Oddities and Photo Tour at the Ocean Course - Kiawah

[Bryan Izatt]

The 12th continues to the south west and is a longish par 4.  From the middle tees it is a straightaway hole.  From the back tees it is a more awkward angle as the tees are offset to the left of the fairway.  Some new bunkers up the right side of the fairway have recently been added.

Mike Vegis has suggested that this hole can be played as a drivable par 4 for the PGA using one of the forward tees.  It also appears that the water hazard right has been bowed into the fairway in the approach to the green.  That ought to add to the excitement at the PGA for any who try to go for it.

The second half of the fairway runs downhill to the green so it should be easy to drive, or it will play shorter than the yardage if the back tees are used.




The view from the middle tees is pretty inviting except that the landing area is blind.




The second shot from the middle has the trouble lurking all down the right side.




A second shot from the right side provides a more intimidating look as the water encroaches on the line.




The green from short left.




The green from behind.  It is sloped away to the back.

[Matt Kardash]

Second shot on 12 looks more intimidating now with the water more in play.

[Matt Kardash]

What ever happened to the rest of this tour? It just stopped at 12!

[Bryan Izatt]

Sorry, Matt, I've been distracted and am now in FL, far from my picture files.  I'll get it finished towards the weekend.

Now, to the 13th, a devilish mid-length par 4 with Cape-like features.  You must first cross the bridge to the far side of the tidal inlet and are then presented with a diagonal carry across the inlet.  As you go further back on the tee, the more oblique the carry becomes.  don't overcook a fade off the tee as I did (although, arguably ,the caddie gave me a bad line    ).  The bunkers left are reachable.  The hole really calls for a fade.







The second shot is to a kidney shaped green hugging the water with bunkers and dunes protecting the left side.  It also appears that the water has been indented into the fairway short of the green, at least since the aerial was taken.  This is an intimidating shot if there is any kind of crosswind.




The green runs a little bit to the back and narrows towards the rear.  The water is also in play behind the green.

[Jason Topp]

The second hole is one of the better par 5's that I have played anywhere.  Starting with a butt puckering tee shot with Cape Hole characteristics, this hole will grab your attention after the relatively straight forward first.  This hole requires a solidly struck shot of 200 to 280 yards from the tips to make the carry, and a commitment to a line.  Even from the middle tee, it is a daunting carry this early in the round.

I'm sure I have told many this story but I killed a giant bird off the tee on this hole.  It took off from the marsh as I was swinging and my tee shot caught it square in the head. The bird dropped like a rock.  It took me awhile to process what happened because it was so unexpected. 

[Bryan Izatt]

The routing turns back to the northeast with the 14th, a beautiful but testing mid-length par 3.  The table top green is elevated 10 to 12 feet above the surrounds with a bunker left and closely mowed runoffs on all the other sides.  It's all or nothing in hitting the green, there are no backstops or easy bailouts.  Any kind of wind complicates matters.

From the back tee, reputedly the highest point on the island.




The more forward tees give a different, but no less intimidating uphill look.




The closely mowed runoff on the back right of the green.

[Bryan Izatt]

The 15th, a mid-length par 4, continues back toward the clubhouse.  It provides something of a breather hole after a tough stretch from 9 through 14.

The tee shot suggests a fade.




The second shot has a better angle from the right to a smallish green with a waste area left and a grass swale right.




The green from the right side with the local (low country palatial) housing, which is never in play on any hole, in the background.

[Bryan Izatt]

The 16th is a longish par 5 continuing the trek back to the northeast.  The tee shot looks not dissimilar to the 15ht hole, however there is a large waste area right that will capture many drives down the right side.  The right side is the preferred side to set up the second shot.




The waste area is very large and the embankment is abrupt, but the surface is currently hard packed sand.  For amateurs, it presents a tight lie that they may not be able to handle.  For the pros at the PGA, I don't think it will pose much of a challenge at all, unless they are unfortunate enough to be close to the walls.




From the fairway, the difficulty og the second shot becomes obvious.  A waste area intruding from the left must be carried if you're trying to reach the green.  Otherwise a running draw is required.  For most of us, a layup would be prudent.




Closer to the green the nature of the left side waste area is more apparent.  The nasty native grass plants can present a penal situation.

[Bryan Izatt]

The 17th is a long difficult par 3.  This one will, no doubt, provide some interesting times at the PGA.  The furth back you go on the tees, the more difficult the angle becomes.  There is really no place to bail out, unless you like bunker shots back toward the water.




Looking back across the green to the tee and the setting sun.



 

[Bryan Izatt]

The 18th is a longish par 4 that boomerangs from left to right around the dunes.  It's possible to drive it through the fairway left.  The right side of the fairway provides the best angle to the green.




From the far left side, the angle to the green is obstructed by a waste area with native grass plants in it. 




The right side provides a better angle into the green.




From the front of the greens the contours are visible.

[Howard Riefs]

Bryan,

A great tour. Thanks for picking it back up.

Can you also add in the 13th hole, which you accidentally omitted? Love that back tee across the bridge. Thx.

[Bryan Izatt]

Howard,

Yikes, how did I miss that hole.  One of my favorites on the course.  I've added it to post #53.

[Sean_A]

Bryan

I really liked the course and thought it was excellent.  I was, however, surprised by what I thought are some quite indifferent par 4s.  Did you get this sense?

Ciao

[Howard Riefs]

Howard,

Yikes, how did I miss that hole.  One of my favorites on the course.  I've added it to post #53.

Thanks, Bryan. All set.

A favorite memory from my last play of #13 is walking across the bridge to the tees while a 7-foot gator crossed underneath.

... don't overcook a fade off the tee as I did (although, arguably ,the caddie gave me a bad line   ).  

Another westward, back nine hole with the caddie instruction of "your target is the beach club gazebo."

[Bryan Izatt]

Sean,

At the time, I was focused on playing each hole as it came and I don't remember any of them seeming indifferent.  Immediately after the round going back over the course, and recently when I put the photos together, there were a couple of holes that I had to think about to remember.  Those would be #6 and #15.  Not to say that they are bad - maybe just not as memorable as the rest.  I think of them as breather holes.  Two out of 18 is not a bad ratio.  I wonder how many courses, if any, really have all 18 holes as truly memorable and world class.


Howard,

I guess the "gazebo" is the line that all the caddies are trained to use, but to me, from the tee I was on, it looked to be right on the water's edge.  Unfortunately, once it was in my head it was hard to aim further left.  The bunkers left seemed like a better line, but they are probably too close.  Hmmmm, in looking at Google Earth again, they seem to have newer aerials.  I thought I remembered two bunkers to the left, but it appears there is now a cluster of bunkers.  Another recent adjustment for the PGA?

Before:




Now:

[Matt Kardash]

I like the new fairways lines on 13 better on the more recent aerial. The Looks like if you hit your drive just before the bunker cluster you will have a blind shot into the green. Might be a cool feature.