Osprey Point - Kiawah Island Club (Kiawah Island, SC)

Kiawah. Every golfer knows the name. It’s home to the Ocean Course, host of several PGA Championships and the 1991 Ryder Cup known infamously as “The War by the Shore”. Before then, it was an idyllic island, very much like Hilton Head. Osprey was built in 1988, three years before, and the agenda was good golf in a beautiful, serene setting. Tom Fazio was considered the best at the time, and his name would resonate with folks looking for a place to vacation. 

(The lovely par three fifteenth is beautifully framed by the sand in symmetrical fashion. Architect Mike Strantz was the chief associate on this project, and much of the framing is his. This explains some of the gorgeous bunker work at Osprey. This tidbit will make you look at the course in whole different light.)

Osprey has kept to its original intentions, and it is a solid course that interacts beautifully with it’s setting. The course is located in the heart of the island among the marshes and lagoons. The wildlife and natural vegetation makes this lush paradise a memorable experience. The course is very playable. The grass is seashore paspalum, a thick sticky texture that catches balls and limits the roll. They will not be bounding into hazards. The greens are receptive with modest contour in them. 8 or 9 on the stimpmeter. 

(The par three third across the marsh is a terrific hole. Note how the green angles diagonally with only 15% of the putting surface in view. Muscles tighten up, the pulse quickens, breathing gets rapid. Strike it with confidence!)

There are only a handful of exciting holes. The rest fill out the card in typical Fazio fashion. Most will consider three and eleven the best, forced carry par threes over the swaying lowland marshes. The par four ninth is a cape hole hard against the water that torments your confidence as you choose what line to take and how far you can really carry the ball. For myself, I loved the par five eighteenth. It turned around the water exactly where you want to land your second shot. You know how well you’ve been striking it all day, or how poorly. Choose accordingly. 

(The par four ninth is possibly the most intimidating shot on the entire island. A centerline bunker breaks up the sight line and forces the player to be aggressive or conservative.) 

It’s silly to talk about value since everything at Kiawah is a big ticket item, however, all the amenities you expect, such as free range balls and complimentary water, are provided. If standing alone, few would pay the $225 dollar green fee, but being part of the resort makes it easier to swallow. Many feel it’s the second best course on the island and I concur with that sentiment. I give it a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play). 

[we played the silver tee at 6162 yards.  The Hollywood game had Paul and I as partners the last six holes. I made a 8 footer for par to go 1 Up on seventeen. Yapping all the way to the next tee, I was really giving the boys the business. Our third shots all came up several yards short of eighteen. I spun my wedge a couple feet short of the pin, celebrating mine and Paul’s secured par when Joby putts it ten yards off the green, ramming it dead center of the hole. Not only did that putt save them from humiliation, but effectively won my buddy $105 dollars for +4 in quota game plus a skin.]

(The par three eleventh plays over the water to a long diagonal green.)

Rivertowne Country Club (Mt Pleasant, SC)

Rivertowne was designed in 1998 by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay. It’s beautifully routed close to the lowlands with many of the holes touching or offering views across the river. You can rest assure that Palmer wasn’t going to let any opportunities go to waste. His persistence leaves many memorable holes, but also makes for a couple awkward ones too.

Architecturally, the vegetation and mounding obscures the landing zones. It is hard to make out where the fairway is, and often times, you will see it land but not where it ends up. The course plays firm and fast so this creates uncertainty and tension off the tee. On the back nine, there is little buffer once the ball goes offline. This unfortunately is the reality of playing in this type of environment. 

On a few holes, there is a cement wall that holds the ground in place. A couple par threes have this feature and it’s a unique hazard. Not only can the ball hit it and ricochet but a recovery shot with it in the way can be unnerving. The seventeenth in particular uses it to great effect. The green is set at a diagonal and the wall fronts the middle and rear pins. It’s quite a sight! 

The starter suggested getting your birdies on the front because the back side is four shots harder. What he really meant is the marsh is on every hole, and a few times, you’ll be laying up to it unless you’re bold enough to take on the carry. I feel Palmer focused too much on the setting, and not enough massaging loose swings. Overall, it is a beautiful course, and locally, it’s considered one of the better courses in the area. It filled in adequately as the first course in our Kiawah trip. I give it a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play).

 [we played the blue tees at 6267 yards. We treated it mostly as a practice round. Paul felt the wrath of the forced carries the most, and his eight water balls highlights the shortcomings of the design. As a foursome, we tallied a dozen lost balls. I went on the bogey train for eight straight holes, but thankfully, no doubles. None of us were at our best.]

Bunker Hill Golf Club (Medina,OH) [Updated]

I love that the owner of Bunker Hill is always looking to improve the golf course. My original post commented on the purchase of additional land where they designed the third and fourth holes. This time, they took the seventh, a mediocre drive and pitch par four, and extended it into what will be a fine par five. Unfortunately, in order to keep the course at par 72, they chopped the driveable par four second into a difficult par three. If they can elevate the tee box and expand the green then it’ll look more natural than what it is now. 

