Cougar Point Golf Course Part 1

The last golf course on the island is Cougar Point.  It looks like Cougar Point is a beautiful course, which will make it a memory for you when you play on the course.  Hole 1 – This hole use to be hard but not it does not beat the player up right off the bat.  There are bunkers on the fairways’ left and right.  Hole 2 – This hole was changed as well since it was relatively easy for players.  Now there are bunkers and water that come into play.  Hole 3 – This hole is a risk/reward hole due to it being switched from two holes to one hole.  Therefore, players need to be careful of the many bunkers and the water that come into play on the course.  Hole 4 – The course becomes more difficult now that it moves into the other holes.  Players need to hit towards the left side of the fairway.  You need to make sure you do not hit too far right since it will make it tougher and the bunker on the right of the green comes into play.  Hole 5 – There is a pond on this hole but it does not come into play much since it is near the tee.  The fairway is fairly wide but you will want to keep your ball on the right side of the fairway.  This is due to tress guarding the left side of the fairway.  Hole 6 – This hole use to be difficult due to the green being small and that it sloped every direction towards the marsh.  But now the green is bigger and it gives players a chance of staying on the green.  Hole 7 – This hole use to be weak but now there is a pond to the left of the green that comes into play.  There are also phantom winds, so watch the treetops when you hit.  You will want to aim your ball to the left to give you room to clear the trees on the course.  Overall it is a pleasing hole for players.  Hole 8 – This hole use to be U-shaped, which made it difficult for players to play on and they did not like it.  Therefore, the course was reshaped and increased playability.  You will want to stay clear of hitting too far right because you will have to hit over a large oak guarding the green.  Hole 9 – This hole looks like a nice one for players.  You will need to watch out for the pond that lines the fairway on the right side.  But it was changed so the balls do not bounce into the water.  That is not fun for players to hit into the water when teeing off.  I hope this helps you on this course since it has been changed from the original course.

Oak Point Golf Course Part 2

The back nine of Oak Point Golf Course looks tough but with these hole-by-hole reviews you will do fantastic.  Hole 10 – The fairway narrows in the landing area of the tee shot.  You need to watch out for the oak tree on the right that can block your shot from that side.  Hole 11 – This hole has bunkers guarding the green for most of the way around it.  There is water in front of the green and on the right of the green.  Hole 12 – There are bunkers that guard the right side of the fairway and there is water on the left side of the fairway.  There is also a bunker guarding the front of the green, which is elevated.  Hole 13 – It looks like you will need to hit with a mid-iron into the green.  You will need to watch out for the pond on the right side of the fairway and the bunkers that are on the left and right side of the green.  Hole 14 – This one is the hardest driving hole on the golf course due to it being tree-lined.  The fairway narrows the farther you hit and you will need to watch out for the lagoon in front of the green.  The bunkers near the green will not come into play unless you are off target.  Hole 15 – It looks like you will need to shot over the water with a mid-to-short iron.  You will need to watch out for the bunker that runs the length of the green just over the water.  The three pot bunkers on the backside of the green do not come into play generally.  Hole 16 – The big hitters can hit past the trouble on this hole.  That includes a fairway bunker on the left and trees on the right if you hit too far.  There is a big bunker on the right side of the green to watch out for.  Hole 17 – This hole can be extremely long, especially playing into the wind.  There is a lagoon on the left side of the fairway to watch out for.  There are also fairway bunkers on the left and right sides of where the second shot landing area is.  There are bunkers and water behind the green.  Hole 18 – It looks like a tough last hole on this course.  There is a marsh in the middle of the fairway.  There are plenty of bunkers that guard the green.  Hopefully, you can do well on the back nine now that you have some knowledge about the holes.

