Few destinations earn their reputation on the course the way Kiawah Island does. This is the guide we share with our own guests at Kiawah Island Luxury Rentals, built for those who plan a trip around the tee sheet and expect everything else to match.
Every layout worth playing, both members-only Club courses, signature holes, current pricing, and the details that separate a good round from one you will talk about for years. Nothing more, nothing less.
A Quick Look at Golf on Kiawah Island
Before we get into individual layouts, a few things worth knowing.
Kiawah Island has seven golf courses total: five operated by the Kiawah Island Golf Resort and open to the public, plus two private courses inside the Kiawah Island Club. All seven sit within a few minutes’ drive of each other, which is unusual for a destination of this caliber. You can play a different signature course every day for a week without leaving the island.
The five public courses, ranked roughly by difficulty, are: the Ocean Course, Turtle Point, Osprey Point, Cougar Point, and Oak Point. The two private members-only courses are Cassique (Tom Watson, his first design) and the River Course (Tom Fazio).
Booking note: non-resort guests can reserve tee times no sooner than 60 days out by calling (800) 576-1570. Resort and rental guests can usually book farther in advance, which matters more than people realize, especially for the Ocean Course in shoulder season.
The Public Golf Courses in Kiawah Island SC
The Ocean Course
The Ocean Course is the headliner, and it earns every bit of it. Pete and Alice Dye finished it in 1991 for the Ryder Cup’s famous “War by the Shore,” and it has held a place among America’s greatest public courses ever since. It carries the highest USGA course rating in the country, with ten of eighteen holes pressed against the Atlantic.
This is a serious test that rewards preparation and punishes complacency. Bring a caddie, trust the read on every approach, and let the scenery do the rest.
- Designer: Pete Dye, 1991
- Rating: 4.8 stars (264 reviews on Google)
- Address: 1000 Ocean Course Dr, Kiawah Island, SC 29455
- Phone: (800) 654-2924
- Hours: 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM daily
- Green fees: approximately $200 to $600 depending on season
- Walking-only September through May; carts allowed after 10 AM in summer with a forecaddie
- Caddies are included in the price (a hidden value most resort courses charge extra for)
- View on Google Maps
Insider tip: the clubhouse Adirondack chairs overlooking the beach are arguably the best free seat in golf. Arrive early or stay late. If you book a morning round at one of the other resort courses, you can sometimes snag a $225 replay rate on the Ocean Course in the afternoon, a savings of several hundred dollars.
Turtle Point
Jack Nicklaus designed Turtle Point in 1981, and the routing is classic Nicklaus: rewards the player who thinks before swinging, with a back nine that pushes you into the dunes. Holes 14, 15, and 16 run directly along the Atlantic, and on a clear morning those three are reason enough to be here. The course sits at par 72, 7,061 yards, with a 73.4 rating.
This is also the course where guests most often spot loggerhead nests in season, the small wild moments that the resort courses on Kiawah are quietly known for. A recent player wrote that “the layout is wide open, giving you the chance to be aggressive off the tee without constantly punishing you for it” and called the conditions “top tier.”
- Designer: Jack Nicklaus, 1981
- Rating: 4.7 stars (502 reviews on Google)
- Address: 1 Turtle Point Ln, Kiawah Island, SC 29455
- Phone: (843) 266-4050
- Hours: 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM daily
- Green fees: approximately $150 to $300
- Signature stretch: holes 14, 15, and 16 along the Atlantic
- View on Google Maps
Insider tip: the 2029 Girls and Boys Junior PGA Championships are scheduled for Turtle Point and the Ocean Course, so expect course conditions to keep climbing as the resort prepares.
Osprey Point
Tom Fazio’s 1988 Osprey Point is the most “scenic on every shot” course on the island. Four lakes, marsh views, and serpentine fairways carved through maritime forest. It plays at par 72 with multiple tee options and is widely considered the most photogenic of the resort layouts. The course was recently renovated with fresh Paspalum grass, rebuilt bunkers, laser-leveled tee boxes, and upgraded irrigation, and the difference shows.
A frequent visitor described it as “amazing… in immaculate shape, even for the end of winter,” and called out the way the course “provides a lot of challenge, and provides no ounce of gimmicks.”
