The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island SC
The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island SC Highlights
The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort was built by Pete Dye for the 1991 Ryder Cup, and though The Ocean Course was somewhat controversial with what was up until that point the most mammoth amount of sand ever seen on a golf course, what an event that was as The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island did not disappoint. Who could forget the famous “War by the Shore” with Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal performing their heroics for Europe but not being able to hold off the home USA squad who weren’t able to claim the Ryder Cup until Bernhard Langer barely missed a 6-footer, the most pressure-packed putt in the history of the Ryder Cup, on the Ocean Course at Kiawah’s 18th green in the very last match! What The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island has accomplished since though is just as memorable in a different way because Pete Dye’s amazing creation here at The Ocean Course has defied the original naysayers and The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island has more than stood the test of time! Appreciated and loved and admired more and more with every passing year, The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island memorably hosted the 2012 PGA Championship won in smashing style by Rory McIlroy and The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island is on the docket again for the PGA in 2012. The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island resort is now the Atlantic Coast’s “once-in-a-lifetime” seaside golf destination and every golfer must make the effort to get here and play it. Once they do, they won’t believe the challenge. It’s a bit jarring to see how The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island’s fairways run at a higher level than the bunkers, if you miss the fairway at The Ocean Course you will likely have to take some stairs in order to retrieve your ball. Pete Dye raised greens at The Ocean Course as well and even those rare approach shots which only require a wedge or short island will leave you quaking in your softspikes. There are almost too many highlights on The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island to mention individually but the par-3 holes really stand out. The 5th hole on The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island is right by the beach with nothing but sand separately tee and green it is the hole that in our opinion best defines the entire Atlantic Coast! The par-3 14th is really special as well on The Ocean Course, from the back tee this can be nearly a driver hit the other way to another raised green, nearly from the Kiawah Island Ocean Club at the farthest point from the clubhouse on the back nine, nicely angled so that the Atlantic is both the back-drop and the hazard to the right. Then there’s the story of the 17th on Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course, thought to be the most severe par-3 in golf when first built for the 1991 Ryder Cup. Just ask poor Mark Calcavecchia who lost the last four holes of his 1991 singles match against Colin Montgomerie. Still 2 up with two to play, and with Monty already in the water fronting the 17th, Calc sadly hit a near-shank himself into the drink. Still with a chance to halve the hole (with double-bogey!) and win the match, Calcavecchia missed a 2-footer. He went on to lose the 18th and, thinking he had cost the USA the match, went to the beach and cried. It’s a poignant moment and thankfully the USA team gave him redemption later in the day! The holes along the ocean are not the only memorable ones on The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, the entire course is unforgettable and the most difficult hole of all might be the par-4 13th playing hard by the Kiawah River. A round on The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island doesn’t do justice to the word “unforgettable”, your golfing travels are not complete until you have played here!
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