Charleston
Golf
Report 2026

Greens: Paspalum

Widely regarded as the most difficult resort course in the United States, The Ocean Course stretches along 2.5 miles of Atlantic shoreline on Kiawah Island. Pete Dye designed the layout in 1991 specifically to host the Ryder Cup's infamous 'War by the Shore,' and the course has gone on to host the PGA Championship in both 2012 and 2021. Ten holes border the ocean directly and all 18 are affected by Atlantic winds that can swing scoring by four or more strokes. The course is a walking-only facility outside of summer months and requires caddies for all rounds.

Consistently ranked in the top 5 U.S. resort courses. New championship tees installed ahead of the 2021 PGA Championship can stretch the layout beyond 7,800 yards. Walking-only (caddies required) except June–August after 10 a.m. Access generally restricted to Kiawah Island Resort guests and homeowners.

Greens: Paspalum

Tom Fazio's Osprey Point was completely renovated under his own direction in 2014 and is considered the most playable of Kiawah's five courses while still delivering championship-level challenge. The layout features four par-3s, four par-5s, and ten par-4s ranging from 340 to 461 yards, with four lake systems — most notably Canvasback Pond, which influences the final three holes. Generous fairways and large greens provide forgiveness without sacrificing strategy, and the Lowcountry wetland scenery is among the most beautiful on the island.

Widely considered the best value among Kiawah's resort courses. Available to resort guests and day visitors. Fully renovated Paspalum turf throughout. The par-4 9th (461 yards, handicap #1) is rated the toughest tee shot on the island.

Greens: Paspalum

Jack Nicklaus designed Turtle Point in 1981, and the course underwent a comprehensive nine-month renovation concluded in 2016. Three of its holes front directly on the Atlantic Ocean — among the most memorable oceanfront holes outside of The Ocean Course itself. At 7,061 yards it is the second-longest course on Kiawah Island. The layout mixes inland Lowcountry holes through maritime forest with dramatic oceanside stretches, and the redesign substantially lengthened and modernized the original Nicklaus bones.

One of the older designs on Kiawah Island, with the 2016 renovation restoring its standing as one of the resort's top offerings. Three ocean-side holes remain an extraordinary visual and strategic highlight. Available to Kiawah Island Golf Resort guests.

Greens: Champion Bermuda

Tom Fazio's first solo design as an independent architect, the Links Course at Wild Dunes opened in 1980 to immediate national acclaim and was among the first courses in the world to feature the links aesthetic outside of Scotland. Set on Isle of Palms just 30 minutes from downtown Charleston, the course ends with two of the most photographed holes in Lowcountry golf — the par-3 12th plays over natural dunes with a partially blind tee shot, and the par-3 18th (originally a par-5 before coastal erosion claimed the original closing hole) finishes directly on the Atlantic shoreline. The course was recently refreshed as part of Wild Dunes Resort's $8 million renovation.

Fazio's breakthrough design, consistently ranked among South Carolina's best courses. Hosted USGA championships and Open Final Qualifying. Champion Bermuda greens throughout. Cart included in green fee. Ranked in Golf Digest's Best Courses in South Carolina.

Greens: Champion Bermuda

Added to the Wild Dunes property in 1985, the Harbor Course is a compact and exacting layout where water is in play on every single hole — in the form of ponds, lagoons, saltwater marsh, and stretches of the Intracoastal Waterway. The course underwent a complete $8 million renovation that delivered enlarged greens, pristine Bermuda fairways, and restored bunkering throughout. Six par-3s make it a distinctive design, and the closing stretch along Morgan Creek is considered one of the prettiest finishes in the Lowcountry. Despite measuring only 6,359 yards, tight landing zones and ubiquitous water make it a challenging test at any skill level.

Recognized by Golf Digest as one of South Carolina's best courses. The renovation refreshed bunkers, greens, and drainage throughout. The course is divided into two sections by 41st Avenue, with holes 1–4 and 13–18 on the eastern side and holes 5–12 on the western side. Cart included.

Greens: Bermuda

The only Arnold Palmer Signature course in the Charleston metro area, RiverTowne is set among scenic Lowcountry marshlands in Mount Pleasant with thirteen of its eighteen holes playing alongside the Wando River or Horlbeck Creek. At 7,188 yards from the championship tees with a demanding 74.8 rating and 141 slope, it is one of the longest and most challenging daily-fee courses in the region. The course was awarded 4.5 stars by Golf Digest's Places to Play and was named Charleston Golf Course of the Year in 2015. The combination of tree-lined fairways, multi-tiered Bermuda greens, and river views makes it a standout value in the Charleston market.

4.5-star Golf Digest rating. Hosted LPGA events. Named Charleston Golf Course of the Year 2015. Five sets of tees from 5,089 to 7,188 yards. Driving range, practice facility, and plantation-style clubhouse on-site. Local (tri-county) resident rates available.

Greens: Bermuda

Established in 1929 on 120 acres gifted to the City of Charleston by C. Bissell Jenkins — with the stipulation it remain a municipal course for all — 'The Muni' on James Island is one of the oldest public golf courses in the American South. A sweeping renovation completed in December 2020 by local architect Troy Miller transformed the original layout into a tribute to Golden Age architecture: Miller incorporated Seth Raynor-inspired template holes including a Redan, Eden, Short, Cape, Road, and Punch Bowl — honoring Raynor's own work at Yeamans Hall Club and the Country Club of Charleston just down Maybank Highway. Named 2024 SCGA Golf Club of the Year, it now hosts over 50,000 rounds per year.

2024 SCGA Golf Club of the Year. One of the oldest public courses in the American South, est. 1929. Seth Raynor-inspired renovation by Troy Miller completed Dec. 2020. City residents play for as little as $23 walking. Junior golfers can play free year-round with $30 annual registration. Located on James Island, 10 minutes from downtown Charleston.

Greens: Bermuda

Situated at the foot of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge at the edge of Charleston Harbor, Patriots Point Links is one of the most scenically distinctive public golf courses on the East Coast. Designed by Willard Byrd in 1979, the links-style par-72 layout delivers sweeping views of the Charleston skyline, Fort Sumter, and the busy harbor shipping channel on nearly every hole. The wind sweeping off the harbor is a constant factor and can reshape scoring dramatically from one round to the next. The course's par-3 17th hole — an island green set directly in the harbor with views of Fort Sumter — has been voted Best Par-3 in the Lowcountry and was recognized as South Carolina's Golf Course of the Year in 2001 by the National Golf Course Owners Association.

Named NGCOA South Carolina Course of the Year 2001. The iconic par-3 17th is an island green in the harbor. Four sets of tees from 5,100 to 7,000 yards. Located just 5 minutes from downtown Charleston. Cart included in green fee. Pro shop on-site.