Kiawah: A True Golf Experience

Despite its relative youth, The Ocean Course has already hosted some of golf's most significant events including the 1991 Ryder Cup and etched a series of memorable moments in the minds of golf fans.

It now stands on the brink of creating even more magical memories.

In 2007, Pete Dyes windswept masterpiece will play host to The 68th Senior PGA Championship, a favorite of players on the Champions Tour. The tournament, which will take place from May 22 27, will draw thousands of spectators, a worldwide TV audience and generate millions of dollars for the local economy.

It will also present a stern challenge to some of golf's most storied players, says Roger Warren, president of Kiawah Island Golf Resort. We are very excited and proud to stage an event of the stature of the Senior PGA Championship at The Ocean Course. As the oldest and most prestigious event in senior golf, it is fitting to have it contested on one of the only true traditional links style courses in America.

The Senior PGA Championship brings together a 156 player field that features the deepest international lineup of players 50 years and older. The Championship began in 1937 at Augusta National Golf Club at the invitation of legendary Bobby Jones. Since its origin, the Senior PGA Championship has perennially featured many of golf's legendary players and the newest members of senior professional golf.

Some of the notable professionals who are eligible to play in the event include 1991 Ryder Cup players Mark O'Meara, Chip Beck and Seve Ballesteros, in addition to Fred Funk, Scott Hoch, Greg Norman, Craig Stadler, Curtis Strange, Peter Jacobsen, Scott Simpson and Hale Irwin.

And even when the event draws to a close, the excitement on Kiawah will continue to grow. That's because in 2012 The Ocean Course will host The 94th PGA Championship. Traditionally the strongest field in major championship golf, The 2012 PGA Championship will be the first of golf's four majors ever to be played in South Carolina, and golf's top players, like Tiger Woods and Ernie Els, are expected to participate.

The announcement that the tournament was headed to Kiawah came on a sunny day with the Atlantic Ocean serving as a backdrop. PGA officials, along with Kiawah Island Golf Resort Chairman Bill Goodwin and co host Buddy Darby, CEO of Kiawah Development Partners, delivered the news to a throng of media and dignitaries. Also in attendance were S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford, Ocean Course Designer Pete Dye, and Roger Warren.

"It's an honor for The Ocean Course and Kiawah Island to host golf's first major championship ever to be played in South Carolina," says Goodwin. "We look forward to continuing our history of hosting The PGA of Americas major championships."

Since its origin in 1916, The PGA Championship has become one of the games most anticipated major championships. The PGA Champions roster featured many of the greatest players from all generations of golf from Hagen, Sarazen, Snead, Nelson and Hogan, to Nicklaus, Trevino, Woods and Singh.

The Ocean Course and Kiawah Island began their great relationship with The PGA of America after the 1991 Ryder Cup, won by the U.S. team on the last hole, was held on the dramatic oceanside course.

By being named to host The PGA Championship, the oceanfront layout will become only the third course to host each of The PGA of Americas major championships The Ryder Cup (1991), The PGA Club Professional Championship (2005), The Senior PGA Championship (2007) and The PGA Championship (2012). The first was PGA National Golf Club of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. In 2008, Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky., will become the second when it hosts the 37th Ryder Cup.

The PGA of America, founded in 1916, is a not for profit organization that promotes the game of golf while continuing to enhance the standards of the profession. The Association is comprised of more than 28,000 men and women PGA Professionals who are dedicated to growing participation in the game of golf.

Designed from a ribbon of pristine sand dunes stretching nearly three miles along the Atlantic Ocean at the eastern end of Kiawah Island, The Ocean Course is a par 72 layout reminiscent of the great seaside links of England and Scotland. In addition to the PGAs events, the course has also hosted the 1997 and 2003 World Cups, and the 2001 UBS Warburg Cup. As well as The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island Golf Resort features four other championship courses: Turtle Point by Jack Nicklaus, Osprey Point by Tom Fazio, Cougar Point by Gary Player and Oak Point by Clyde Johnston.

While The Ocean Course receives many of the plaudits, Kiawah Island has five championship golf courses that appeal to golfers of all levels.