- Designer: Tom Fazio, 1988
- Rating: 4.7 stars (248 reviews on Google)
- Address: 700 Governors Dr, Kiawah Island, SC 29455
- Phone: (843) 266-4640
- Hours: 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM daily
- Green fees: approximately $200 to $400
- Standout feature: four lakes and marsh views threaded through every nine
- View on Google Maps
Insider tip: Osprey Point is the easiest of the resort courses to walk, especially if you start before 9 AM in cooler months. The marsh light at sunrise is worth the early alarm.
Cougar Point
Redesigned by Gary Player and rebuilt top to bottom in 2017, Cougar Point is the most playable course on the island. That is not a synonym for easy. Par 72 over 6,875 yards with full carries over tidal creek and marsh keeps it honest, but the layout rewards smart golf without punishing every miss.
The 2017 renovation brought a new clubhouse, fresh greens and tees, and a refurbished irrigation system that keeps the course in exceptional condition year round. The marsh views here are among the most scenic on the island, making it as rewarding to walk as it is to play.
- Designer: Gary Player (renovated 2017)
- Rating: 4.6 stars (273 reviews on Google)
- Address: 12 Kiawah Beach Dr, Kiawah Island, SC 29455
- Phone: (800) 576-1570
- Hours: 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM daily
- Green fees: approximately $150 to $300
- What stands out: marsh and tidal creek views on the back nine
- View on Google Maps
Insider tip: Cougar Point is the smart pick if you have a mixed group with different handicap levels. The forward tees are genuinely playable, and the views give the higher-handicap players a great experience even on a tough swing day.
Oak Point
Oak Point sits a short drive off the island in Hope Plantation, and locals call it the “shotmaker’s course.” Clyde Johnston’s 1989 design rewards strategy over distance. Five par 3s and five par 5s mean roughly half the round is non-standard, which forces every player to think about angles. Almost every hole is framed by maritime forest, with marsh views on the back side that visitors call breathtaking.
A recent visitor wrote: “The course is meticulously maintained, with a stunning layout that challenges your game while still being fun and enjoyable. The marshland views and natural scenery are breathtaking. It is the kind of course where you stop to take in your surroundings, no matter how your game is going.”
- Designer: Clyde Johnston, 1989
- Rating: 4.7 stars (196 reviews on Google)
- Address: 4394 Hope Plantation Dr, Johns Island, SC 29455
- Phone: (843) 266-4100
- Hours: 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM daily
- Green fees: typically the most affordable of the Kiawah resort courses
- What stands out: Scottish links and Lowcountry hybrid feel, low traffic mid-week
- View on Google Maps
Insider tip: Oak Point is technically off-island in Hope Plantation, but it is part of the Kiawah Island Golf Resort family and counts toward replay rates. Pair a morning at Oak Point with an afternoon replay at Turtle Point or Cougar Point for two rounds at a meaningful discount.
The Private Kiawah Island Club Courses
Two of the most acclaimed golf courses in Kiawah Island SC are members-only at the Kiawah Island Club. Public play is not available, but if you are a guest of a member, or your luxury rental property includes a club access option, these are worth knowing about.
Cassique Golf Course
Cassique was Tom Watson’s first-ever course design, opened in 2000 and modeled after the great Irish and Scottish links. The front nine has zero homes along it, an increasingly rare luxury at modern golf clubs, and the routing rolls naturally with the wind. Cassique earned a spot at #5 in Golf Digest’s “100 Greatest Golf Courses” and is consistently called one of the best in South Carolina. The clubhouse is a destination in its own right, with a five-star dining room overlooking pond and fairway.
A reviewer described “old world design” with “incredible views” and called the personal attention “second to none.” The food at Cassique gets specifically called out: seafood, cream corn, snickerdoodle cookies with vanilla bean ice cream.
- Designer: Tom Watson, 2000 (his first design)
- Rating: 4.7 stars (103 reviews on Google)
- Address: 100 Old Cedar Ln, Johns Island, SC 29455
- Phone: (843) 768-5752
- Access: Kiawah Island Club members and accompanied guests
- Standout feature: zero homes on the front nine, true links feel
- View on Google Maps
The River Course
Tom Fazio’s River Course is the second most challenging course on the island, par 72 over 7,039 yards with a 75.6 rating and a 148 slope. Eight of the eighteen holes wind along the Kiawah River and Bass Pond. The remainder is flanked by marshes, ponds, and old-growth oaks. Golfweek ranked it among America’s best residential courses, and it is certified as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. The course hosted the USGA Four-Ball Championship in 2023.
A recent visitor described it as “extraordinary and truly spectacular” thanks not only to the course conditions but also to the staff. The 19th hole rocking chairs, warm nuts, and hot minted towels at the turn make this one of the gentler post-round experiences in the country.
