Kiawah Island Golf Resort: The Ocean Course

Kiawah Island, SC Public

Overview

Often considered to be the first course designed for a specific event—the 1991 Ryder Cup—this manufactured linksland-meets-lagoons layout might well be Pete Dye’s most diabolical creation. Every hole is edged by sawgrass, every green has tricky slopes, every bunker merges into bordering sand dunes. Strung along nearly three miles of ocean coast, Dye took his wife’s advice and perched fairways and greens so golfers can actually view the Atlantic surf. That also exposes shots and putts to ever-present and sometimes fierce coastal winds. The Ocean Course will forever be linked with Phil Mickelson and his improbable victory at the 2021 PGA Championship.

About

Holes 18
Length 7849
Slope 155
Price $600
Facility Type Public
Year Opened 1991
Designer Pete Dye & Alice Dye

Awards

100 Greatest
100 Greatest Public
Best Courses in Every State

Ranking history:

100 Greatest: Ranked since 1997.
2023-'24 ranking (and previous): 24th.
Highest ranking: 20th, 2015-'16.

100 Greatest Public: Ranked since the inaugural edition in 2003.
2023-'24 ranking: 3rd.
Previous ranking: 4th.
Highest ranking: 3rd, 2015-'18 and current.

Best in State: Ranked first since 2011.

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Panelists

Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists

4.8

100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES

Shot Options
7.8978
Character
8.0567
Challenge
8.2799
Layout Variety
7.8104
Fun
7.4412
Aesthetics
8.1157
Conditioning
7.7114

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