(The 515 yard par five seventh hole plays to this monstrous elevated green. It’s at least 10’ high! Reaching this in two and holding the putting surface will require maximum skill. Beware the fool who gets too cute and leaves his shot short. Those bunkers are XX deep! Great golf hole!)
If you’re not familiar with template greens, then you might think they’re over the top. The premise is simply accessing particular slopes to funnel the ball to precise locations. It’s more of a ground game attack then it is an aerial one. Charleston Municipal is on a flat piece of land with all the greens built up. Many of the putting surfaces are not visible so course knowledge goes a long way. “Don’t shoot at the flag” is a common piece of advice for visitors. Doing so usually results in a ball off the green and down the slope into the rough or fairway. It’s a style not seen that often in America. For locals and astute golfers, seeing the path to the pin via a spot thirty feet away is a real pleasure, especially when it reacts the exact way you envisioned it.
(The “Double Plateau” opening hole has two raised levels bisected by a deep swale.)
The 11th-14th is the stretch many consider to be the best at The Muni and all four are concepts most have heard before. Eleven is Redan. The green has a massive slope on the front right that will funnel balls that hit it back to the left and closer to the hole. It literally sits next to Maybank Highway, the two lane road that leads to Kiawah, and stuns golfers who stare at it with its massive contours. Twelve is Cape where you decide how much of the water you want to bite off. Thirteen is Road. A Principal Nose bunker forces a decision between left or right side of the fairway. The greenside bunker is bulky and protrudes into the green. The concept is avoiding these two traps as you find an angle to the pin. The fourteenth is Short. The par three has a long narrow thumbprint in the middle of the green that challenges the putter when you have to roll the ball from one side to the other. Being on the proper side makes this a birdie hole.
(The 175 yard par three eleventh is called Redan. Look at the high slope in the right corner that pushes balls back to the left. Most of the green slopes away, making the putting surface over the bunker out of sight to the golfer.)
The Muni is rough around the edges. It doesn’t pretend to be something more than it is. There’s a lot of imperfection. Maybe that’s why I’m drawn to it. The live oaks and Spanish moss give it that low country feeling and the burgers at the clubhouse grille are downright fantastic. Unlike The Park, West Palm Beach’s super muni and it’s $250 price tag, The Muni is intimate and welcoming. It’s $60 to walk and you’re just as likely to be paired with a blue jeans/tee shirt regular Joe as you are an Ashworth shirted country clubber. I’m sure the template greens won’t be everybody’s cup of tea. They’re whimsical and don’t always reward good shots. But if you’re looking for something exciting, and want to explore turn of century golf architecture, then check The Muni out. I give it a 6 (very good)(worth driving two hours to play).
(The 405 yard par four sixth is called Punchbowl. This is the first I’ve seen where a high shot must carry over a gaping bunker. Don’t even look at the pin. The ball will gather most times in the center if you hit a quality shot.)
(The 365 yard par four third has this unique hazard crossing the fairway. I love the randomness and uncertainty that arises if you hit it in there.)
(This is the side view of the road bunker and green on the 370 yard par four thirteenth. Look how deep the shoulder influences approach shots. A beautiful view in the background.)
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