Kiawah

[Greg Tallman]

Harvey:

I wouldn't call the Ocean Course a "Links", but that's not a knock on it as so much because I don't think it tries to be one. It's in a very cool and unique ecosystem which essentially is saddled by low country swamp and the Ocean and it's dunes. Very cool. The course does play pretty F&F and the wind can howl in the afternoons.

Make sure you play the correct tees...too long and it'll be a long day!
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Amen to that. We moved up a set on hole #4. Best decision of the day.

[Mac Plumart]

PU$$IES!!!!

[Greg Tallman]

PU$$IES!!!!

Guilty as charged. If you would like to play it at 7300+ in 45 degree temperatures and 25 MPH wind... knock yourself out. I did not feel like carding a 108 that day. 

[Mac Plumart]

Hell, if I could hit 108 in those conditions from those tees I would be damn proud of myself.

In all honesty, playing the correct tees is the absolute key to playing the course.  I played the Dye tees last time and will again.  I was just being a goof ball with my last post.  PLEASE pay the correct tees...it makes the course great!!

[PCCraig]

PU$$IES!!!!

If you can hit the green from the tips (right foot in the rough) on the 17th in one shot I'll send you $5 cash in the mail.

[Mac Plumart]

Pat...

What the hell...I'll give it a shot!!!  I'll keep you posted.

[Mark Woodger]

i write this on every Kiawah thread but I love the place.

The course, the hotel and the tranquility are all perfect in my eyes. If i could chose anywhere to spend a week in the USA it would be there for a relaxing holiday it would be there.

[PCCraig]

One more tip for Mac and Harvey:

Make sure to visit "The Fat Hen" for some fantastic low country BBQ right off the resort. Great place that I make a point of visiting each time I get down there. Not expensive but really high quality stuff!

[Link Walsh]

I'm going to be there next weekend actually.  We have 36 planned for Yeamans Hall on Saturday and 36 at the Ocean Course on Sunday.  Needless to say, I'm stoked since I've never played either one.

Regarding what tees to play at Kiawah, is there really that much of a difference between the Dye tees and the Ocean tees?  The Dye tees are 6475 and the Ocean tees are 6744.  Personally, the Dye tees seem plenty for me, especially considering how much longer the courses at Bandon played to me than the stated yardage (ocean wind and sea level elevation make a big difference).  I have a feeling my playing partners might want to give the Ocean tees a shot though. 

I think I'll have to give #17 a shot from the tips Sunday afternoon to see if I can accept Pat's challenge.     

[PCCraig]

I'm going to be there next weekend actually.  We have 36 planned for Yeamans Hall on Saturday and 36 at the Ocean Course on Sunday.  Needless to say, I'm stoked since I've never played either one.

Regarding what tees to play at Kiawah, is there really that much of a difference between the Dye tees and the Ocean tees?  The Dye tees are 6475 and the Ocean tees are 6744.  Personally, the Dye tees seem plenty for me, especially considering how much longer the courses at Bandon played to me than the stated yardage (ocean wind and sea level elevation make a big difference).  I have a feeling my playing partners might want to give the Ocean tees a shot though. 

I think I'll have to give #17 a shot from the tips Sunday afternoon to see if I can accept Pat's challenge.     

Hey...I only bet Mac because he indirectly called me a vagina. Joking aside if the wind is slightly up that is the hardest par-3 I've ever played as the margin for success of holding that green is tiny. It's a bail-out left for me and a hope that I can get up and down.

Link: If it's windy or wet for some reason play the 6400 yard tees. If the wind is down or dry then give the 6700 yard tees a try. I say this not knowing your handicap though...

[Link Walsh]

Sounds good.  I think some of it will depend on how well we play the day before... and how hard the wind is blowing.  I think I can at least beat Calcavechia's shot on 17 though

[Harvey Dickens]

I want to see all the course, so I am going to play the tips.............just kidding, I have already decided to play the 6400 tees.

Talked to a young man tonight who just returned from Fighting Joe course. He said they played 7700 yards.....now these guys are early twentysomethings, all college athletes who drop kick their drives 300 yards and he said he was hitting fairway woods into all the par fours....does not sound like fun to me.

[Gary Daughters]

Harvey,

My tip would be:  do not fly the green at #3.

Am I the only one who would prefer to play Yeaman's, CC of Charleston, or Cassique over The Ocean Course?
I just find it as a whole a bit over the top and not really that fun, although I do like many of the individual holes.
My best comparison would be Whistling Straits. I guess I just don't like modern ball busting golf.

My first thought after playing the Ocean Course was I could do it every day forever.  Second thought was I'd surely go crazy.

[Will Spivey]

Kiawah is among my all time favorite destinations.  For the past 10 years my wife and I have vacationed there at least 2x each year.  Like most here I find TOC magical.  At this time of year the heat is certainly an issue.  I'd recommend an early (8 a.m.) tee time, and take bug spray.  One year we christened our round "The Malaria Open."  The bugs were that bad.

Unlike some others here I really do NOT enjoy Turtle Point. I find the 3 "ocean holes" particularly distasteful.  They are small, narrow, short windswept holes, presenting essentially no options.  To me they feel shoehorned in, so the resort could label the course "oceanfront."  I do like Fazio's Osprey Point.  It's quite spread out, which makes walking difficult, but the scenery and wildlife are spectacular.  I enjoy Cougar, and would play it ahead of Turtle.  Oak Point, just outside the front gate used to be a pretty awful course.  I have not played it since the re-do, though I hear it is vastly improved. 

I have also been fortunate enough to play both privates on the island several times.  Cassique is really spectacular, links-style golf, and I would rate it #2 on the island, behind TOC.  River is likewise beautiful, but not quite as interesting as Cassique.  I haven't been back since the clubhouse burned down (tragedy, as it was quite beautiful). 

I would rank the courses on Kiawah as follows:

-TOC
-Cassique (private)
-River (Private)
-Osprey
-Cougar
-Turtle Point
-Oak

I'm embarrassed to say I have not ventured off the island to play any other courses in the area.  We find Kiawah Island to be a magical place, and once we're there we very rarely venture off the island.  As others have said, a cocktail on the porch of the clubhouse of TOC at sunset is a wonderful way to end a day.

[Gary Daughters]

Glad to see I'm not the only Grinch on Turtle Point.  Distasteful is a kind way to describe those "seaside" holes, and the rest is beyond uninspiring.  I would avoid it like... malaria.

[Mac Plumart]

Pat Craig...

Well, I took your challenge.  And you don't owe me $5.  The first time I played The Ocean Course during this trip, the 17th was playing 221 yards.  I went 3 wood, bounced off the back of the green and into the rough behind the green with a downhill lie.  Chipped it to the flag, which was in front of the green and trickled into the front rough (flirted with disaster and the water).  Chipped again, this time to about 1 inch...tapped in...bogey.


HOWEVER, a few days later I played it again.  This time it was playing 260.  Tee in the very back, pin in the very back.  I went driver and hit that green smack dab in the middle and held it.  Of course I missed the birdie putt, but did make par.  Since this was my second time, I don't think you owe me the $5.

Regardless, it was a great lesson in architecture for me.  Playing that shallow green over water from 160 is quite different than playing it between 220 and 260.  Great idea.  Thanks!