I had the pleasure of playing the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island late last year. It was my 2nd visit, the first being way back in 1997, I think. Some things have changed. Now there is a big clubhouse, and the course seems a bit polished; I remember it being more rugged the first time around. Currently some faces to waste bunkers are being grassed, and a defined rough-line has been put down in preparation for the 2012 US PGA.
Here is the routing, with the front nine heading out east from the clubhouse, then back to the west for the back nine.
![](http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/OceanCourse/ocean_course_routing.jpg)
#1. Par 4 (395 yards from the 'tournament' tees on the scorecard).
![](http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/OceanCourse/hole1diagram.jpg)
Trouble right off the tee and all the way down, really, and water in play with a wayward approach shot right and long.
![](http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/OceanCourse/1a.jpg)
Approach shot view and from behind the green:
![](http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/OceanCourse/1b.jpg)
![](http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/OceanCourse/1c.jpg)
#2. Par 5 (543 yards).
![](http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/OceanCourse/hole2diagram.jpg)
Here you want to choose your line off the tee carefully! Longer hitters can go further left. I find this to be a very challenging hole; I'm curious to see how the big bangers in 2012 play it. I'm guessing for guys like Bubba and Dustin, this is a green light special! Although I wonder if there is another tee box available. . .
![](http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/OceanCourse/2a.jpg)
If you play it safer on your drive to the right, a lay-up short of the hazard is probably in order, the farther left the better to get at a difficult, elevated green:
![](http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/OceanCourse/2b.jpg)
Some beautiful trees at the OC, as these below (which I think have to be carried for the long hitters to basically turn this par 5 into a two shot hole):
![](http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/OceanCourse/2c.jpg)
3rd shot view (although not as far left as preferred):
![](http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/OceanCourse/2d.jpg)
From just short of the green showing how it is elevated a few feet:
![](http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/OceanCourse/2e.jpg)
The green is bunkered pretty well too:
![](http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/OceanCourse/2f.jpg)
![](http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/OceanCourse/2g.jpg)
#3. Par 4 (390 yards).
![](http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/OceanCourse/hole1diagram.jpg)
This little dogleg-left can lead to many golfers ending up picking up on the hole! The green is small and elevated and requires a precise shot to hold. In windy conditions, particularly if downwind, this can be a devil to hold, then also tough to get up-and-down.
![](http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/OceanCourse/3a.jpg)
A good tee shot ending up in the middle of the fw say 125 out leaves this view, but I think busting it farther on to the right leaves the best angle in:
![](http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/OceanCourse/3b.jpg)
A look back down the left part of the fw from the back of this smallish, green:
![](http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/OceanCourse/3c.jpg)
Over the green is no bargain with a hazard in play, as this shot while walking to the next tee shows:
![](http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/OceanCourse/3d.jpg)
That's all for now folks! More later, but the Iggles game will be starting soon.