Oak Point Golf Course Part 1

Time for some more golf hole-by-hole reviews at Kiawah Island.  This is going to be the first nine holes of Oak Point Golf Course.  Hole 1 – You need to favor the right side of the fairway due to the trees on the inside can block your second shot.  This is a risk-reward second shot for the better players.  You need to watch out for the water on the left and the bunkers on the right.  Hole 2 – This is a medium-length course with a large green that narrows on the right.  There is a bunker to the right before the green and water on the left.  Hole 3 – Players need to favor the left side of the fairway as to avoid the fairway bunker.  Hole 4 – Players need to favor the right side of this par 5 hole.  Water is on the left side of the fairway and it starts beyond the fairway bunker.  Hole 5 – You need to favor the left side of the fairway because if you hit too far right the trees could block the approach to the green.  There is also the lagoon to watch out far if shots go too far.  Hole 6 – You will want to hit off from the tee to the right of fairway.  But you need to be careful of the fairway narrowing, the bunkers on the left, and the trees on the right.  Hole 7 – This hole is a very difficult one due to the green being long and the narrow green you must hit to.  You will need to watch out for the oak tree on your second shot.  Hole 8 – This hole can be a challenge for players.  It all depends on how you play the hole.  You will need to be careful of the bunkers that guard both left and right sides of the green.  Hole 9 – This hole is relatively short but the wind can play havoc on the players who have miss-hit shots.  If you play into the wind make sure to add two to three clubs depending on the strength.  I hope your front nine holes of Oak Point Golf Course go well due to knowing this knowledge about these holes.

Golf is a sport?

I will mention the other two golf courses in later blogs.  I noticed while looking at the information about the golf courses in Kiawah Island that the golf carts are not allowed during certain periods of the day.  I really think it is a good way for people to get their exercise from walking to the holes on the course instead of riding from hole to hole.  I found a blog that explains how good it is for you to walk the course instead of riding in the cart.  It gives plenty of details about what was done to show that it is better for you to walk golf courses and even mentions an article about the study.  I really found this blog post very interesting since most people do not think that golf is a form of exercising.  This post proves that it is a real sport and that it can help you keep in shape.  You do plenty of walking and lifting your golf bag from hole to hole that it helps you work out.  Golf is put in the moderate to vigorous activity level.  That is pretty impressive to see since we do not think of golf being much of a work out.  I knew that golf was a work out but after reading this blog it really does show you how much of a work out it really can be.  The link to this blog is http://www.bloglovin.com/m/1148575/131124453/a/0/aHR0cCUzQSUyRiUyRmZlZWRwcm94eS5nb29nbGUuY29tJTJGJTdFciUyRmdvbGZzdGlua3MlMkYlN0UzJTJGOHhURlFjTHNmSWclMkZ0cnV0aC1hYm91dC13YWxraW5nLWdvbGYtY291cnNlLmh0bWw.  Even if the golf course offers a golf cart, you should opt for walking the course instead.  You will get to see the beauty of the course and help keep you healthy.

Osprey Point Golf Course Part 2

Here are the details of the back nine hole-by-hole review of Osprey Point Golf Course.  Hole 10 – This hole now plays in the opposite direction of hole one due to the wind now prevailing downward.  You need that wind-assist to make it to the regulation.  There are bunkers that guard the left side of the fairway and there are bunkers that guard the right side of the green.  Hole 11 – Players need to force carry over water to the green.  They need to be careful of the bunker that guards the left front of the green.  Hole 12 – This hole was lengthened to have more hole play for players.  It also made it more difficult to make the green in two.  There are bunkers that guard the left of the green and there is one on the right side of the green as well.  Hole 13 – The fairway was reshaped and the hole was lengthened in 1997.  This made so players would have to play well to get a good score.  But you need to be careful how far you hit it to the right or the left.  There is a bunker that is almost the entire length of the right side of the hole.  And there is a bunker that guards the left side.  Hole 14 – The green was moved back in 1997 to make it more difficult to hit in regulation.  There is a difficult choice for players to either hit their tee shot over the bunker or lay up with a long iron or fairway wood.  There are bunkers that guard the green and be careful of the water that is behind the green.  Hole 15 – The green was enlarged to make it a little bit easier for players.  There is a bunker that runs from tee to green so be careful how you tee off.  Hole 16 – This is tough hole for players due to the tees and green being moved back.  Therefore, two large oaks come into play near the green.  There is also a deep greenside bunker that guards the right side.  Hole 17 – This hole plays into the prevailing wind, which makes it one of the strong finishing holes.  Canvasback Pond runs the length of the left side of the hole.  This makes it demanding for the tee shot.  There are two deep bunkers that protect the right side of the green.  Hole 18 – This is a high risk/reward par-5 that is an impressive, beautiful and tough finishing hole.  Canvasback Pond guards the entire left side of the hole, especially near the green.  Some players feel adventurous but find Canvasback Pond and double bogeys on their scorecards.  If you want to play it safe, you can reach the green in three shots without entering Canvasback Pond.  So enjoy Osprey Point Golf Course by being adventurous or playing it safe out there on the course.

