Ten holes on the Atlantic, two prevailing winds and a Ryder Cup past.
The Ocean Course sits at the eastern tip of Kiawah Island, a barrier island south of Charleston. It has ten holes along the Atlantic and none set back far from it. It was built in a rush for the 1991 Ryder Cup, which became known as the “War by the Shore”. It hosted the PGA Championship in 2012 and again in 2021, when Phil Mickelson won at 50. The course is open to the public, and Kiawah Island Golf Resort guests get the earliest booking. The wind is part of the experience. Expect a different course depending on which way it blows.
If you are not a resort guest, you can book online or by phone, (843) 266-4670, up to 60 days ahead. If you are staying at the resort, you can book tee times for your whole stay when you reserve your room, and guests pay discounted rates. The busiest periods are mid-March to mid-May and mid-September to Thanksgiving, so book as soon as your window opens. The resort does not publish green fees on its website. Prices vary by season and demand, so check the booking engine or ask for a quote. The course is walking only, except in June, July and August, when carts are allowed for tee times after 10 am.
Pete and Alice Dye designed the course. Alice Dye persuaded Pete to raise the fairways, so you can see the ocean from every hole. The resort says the course has more seaside holes than any other in the Northern Hemisphere, with eight running parallel to the shore. The holes were designed to work in both the prevailing easterly and westerly winds, and the resort reckons the wind can change club choice by up to eight clubs between rounds. Sandy waste areas, not formal bunkers, run alongside many holes. Greens are often raised, with run-offs. The course has a slope of 155 from the back tees, the maximum on the US scale. Most visitors are better off on the forward tees.
This is the easiest course at the resort to walk, and walking with a caddie is the classic way to play it. Bring a carry bag. Pull carts are allowed, but the resort does not rent them. The dress code rules out denim, athletic shorts and shirts without collars or sleeves. Allow time after your round for the clubhouse terrace over the 18th green. In spring and autumn, a morning tee time often avoids the strongest afternoon wind.
Charleston International (CHS) is about 32 to 35 miles away, usually a 45- to 50-minute drive across the Johns Island causeways. CHS connects to most US hubs, and international visitors usually route through Atlanta, Charlotte or New York. You need a car or a pre-booked transfer.
Nearby: 1. Wild Dunes Resort, Links Course (36 km) · 2. Charleston National Golf Club (37 km) · 3. Robert Trent Jones Course, Palmetto Dunes (82 km) · Compare all Charleston & Kiawah Island tee times
The Sanctuary is the resort’s oceanfront hotel, and staying there gives you guest booking priority and guest rates. The resort also rents villas and private homes across the island. Freshfields Village, at the island entrance, has shops and restaurants. Staying in downtown Charleston, about 45 minutes away, gives you the city’s restaurants in the evening, but you lose the resort booking advantage.
The resort has four other courses: Turtle Point (Jack Nicklaus), Osprey Point (Tom Fazio), Cougar Point (Gary Player) and Oak Point. Caddies are available on these when staff allow. Charleston, with its historic peninsula, restaurants and Fort Sumter boat trips, easily fills a rest day. Beachwalker Park, at the island’s western end, is a quiet public beach.
These packages have a confirmed round at Kiawah Island Ocean Course in the itinerary, with the other courses, nights and hotels listed so you can compare like with like.
5 nights self-catering, 4 rounds
Rounds: Robert Trent Jones Course, Palmetto Dunes · Harbour Town Golf Links · Turtle Point or Cougar Point (Kiawah) · The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island
Stay: 3 nights at Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort, 2 at Kiawah Island Golf Resort
Harbour Town and Kiawah’s Ocean Course in one five-night trip, with a forecaddie at Harbour Town and a walking caddie on the Ocean Course.
Prices are Golfbreaks’ published per-person guide prices in US dollars, checked November 2026; your quote depends on dates and group size. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How we work
March to May and October to November are the best months, and the busiest. Summer is hot and humid, which is why carts are allowed after 10 am from June to August. Winter is mild but can be breezy and grey. Hurricane season runs from June to November.
Explore golf by monthYes. Non-resort guests can book up to 60 days ahead, online or by phone. Resort guests can book for the whole stay when they reserve their room, at discounted guest rates.
Mostly. Walking is the rule for most of the year, and the resort calls it the easiest of its courses to walk. In June, July and August, carts are allowed for tee times after 10 am.
Kiawah charges no caddie fee. It recommends a gratuity of US$120 per player for a walking caddie and US$60 per player for a forecaddie, paid to the caddie after the round.
Charleston International (CHS), about 32 to 35 miles away, usually a 45- to 50-minute drive. There is no public transport to the island, so hire a car or book a transfer.
Last checked 4 October 2026. This is an independent planning guide, not a first-hand review or a booking service. Check live availability, access, fees and travel details with the operator before booking. Airport suggestions are starting points for route planning.
How we research our guidesPhoto credits and licencesThe Pacific sets the scene. The little seventh steals the show.
Walking golf, shifting winds, and days measured in rounds.
Home of The Players, and a 17th green that sits alone in the water.