The Ocean Course (5 stars Golf Digest)
843-768-2121 or ext. 64670
Head Pro, Brian Gerard
Designed by Pete Dye and opened just months before it hosted the 1991 Ryder Cup, The Ocean Course gained almost instant notoriety and acclaim as the site of the dramatic "War by the Shore." The Ocean Course will forever be famous for a Ryder Cup battle that went down to the last putt on the last hole of the last match on the last day resulting in the United States posting a one point victory. The course has since hosted the 1997 and 2003 World Cups, the 2001 UBS Warburg Cup and the 2005 National Club Championship. In 2002 and 2003, Dye returned to oversee some significant course renovation, which included relaying all the greens and tees, and moving the 18th green 40 yards toward the ocean creating an even more magnificent closing hole. By 2007, the course will boast a new clubhouse in the footprint of the old 18th green for the ultimate golf vacation experience. In 2007, The Ocean Course will host The Senior PGA Championship, while in 2012 it will host The PGA Championship.

Turtle Point (4.5 stars Golf Digest)
843-266-4050 or ext. 64050
Head Pro, Ronnie Miller
Originally designed by Jack Nicklaus in 1981, Nicklaus returned during the summer of 2000 to completely renovate Turtle Point. While maintaining its low profile design that takes advantage of the islands natural contours and dune ridges, he re-sculpted the greens and surrounding bunkering. The course flows seamlessly through interior forests of hardwoods and palmettos, along backwater lagoons and finally to three spectacular holes along the Atlantic Ocean. The subtle greens demand a keen eye and deft touch.

Osprey Point (4.5 stars Golf Digest)
843-768-2121 or ext. 64640
Head Pro, Jim Kelechi
A Tom Fazio design, Osprey Point is set amid pristine lagoons, marshes and maritime forests offering picturesque views from every hole. The setting for the course features four large natural lakes and fingers of saltwater marshes. Into this backdrop Fazio created a masterpiece of playability and variety, a favorite of residents and resort guests alike.

Cougar Point (4.5 stars Golf Digest)
843-768-2121 or ext. 64020
Head Pro, Ric Ferguson
Designed by Gary Player, the par 72 layout features holes playing directly along broad expanses of tidal marsh, offering panoramic views of the Kiawah River and acres of needlerush and spartina grass. Cougar Point is designed to championship standards that will challenge the scratch player while providing an enjoyable round for all 18 holes.

Oak Point (4.5 stars Golf Digest)
843-768-2121 or ext. 64060
Head Pro, Steven Youngner
Referred to most frequently as a Scottish American style course, Oak Point is challenging to both the novice golfer and the experienced professional. Oak Point borders the historic Haulover Creek and was built on the grounds of an old indigo and cotton plantation. Wide areas of windswept fairways stretch alongside salty marshes interspersed with densely forested areas of live oaks, magnolias, pines and palmetto palms. Oak Points new clubhouse offers a restaurant, locker rooms and a pro shop.

For more information about Kiawah Island golf, click here.

A World-Class Clubhouse

As the shovels turned the earth, so began a new chapter in the storied history of The Ocean Course.

Kiawah Island Golf Resort Chairman William H. Goodwin, Jr., Resort President Roger Warren and Kiawah Island Mayor Bill Wert ceremoniously began construction of a new clubhouse befitting the stature of Pete Dyes windswept masterpiece.

The 24,000 square foot clubhouse, which is costing in excess of $18 million, has an expected completion date of spring 2007. The Ocean Course will host the 2007 Senior PGA Championship in May of that year, and is also the venue for the 2012 PGA Championship the first of golf's four majors to be held in South Carolina.

Golf on The Ocean Course has always been a unique experience steeped in the grand traditions of the game, says Warren. The Ocean Course is the only true links style course in the U.S., and this new club house with its rustic charm and outstanding views will be the capstone to the experience our guests will enjoy.

Situated adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean and 150 feet from the 18th green, the new clubhouse has been designed to augment The Ocean Courses standing in the game of golf and provide a stage befitting major professional golf events.

Noted architecture firm, Robert A. M. Stern Architects, has designed the clubhouse, which is part of the resorts ongoing commitment to providing its guests with the finest amenities and services. The firm is familiar with Kiawah Island, having previously designed the islands private Beach Club, located near The Ocean Courses 14th tee.

Using wood shingles and brick as the primary building materials, the clubhouses weathered exterior with wraparound porches will make it appear as though the seaside structure has coexisted with the dunes for a century or more. Low profile rooflines will suggest a compact sturdiness shaped by the ever present coastal winds.