- Designer: Tom Fazio
- Rating: 4.8 stars (105 reviews on Google)
- Address: 10 River Course Ln, Johns Island, SC 29455
- Phone: (843) 768-5715
- Hours: 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM daily
- Access: Kiawah Island Club members and accompanied guests
- Standout feature: eight holes along the Kiawah River, Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary status
- View on Google Maps
When to Play and How to Get the Best Tee Times
The two factors that decide your trip experience more than any other are season and booking lead time.
Best months: April, May, October, and early November are ideal. Mild temperatures, fewer crowds than summer peak, and consistent course conditions. June through August stays warm but the resort offers reduced twilight rates after 2 PM, which can drop a non-guest Ocean Course round close to $400 and a resort-guest round to about $260.
Booking windows: non-resort guests can book 60 days out by calling (800) 576-1570 directly, or by calling individual courses: Ocean Course (843) 266-4670, Turtle Point (843) 266-4050, Cougar Point (843) 266-4020, Oak Point (843) 266-4100. Guests staying at the resort or at a Kiawah Island rental property typically have earlier booking access, which is the simplest way to lock in an Ocean Course tee time during high-demand stretches.
Twilight and replay strategy: play 36 holes in a single day by booking morning at one of the four “non-Ocean” courses, then locking in a $225 Ocean Course replay rate in the afternoon (subject to availability). This is the single biggest insider trick on the island.
Walking vs. riding: the Ocean Course is walking-only September through May. Carts are permitted after 10 AM in summer with a forecaddie included. Caddies are bundled into the Ocean Course price (a notable detail since most marquee courses charge $100 to $150 extra). A standard tip is at least $100 per bag.
Dress code: soft spikes only, collared shirts, no denim, no athletic shorts. Standard country club rules.
Plan Your Kiawah Golf Trip
Kiawah Island earned its place in American golf one well-designed course at a time. Whether you want to test yourself on the Ocean Course, walk a Tom Fazio routing along the marsh, or play Tom Watson’s first-ever design at Cassique, you can do it inside a single trip without driving more than ten minutes between tee boxes.
When you are ready to plan, take a look at our luxury vacation rentals on Kiawah Island. Our team can help match you with a property within easy reach of the courses, recommend tee time strategies for your dates, and make sure the rest of your trip, the dining, the beach, the family time off the course, is just as well taken care of as the golf.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most famous golf course on Kiawah Island?
The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort is the most famous, both on the island and arguably in resort golf nationally. Designed by Pete and Alice Dye in 1991, it has hosted the 1991 Ryder Cup, the 2007 Senior PGA Championship, the 2012 PGA Championship (won by Rory McIlroy), the 2021 PGA Championship (won by Phil Mickelson), and is scheduled to host the 2031 PGA Championship. It has more oceanside holes than any other course in the Northern Hemisphere.
How many golf courses are there on Kiawah Island?
There are seven golf courses associated with Kiawah Island. Five are public and operated by Kiawah Island Golf Resort: the Ocean Course, Turtle Point, Osprey Point, Cougar Point, and Oak Point. Two are private members-only courses inside the Kiawah Island Club: Cassique and the River Course.
Are Kiawah Island golf courses open to the public?
The five Kiawah Island Golf Resort courses are open to the public. Non-resort guests can book tee times up to 60 days in advance at (800) 576-1570. Resort guests and Kiawah Island vacation rental guests typically have access to earlier booking windows. Cassique and the River Course are private and require Kiawah Island Club membership or a member’s invitation.
What is the cheapest golf course on Kiawah Island?
Oak Point is generally the most affordable of the resort courses, with green fees that run lower than Ocean, Turtle, Osprey, and Cougar. Twilight rates after 2 PM in summer (June through August) drop pricing significantly across all five public courses, often by $100 to $200 per round depending on tee time and season.
How far in advance should I book the Ocean Course?
For non-resort guests, book the moment your 60-day window opens. For resort and rental guests, book as soon as you confirm your stay. Spring and fall weekends fill fastest, and the Ocean Course is the most demand-constrained tee time on the island. If your preferred date is unavailable, ask about replay rates and twilight times, which can open up surprise availability.
Are caddies required at the Ocean Course?
Caddies are included in the Ocean Course green fee. The course is walking-only from September through May, and from June through August carts are permitted after 10 AM but a forecaddie is still required. Standard caddie tip is at least $100 per bag.