Osprey Point Golf Course Part 1

I will be giving a hole-by-hole review of the Osprey Point Golf Course.  Hole 1- Most resort courses try not to make the first hole too long or too difficult.  The one problem with this hole is that you play into the prevailing wind.  There is a fairway bunker and a greenside bunker on the left to watch out for.  Bogeys are just as common as pars are on this hole.  Hole 2 – It is a risk/reward tee shot.  The fairway has a generous landing are but narrows as it nears the green.  There is a possibility to get a birdie due to playing down the prevailing wind.  Hole 3 – The tee shot must be carried over a salt marsh area.  But local knowledge says a right to left crosswind down the marsh is present but cannot be felt from the protected teeing area.  Hole 4 – This hole plays downwind, which makes players choose from a mid- to long-iron to play with.  Be careful of the bunkers that protect the green both right and left.  Hole 5 – The drive should be played to the left-middle of the fairway.  If you go too far right, the trees will block the second shot.  Hole 6 – This hole is long with a deep, narrow green.  Be careful of the pond and the bunker guarding the left side of the green.  There is a bailout area to the right of the fairway.  Hole 7 – This is a risk/reward hole with a par-4.  It features a large mound that incorporates a fairway bunker that players must negotiate.  But there is a big greenside bunker on the left.  So you get to choose where you want to hit the ball.  Hole 8 – You can make this hole in two depending on how you play the hole.  If you favor the right side, you have a clear shot to the green.  If you do not want to do this hole in two shots you can make your second shot be to the left side of the fairway.  Hole 9 – This hole is the longest and most demanding of the par-4s on this course.  It is a beautiful hole and you have to force carry your ball over water from the tee to the fairway split by a pot bunker.  You can either go left to make is a shorter second hit or go right and use a long iron or a wood to get it to the green.  It is up to you how you play the front nine holes of this course.  The back nine will be explained in the next blog post.

Turtle Point Golf Course Part 2

Here are the details of the back nine holes on Turtle Point.  Hole 10 – Jack Nicklaus changed the way the course moved.  He made it go left to right rather than right to left.  There is a bunker that guards the right side of the landing area.  The green is difficult because if you slightly miss the green it will roll into surrounding areas leaving a difficult up and down.  Hole 11 – This hole is both esthetically and in playability so a great golf hole for players.  There is water that lines the right and trees that guard the approach to the green.  Hole 12 – There is a generous landing area a player must take advantage of due to the hole’s length.  You can use a mid- to long-iron for a good drive.  There is a big oak that comes into play on the front corner of the green and the greenside bunker became smaller.  Hole 13 – For an average player, they can make a fairly long second shot if they do not hit a good drive.  There are bunkers on the hole that do not come into play.  But it makes this hole a challenge to be more accurate to make the green in two.  Hole 14 – This hole is the first ocean hole and it has a very difficult green to hit.  This is due to generally playing down-wind to a very small, tough putting green.  If you miss the green on the left side you will move your ball towards the ocean and that makes it difficult to getting it to the hole.  Hole 15 – Nicklaus made the landing area significantly wider by removing the concrete cart path.  The wind is often blowing in the player’s face or from their left.  That makes this hole very challenging plus the postage-stamp size green does not help either.  Hole 16 – The better players will hit every shot with an 8-iron to 3-iron.  It just depends on the tee location and wind strength.  It is a difficult hole but Nicklaus softened it a bit by having only one front right greenside bunker.  Hole 17 – This is a rewarding hole for the players after surviving the ocean holes.  Players will want to hit their tee shot to the left side of the fairway because trees can block the second shot if too far right.  There are bunkers that guard the small green in the front-right, left, and rear.  Hole 18 – It is a great and difficult hole to finish on.  Players tend to underclub on their drive and have to hit a long- to mid-iron over water to a small green.  But there is a bailout area to the right for the timid players.  The back nine holes sound challenging but you will have a wonderful experience on this course.

