamans Hall) would make an interesting pair for a trip. The two really couldn't have been much different!
Despite my already surly attitude about the price, I did find quite a bit to like about TOC. #1 had to be the width. I was shocked to find the course so wide and even though we didn't have that much wind I could easily understand why the width was necessary. Beyond nearly every fairway is trouble - often times water or long gnarly rough. One thing I did notice about the width is that it is virtually impossible to create 40-50 yard landing zones without having a favoured side of the fairway. I am not sure why the penny never dropped on this before, but if the greens are at all interesting with wide fairways there must be a favoured side to aim for from the tee. I was also pleasantly surprised by the greens. I was sort of expecting monstrous creations with all sorts of weird shit going on, but this was not the case. For the most part the greens made sense and were not too extreme. Plus, despite having had what looked to be a mild hollow tining the greens were in superb condition - the best I have seen since Nairn - rolling somewhere between 9 and 10. They were quick enough to cause all sorts of trouble from the wrong spots, but not stupid quick.
The 1st starts off rather gently and the second really gets the ball rolling. Play right or go over the trees and have a go at this par 5.
What you can't see from the tee if going for it is this crossing hazard. Additionally, the fairway narrows short of this hazard making holding the short grass a difficult proposition.
The fun continues on #3, a short par 4. The green is beyond the sandy area between the trees. One thing I disliked on this otherwise great hole are the trees left. All they do is discourage guys going for this green. I reckon if the trees were taken out more folks would have a go and perhaps end up in serious trouble anywhere left of the green.
After a conservative layup the player faces a very tricky approach to a sharply raised green which is very narrow from this angle. Interestingly, I really like the tree short of the green. From the tee, it divides the shot. Left layup is the more aggressive line, but one then has the length of the green to work with. Right layup is easier from the tee, but the the player is effectively short-sided. Superb little hole.
The 4th looks innocent enough, but like the 2nd, there is a cross hazard which creates a choice of go for it or layup. Many of the holes offer oodles of room around the greens on what from the tee often seems a very enclosed course despite the long range views. Visually, TOC is very appealing.
The 5th is the first of a very good set of short holes which really lift the quality of TOC. Like Tobacco Road all the sand on the course is treated as waste areas. Despite the required carry, the nose rising from the waste area just right of the flag gives the hole its real interest.
Unfortunately, like a handful of the par 4s, the 6th didn't do much for me. Apart from a few stand out two shotters, the par 4s were only mildly interesting. The par 5 7th wasn't much to my liking either. However, I thought the other par 5s, and this is very unusual for me, were very, very good. #8 is fine par 3 with a green which will feed to a back right hole location
We had one excellent short par 4 with the 3rd and the 9th is a superb long par 4. One wants to keep the tee shot inside the funky looking volcano bunker. This hole is very deceptive from the tee because the fat of the fairway seems to point out right, but there is ample space down the left.
A look at the approach from right of the volcano bunker....strangely this is rough.
The green is one of the trickier ones on the course. It runs away from the fairway and there are shoulders all over the place which kick balls astray.
Now we have a weird situation whereby similar from the practice ground to the 1st, a cart takes you to the 10th tee. I didn't like these interruptions in the least and wondered why the heck with so much land Dye couldn't find a way to start and finish by the house - especially since the 1st isn't anything special. The back 9 was generally more sandy and some holes reminded me a load of Praia Del Rey in Portugal. #10 didn't really thrill me though it is not a bad hole at all. I was a bit deceived that there wasn't a kick in off the right. To be fair, the hole is short enough that a kick in isn't really warranted, but I have become so used to this sort of thing playing older courses in the UK that its almost instinct for me to play away from the flag if I am unsure of what the consequences of failure are if aiming at the flag. The 11th is a lovely par 5 which sort of double doglegs or plays straight - depending on how far one hits it and how aggressive one is. Notice how much room there is left, but the further left one goes the more difficult it is to go for the green.
Not knowing the course, I tried to stick close to the waste area on the left for the second and went a bit too far. I was guessing there was some crap out right that couldn't be seen - I never went over to check it out as I was busy looking for my ball!
Once closer, more is revealed.
This is the sort of situation one can expect if erring left.
The 12th was yet another inexplicably average hole. I have been a bit hard on the two shotters, but the 13th is a corker. One wants to keep as far right as you can even though there is ample space out left.
As is the case with many great holes, one can play safe, but then the next is made that much more difficult. The 13th green bleeds from the high left dune toward the water making approaches from the safe left side of the fairway very difficult.
We now turn around and head for the house from #14 on. This is a great par 3 with a green which feeds back toward a neat chipping hollow to the rear. I say chipping area, but one can putt up the slope. One thing to be careful of is the vastly differing speeds between the fairway and green.
Once again, I think Dye failed to really grab my attention with a par 4. Like many of the others, #15 isn't a bad hole, but it feels like filler. I found it strange that the best angle of approach was from the right rough. I say strange, but the far right is exactly where this hole should have been designed around. It seems to me that this hole was the perfect opportunity to bring the beach into play. Turn the green at a bit more of an angle thereby making the right side close to the beach the ideal driving zone. Perhaps there were environmental reasons which mitigated against this approach, but I find it a dog gone shame that a course can have 18 sea views yet never bring the beach into play.
The remainder of the run home is an odd mix of penal and strategic shots, but in total I think these three holes are very good. It all starts with this spectacular view from the 16th tee.
Perhaps the best par 5 on the course, #16 is a bit unusual. We played a forward tee to make this hole reachable. As on a few holes previously, it was best to hug the inside of the dogleg if one has any notion of going for this green in two.
After a pulled drive one can see the predicament I was left with in trying for this green in two. Its much better to be on the right side where shaping the ball is not a requirement.
I was also deceived by the small size of the green. From the neck in the fairway I thought the green extended way down beyond the front of the left waste area. To make matters worse, going right/long is a long gone daddy. This photo shows how difficult it is from the left waste. That sand is hard packed and a bit wet. I am guessing its a 12 foot rise to get over what is effectively a wall. I think Brent (our man in South Carolina) Hutto, Remy and myself all felt the pain of this waste area.
I was told that if TOC had a signature hole the 17th is it. Curiously I had no memories of this hole nor of any other on the course before my visit. In any case, I really liked this hole because one could bail left rather than taking on a longer carry to the green.
Remy and I were casually walking down the path when Brent and the caddies gave us a sudden sharp warning. We weren't paying attention and I nearly jumped out of my skin in an effort to give this thing some space! Like I said before, there should be laws about this sort of thing.
A look at the green from the 18th tee. Who the heck places a rubbish bin there? The boys in the high office better start paying more attention if they want to keep charging $375 a game. Everything should be perfect with no excuses ever - period.
The stirring finish continued on the last. Once again, it is best to cling to the inside of the dogleg because there is trouble left of the green for those that play safe. I can't recall the last time when I encountered so many doglegs where the play inside was so beneficial.
The approach from the wrong side of the fairway.
A look at the house.
All in all, despite the crazy green fee, I was glad I had a go. The course was definitely better than I expected, but I am not convinced it is one of the top courses in the country. I think the par 4s need to be better and more varied to earn a place near courses like Merion. That said, the 3s and 5s are certainly very good to great with the 7th as the only exception. Kiawah is a tough course to rate. If I was looking at rating on the Doak Scale I think 8 is about right. Despite the heavy price tag, Kiawah is undeniably a great course so lovers of architecture should play it once. 2* 2009
Ciao