(The opening hole starts below the clubhouse and plays uphill to this plateau green.) 

The heart of the course is still the property by the clubhouse. The rolling land makes 1,9,18 all very attractive golf holes. While the new third, fourth, and seventh holes are huge improvements, they still need to tackle the two 90 degree dogleg left holes at six and fifteen. (Fifteen is an absolute dog) Bunker Hill has definitely shedded its mom n pop image, and it should be noted that they have taken two of their drive n pitch par fours, and made them into a legitimate length par three and par five. 

(The tough par four fourth hole was added ten years ago and has become one of the featured holes.) 

Bunker Hill has consistently improved every year, and the conditioning is first rate. This gives it a loyal following, and it seems to have adopted its cousin down the street, Shale Creek, and piggybacks on their high end green fees. I used to think it was a good bargain, but it slowly has become expensive. I guess someone has to pay for the new holes. I still feel the same about the place but it’s not far off being bumped up one. I give it a 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-45 minutes to play).

(The eighteenth is still my favorite hole. There’s a definitive advantage being over the creek in two shots and hitting a short iron third.) 

Signature of Solon (Solon, OH) [Updated]

Signature is a private course designed by Craig Schreiner in 2002. The fairways are broken by wetlands and low grass crossings at various points. While there is plenty of room to lay back, the skilled golfer who judges his distances properly can place it closer while the longer hitter tries to overpower the obstacles with his length. Unfortunately, this isn’t the only hazard one has to worry about. Red or white stakes line every hole with wild mishits quickly adding strokes to the card. Having a bad day means shooting a 100 plus losing a half dozen balls.

(The final hole of the day plays 405/385 yards  to a peninsula green. Two quality shots are needed to secure a par.)

Signature has excellent greens with good interior contouring. The mounding on the outer edges dictate the hole locations and is a good indicator where the approach should land. Most of the movement is here too. It has a very modern look to it, and I feel the greens are like a catchers mitt so the ball gathers towards the middle. Many of the front edges are tipped   It’s hard to see the bottom of the cup when the pin in in this location. 

(The 376/362 yard sixteenth is the epitome of the course. Off the tee, you’re trying to hit it far enough to get a good look, yet not long enough to find the gunk or get stymied by the tree. The pin in pictured is hidden by the slope. This is much of the strategy found at Signature.) 

The area has always been known for its wet conditions, and when you realize both Geauga Lake and Aurora Lake are very close by, then you’ll understand the difficulty Schreiner dealt with when he was designing the course. It also explains the abrupt transitions you encounter on the course. In my original post, I gave it a very harsh review, but I’ve soften that stance and I am willing to bump it up a couple. I give Signature a 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-45 minutes to play). 

(The massive clubhouse frames the last hole with the round rotunda a bar where folks can watch you finish the round. It’s a very exciting atmosphere!) 

Turkeyfoot Golf Links (Akron, OH) [Updated]

Turkeyfoot has not been immune to the rash of closings seen in the region the past several years. The third nine, also known as the Lake nine, was sold to developers late last season. The main course is still intact and will be celebrating its centennial anniversary in 2025. For area golfers, this is a wonderful place to learn the game. The lack of water hazards, except for the par three thirteenth, allow players to hit the ball without the fear of losing it to a poor shot. The sandy soil keeps the turf in fine shape and is always dry even at the beginning of the year. 

(Looking from the twelth green, the severe pitch of the thirteenth is boldly evident. Players know to keep below the hole to have an easy two putt par, but when the pin is in the front, like today’s, all hell breaks loose as you oscillate between being too precise, like the pin shot next to the hole, or ultra conservative to the middle of the green where a heavy hand can scurry the ball past the cup and down the fairway.) 

For me, Turkeyfoot represents a bygone era full of quirk and charm. It consistently challenges the single handicap player despite its short stature of 6300 yards. How is this possible? First, the par threes are all long. Two of the five play well over 200 yards. Second, the handful of short par fours, including a few driveable ones, have the most difficult greens. Birdies are not on the menu unless you execute a very good shot. Thirdly, OB makes its appearance, specifically on 10,11, and 18, in bold fashion. The white stakes are literally just a few yards from the action, all on the right. A mistimed slice is a legitimate fear. Finally, the par fives, which everyone views as birdie holes, are very long with a couple clocking in at 570+. Only a select few are reaching these in two shots. The rest of us must string three shots together. 

(The fourth hole plays as a par five from the regular markers but a par four from the back. It enjoys a great view of the Portage Lakes. The green is a simple one but the nuance breaks are difficult to read.)

Turkeyfoot also has my favorite drive. I love cruising through the Portage Lakes, peering at the canals and the homes that line them. There’s a seaside town vibe that permeates the air. The Upper Deck is directly across the street and is the perfect place to recap the round. The scenery isn’t too shabby either if you know what I mean. Everything about Turkeyfoot makes for a fun day. It’s an easy walk, the greens rival any in the area, and a good score is available for those playing well. I’d put it on the short list of best public courses in Akron. I give it a solid 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play). 

(View of nine green from the first tee.)