Turtle Point Golf Course Part 1

I will talk about Turtle Point Golf Course’s first nine holes in detail.  Hole one – Is not easy but not hard either because it should be the opportunity players get to start the round off well.  You should keep your ball down the right side of the fairway.  This is due to trouble approaching the green from the left, which includes a large oak.  Hole 2 – Any player needs to hit over water to a landing area guarded by three fairway bunkers on the left.  This hole gives you the opportunity to pick up a stroke.  Hole 3 – This hole is a little more difficult that the previous holes.  This is due to having bunkers on both sides of the fairway.  Hole 4 – This hole was redesigned from tee to green.  It features native ornamental grass making it a very esthetically pleasing hole.  Hole 5 – It is a scoring hole for both scratch and average players.  A simple, straightway hole with water coming into play for the average player.  There is not much trouble around the green except a bunker to the left.  Hole 6 – This hole is relatively short but for the better player a driver may not be necessary.  But it they use a driver, they should stay to the right side of the fairway.  The key to this hole is accuracy.  Hole 7 – This hole is a difficult golf hole for the better player as it normally plays into the wind.  Players need to be very accurate due to the bowl shape of the green and bunkers in front and on the left.  The average player can run the ball up between the bunkers.  Hole 8 – The designer Jack Nicklaus lengthened this hole by 30 yards making it extremely difficult to reach.  There are bunkers that guard a lagoon so be careful where you hit your ball.  Hole 9 – This is a hole where phantom wind can really affect a shot.  Even though you do not feel the breeze there is a gap in the houses and trees that funnels the wind in to push most balls to the right.  You need to be careful how far you hit your shot.  If you hit too far left, you will be shaping your shot around a large oak.  Sounds like an interesting front nine holes for you to play on.

Ocean Course Part 2

Here are the details of the back nine holes of Ocean Course.  Hole 10 – Pete Dye comments that better players can hit driver and short irons and might get a birdie.  It is the reverse direction of hole one.  Local knowledge comments that it is a solid golf hole.  Another risk/reward hole as well but if you can avoid the bunker it can be very rewarding.  Hole 11 – Pete Dye mentions that there are sand dunes on the right that are very severe.  But if you miss those you have a good chance of getting a strong par 5.  Local knowledge mentions that it is a lot of risk/reward to get a good par-5.  Also that Pete Dye changed the transition area to give the average player a better chance to recover if the ball gets sliced.  Hole 12 – Pete Dye says it is a wide fairway but if you miss it right or left it can be a disaster.  You need to carry your second shot to the green, as there are undulations in front of the green, which makes it a bump and run tricky.  Local knowledge says the previous two hole are birdie opportunities well this hole is not.  The second shot is key on this hole.  Hole 13 – Pete Dye indicates that there are two different holes here. The first tee is 470 yards back and has a landing area that is very wide. The second tee is about 400 yards with a very narrow landing area.  You might get timid and hit an iron off this tee.  Local knowledge indicates that it is another risk/reward drive.  On the green there is water to the right and bunkers to the left.  Hole 14 – Pete Dye says that this hole is a change of pace with the wind.  This hole will make you think due to heading back eastward and the change of wind.  Local knowledge says this is one of the most dynamic ocean views on the course.  But it can be nerve-wracking due to an elevated, table-top green with trouble nearly everywhere.  Hole 15 – Pete Dye mentions that there are two tees at this hole just like hole 13.  Sounds like you can play it long or short with an iron.  Local knowledge mentions that it is a good, solid, straight up golf hole with a big landing area on a fairly short, par-4.  Hole 16 – Pete Dye indicates that it is long but the fairway is very wide.  The advantage is to play down the right side and have a panorama of the second shot.  Local knowledge indicates it is another good risk/reward hole that players can reach in two.  Hole 17 – Pete Dye comments the tee shot is all carry over water and a very demanding par 3.  Local knowledge comments that players will be on the back tee to see what Ryder Cup players had to face, especially on windy days.  But wind does play a big part in strategy for this hole.  Hole 18 – Pete Dye says you are teeing of the original sand dunes along the beach.  This hole must be played left to right because of the dunes on the right.  Local knowledge says that it is a great finishing hole.  Many believe that its redesign makes it the best and toughest hole on the golf course.  Sounds like an amazing golf course for you to play on. Go check it out while you stay on Kiawah Island.