Prior to arriving at the clubhouse guests will pass through a series of dunes, building a sense of anticipation for what lies ahead. Only after entering the elevated clubhouse will the Atlantic Ocean become visible through expansive windows. The interior will feature a simple yet classic approach to décor with the emphasis on comfort. Golf purists will instinctively know that the clubhouse has been built to enhance a traditional golf experience.

The upper floor will offer a locker room accommodating 164 players, as well as hospitality areas. The main floor will include another 36 lockers, a 1,700 square foot pro shop and a well appointed yet comfortable 80 seat American style restaurant. A golf oriented bar will also provide spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean, golf and sunsets. An outdoor terrace overlooking The Ocean Courses final stretch of holes will be able to accommodate another 24 seated guests.

The design for the new clubhouse locates the building sensitively within the dramatic natural landscape of the eastern end of Kiawah Island.

The landscape around the clubhouse is elevated significantly not only to maximize views from the clubhouse to the 18th green and the ocean, but also act as a bridge to connect the front nine with the back nine. The pro shop and locker rooms face the practice tee and front nine. The dining room and bar greet guests coming from the 18th green. The second floor provides additional hospitality space, tournament locker rooms and a players lounge overlooking the putting green and the ocean.

The long, low profile of the clubhouse stretches out along the dunes and fits into the naturalistic character of the links style course. The entry courtyard welcomes the visitor with parking nestled into the dunes. The picturesque shingle style massing of the clubhouse, with deep porches below and dormers above, will provide an iconic image for the course and will make a suitable backdrop for an outstanding golf experience.

• Architect: Robert A.M. Stern Architects
• Landscape Architect: DesignWorks, LC
• Civil Engineer: Thomas & Hutton
• Contractor: Hill Construction
• Approximately 24,000 square feet
• 200 Lockers (164 upstairs/36 downstairs)
• 1,700 square foot Pro Shop
• 80 seat restaurant with private dining room adjacent to the main dining floor
• 30 seat bar with panoramic ocean view
• 24 seats of oceanfront dining is available on the porch off the main dining room
• 1,800 square feet of function space on the second floor

Golf Learning Center

Since its inception, Kiawah Island's Golf Learning Center has proved to be one of the most popular locations on the resort. This innovative facility features private instructional areas (including seven covered hitting bays and Astroturf putting surface for use in inclement weather), a state-of-the-art computerized video swing analysis system, practice bunker and greens. Inside includes a classroom and a retail area featuring teaching aids and club fitting.

The indoor video studio features the ModelGolf teaching system. ModelGolf has filmed and studied the movements of the majority of the world's best golfers (including Tiger Woods, Davis Love III, Ernie Els, Betsy King, and countless others) and have used statistics to isolate the best of their common characteristics while rejecting their individual weaknesses. The patented Model overlay technology makes it easy for students of the three-day school — the Kiawah Island Golf Academy — to see and understand how their performance deviates from their model performance.

The golf shop inside features golf equipment from some top manufacturers like Titleist, Nike, Callaway, Odyssey and Cleveland Golf. It carries a wide array of drivers, wedges, putters and junior equipment along with some favorite training aids. There are men's and women's locker rooms and shower facilities and a small lounge area. The shop also offers professional club fitting from vendors, including Ben Hogan, Titleist and Wilson.

Kiawah's instructional staff of 18 highly qualified PGA teaching professionals includes Tommy Cuthbert and Steve Mitchell. Director of Golf from 1976 until his recent retirement, Cuthbert developed and guided the resort's golf programs for nearly three decades. A top professional and amateur player, he has given over 5,000 private lessons in his career, working with students of all skill levels. Cuthbert has also written numerous instructional articles for newspapers, golf trade journals and newsletters. Mitchell has been instrumental in Kiawah's Golf Learning Center becoming one of the premier golf facilities on the East Coast. Mitchell, who is an instruction editor for Golf Tips magazine, has developed successful instruction methods for golfers of all abilities, from the absolute beginner to some of the best Tour professionals and top amateur players in the world.

For more information, or to arrange a lesson, call:

• From the resort: Ext. 64031
• From your home: 800-654-2924 or 843-266-4031

For more information about Kiawah Island golf, click here.

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