See How These 3 Kiawah Island Courses Rank

At the start of each year, golfers around the world look forward to seeing which of their favorite courses have been named a must-play by the industry’s major publications. This year, three Kiawah Island golf courses made the cut in Golfweek’s 2021 Rankings — The Ocean Course, River Course, and Cassique Course. 

See what factors attributed to these rankings and learn more about Kiawah’s top-rated courses. 

How Are Golfweek Courses Rated?

Golfweek’s Course Rankings are published based on several criteria used to determine a course’s standing across several categories which fall under residential, public, and resort courses. A pool of voters rate each course on a scale of 1 to 10 based on playability, scenery, and other unique factors. 

The Ocean Course – No. 9 Best Resort Course

It comes as no surprise that Kiawah’s own Ocean Course has been voted as one of the top 10 resort courses to play. Over the past two decades, The Ocean Course has earned a reputation as a bucket-list course that every golfer should play at least once in their lifetime. It’s known for its playing difficulty and for providing even the most skilled golfers with a challenge. Designed by the influential Pete Dye, this course has been nicknamed as one of his “Dye-abolical” courses, due to its unforgiving and demanding nature. To score well, players must hit consistently and keep mistakes to a minimum — which is much easier said than done.

With over ten seaside holes, The Ocean Course’s natural beauty alone is memorable. The remaining holes are scattered across the Island’s vast marshland, the embodiment of the Lowcountry. Native vegetation and placid lagoons provide natural hazards that also double as scenery, providing a well-rounded, yet truly difficult, playing experience. 

The River Course – No. 38 Best Residential Course

A Tom Fazio masterpiece, the River Course has been selected as the 38th best residential course out of a total of 200 possibilities. As the first course under The Kiawah Island Club, this course has been an Island keystone since 1995 when it first opened to Island residents. Just one year later, the exquisite River Course Clubhouse was built to offer a beautiful space to gather, enjoy fine dining, and partake in special events, all within the Island’s main gates. 

The course itself is on the banks of the Kiawah River and just along the bass pond, a popular spot for casual fishing. Tom Fazio designed the course to include long vistas of towering oak trees and the deep blue waters of the Kiawah River. Here, the par 3s are the major highlights of this course — especially the signature 17th hole. 

As with any golf course on the Island, players are forewarned not to look for stray balls that land near the water, as this area is home to a great deal of wildlife, including the American alligator. However, residents never let the local wildlife keep them from enjoying the game, and instead, choose to embrace the natural wonders of the River Course. 

Cassique Course – No. 40 Best Residential Course

The Cassique Course landed just two spots from the River Course and has been named the 40th best residential golf course. Cassique sits on the other side of the Island, nestled within the amenity-rich Cassique community. This is a links-style course, and one of just two on the Island, that introduces undulating fairways reminiscent of the Scottish Coast. Most notably, this course features exceptionally strong design at every hole, providing a variety of holes that are both scenic and formidable. In fact, the 11th hole is said to have the strongest par 5 in the entire state.

The designer behind the popular Cassique Course is none other than Tom Watson. His vision when designing Cassique and its Clubhouse was to offer residents a course without the “resort” feel, allowing residents to relish in knowing that this gem of a venue was made just for them. 

Luxury Golf Course Real Estate

Kiawah Island residents truly understand just how lucky they are. With three of the country’s best courses in their backyard, it’s easy to understand why luxury homeowners with an interest in golf gravitate to this unrivaled Island. 

Not only are all seven of the Island’s courses a wonderful experience, each Clubhouse and its amenities provide luxury perks that make each resident, or guest, feel well cared for. Discover each golf course and their respective communities, including Ocean Park and Cassique, to see which homes and building opportunities are available to you. Click the button below to view available golf course homes and homesites on Kiawah Island.