Ocean Course Part 1

I will be talking about the different golf courses on Kiawah Island in detail.  I mentioned the golf courses in my early post called Golf Courses of Kiawah Island.  Today I will be talking about The Ocean Course, which is located on the eastern-most end of Kiawah Island.  There are two different comments on the course of each hole.  They are Pete Dye, who designed the course and the local knowledge.  I will go hole by hole of what Pete Dye says and the local knowledge.  Hole 1 – Pete Dye says that this is the farthest hole away from the ocean and that it is as open as possible off the tee.  The better players will hit driver and 8 or 9 iron.  It should be an easy starting hole.  Local knowledge says it is one of the easiest holes on the course.  The left side of the fairway gives the best angle into the green.  Hole 2 – Pete Dye says that this could be a difficult hole for guests due to the two crossings over marshes.  Even though there is no water around the green just sand, a good player has a wide-open fairway.  Local knowledge says it is a very good risk/reward hole.  Sounds like you could do well or not so well on this hole.  It all depends on your hits.  Hole 3 – Pete Dye mentions it is one of the most unusual holes on the course.  He also says it is probably one of the widest fairways on the course.  Local knowledge mentions that is the most outstanding hole for its elevated, tabletop green.  Also your positioning for your drive is very important.  Hole 4 – Pete Dye says players will have to let it fly since it is a longer fairway.  Local knowledge says it is just a hard hole.  You need a good drive for a chance to reach the green in tow.  Hole 5 – Pete Dye mentions that the green is big that it is really two greens.  The wind is the only factor into this hole.  Local knowledge mentions that it is a great strategic hole.  There can be as much as a 3 to 4 club difference depending upon pin location.  Hole 6 – Pete Dye references that this is the most demanding driving hole and has sand on both sides.  Local knowledge references that most of the holes place a premium on driving but the hardest part of this hole is the second shot.  Hole 7 – Pete Dye indicates that the wind is a huge factor because you can lose a shot.  The green has no change in elevation and there is a major dip in it.  Local knowledge indicates that it can be hard or easy depending on the way the wind is blowing.  Hole 8 – Pete Dye points out that is can be easy or a nightmare due to the wind.  Local knowledge points out that it is a tough risk/reward hole depending on the pin placement.  It is a teaser hole because players want to hit it long and there is no reason to.  Hole 9 – Pete Dye says that the better players will try to hit a roper because of the way the hole is set up.  You could use either a driver, 7-iron in the downwind or into the wind it could be a driver, long iron.  Local knowledge says another hard hole no matter how you slice it.  The drive position is key for this hole.  I will talk about the other nine holes in the next blog.

More Nature!

I mentioned in my last blog about activities you can do while on the island.  I talked about nature well there is more to be explored while on Kiawah Island.  The town of Kiawah Island takes an active role in managing the natural resources on the island.  There are deer, bobcats, gray foxes, raccoons, river otters, and ospreys that can be seen on Kiawah Island.  A full-time wildlife biologist and an assistant wildlife biologist manage this wildlife.  The heart of the Resort’s Nature Program is the Heron Park Nature Center.  It opens daily at 8:30 am located in the Night Heron Park adjacent to the pool and the Night Heron Pavilion.  You can get information about the different activities or to make reservations for nature tours and programs.  There are exhibits of the local wildlife, interactive displays and information about the ecosystems that comprise Kiawah Island.  There are Resort Naturalists and staff that are on hand to answer questions that you may have about the nature at Kiawah Island.  There is also a link to show you what wildlife sightings biologists have made.  The link is http://www.kiawahresort.com/recreation/wildlife-as-we-see-it.php.  It is amazing to see what they have spotted on the island.  They have seen hummingbirds, seagulls, Atlantic Pearl Oysters, and many other kinds of birds.  You should check out that link because it is very interesting to see what they have spotted.  Since the wildlife and vegetation are getting rare to see along the Atlantic coast, there is a non-profit organization called Kiawah Conservancy.  They are preserving and researching the coastal maritime forests and wildlife.  They are helpful because they keep the area in top condition so you can enjoy the beautiful nature of Kiawah Island.

Nature Anyone?

You can never go wrong on a vacation with a bike ride and seeing nature.  There are thirty plus miles of asphalted bike paths on Kiawah Island.  This is the best way to tour the island since it starts at one end of the island and runs alongside the main parkway.  It is mostly set back in the trees away from the parkway but still a beautiful site.  You can also ride along the hard-packed sand for ten miles with little effort on your ride.  Just make sure you get back on the bike trail when you reach a boardwalk at the other end.  They have a new bike path that leads out to the Freshfields shopping center.  So you do not have to drive to the shopping center.  You can explore the golf courses but make sure to do that when it is late afternoon or evening when the courses are closed.  You do not want to get hit by a golf ball while riding your bike.  There is the “Burley” trailers and baskets you can rent.  The “Burley” is for younger members and it can connect to any of the adult bikes.  The baskets are for when you need to carry groceries back from the shopping center.  Then there are the nature activities you can go on.  You can learn about Logger Head Turtles at the Nature Center in Night Heron Park.  There are two towers that over look the marsh of the island.  The first one is Marsh View Tower, which overlooks Cougar Point golf course and the marsh.  The second one is Marsh Island Tower, which overlooks the boardwalk and marsh.  You can go canoeing and kayaking either on a tour or family kayaking.  Now I saw people kayaking while I stayed on the island and it sure looked tough.  But I am sure they had a wonderful time.  You can have a wonderful time either on a bike ride or exploring nature while staying on Kiawah Island.

Photography

Even though there are many activities you can do during your say at Kiawah Island.  You could have your family photos taken on the beach or in the historical downtown area of Charleston, South Carolina.  I will give you details of three photographers you can go to while you stay on the island.  The first is Photographics portraits, which is located on Kiawah Island.  They will take photos of children, families, reunions, couples, special events, weddings, and corporate functions.  Their sessions include an hour of photography, an online album to look at, and a CD of the session.  You will get quality photos from them.  The second photography is Tammy Bevins Photography.  She is located just outside of Charleston, South Carolina where her studio is.  She will go to locations to take photos of families on the beach, high school seniors, children, and weddings.  She will work with you and your budget to make you satisfied.  The last place that I will mention is Chris & Cami Photography.  They are located in Charleston, South Carolina.  They offer hour sessions or half an hour sessions, which includes online photo gallery and color or black and white photos.  They do portraits, families, reunions, company parties, and weddings.  All three of these photographers are amazing.  Their photos look beautiful and you will be pleased with the ending product of your family photos taken on a wonderful vacation.  You will want to remember those fun times you had as a family at Kiawah Island.