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5 Great Charleston Golf Courses

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Sure, people visit Charleston for her history, architecture, fine dining and beaches. But plenty of folks visit armed with their golf clubs and ready to tackle some of the country’s best golf courses.

Charleston has long been a golfing city. In fact, Charleston lays claim to the first golf club when Scottish merchants formed the S.C. Golf Club back in 1786. Their early golf “course” was Harleston Green, a rough rectangle of space between the streets of what we now know as Calhoun and Beaufain from Rutledge to Barre, according to an article in The Post and Courier.

Fast forward a couple hundred years and Charleston is flush with world-class golf courses for all levels of player. If golf is on your vacation agenda, check out one of these five area courses:

1. The Ocean Course

Ocean Course Hole 14 - Charleston Golf Course
Ocean Course at Kiawah

Located on the eastern-most end of Kiawah Island, The Ocean Course has more seaside holes than any other course in the Northern Hemisphere; 10 are right along the Atlantic Ocean. In August 2012, Kiawah hosted the 94th annual PGA Championship, making it only the fifth course to host each of The PGA of America’s major championships – the Ryder Cup (1991), the Senior PGA Championship (2007) and the PGA Championship (2012). It will once again host the PGA in 2021.

2. Wild Dunes

Wild Dunes on the Isle of Palms has two courses. The Wild Dunes Resort Links Course, a Tom Fazio course, has a finishing hole overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Also designed by Fazio, the Harbor Course is known for its challenging design and views of lagoons, marshes and the Intracoastal Waterway. Golf Digest calls Wild Dunes Resort among the “Best in State” for golf in South Carolina.

And, if you need to pick up a few pointers, Wild Dunes Resort has a golf school with professional golf instructors offering a variety of clinics, lessons and intensives.

3. Patroits Point Links

Located at the foot of the Cooper River Bridge in Mount PleasantPatriots Point Links on Charleston Harbor has views of Charleston, Fort Sumter, ships and Patriots Point. The course has a lighted driving range with PGA instruction, a southern style clubhouse and a golfers’ grill and patio.

4. Legends Oaks Golf Course

Surrounded by 300-year-old live oak trees and towering pines, Legends Oaks Golf Course in Summerville was named the 2010 South Carolina Golf Course of the Year by the Golf Course Owners Association. Located on a former rice plantation, Golf Styles Magazine also named it one  Top 100 Courses in the Carolinas in 2007.

5. Charleston National Golf Club

Charleston National Golf Course
Charleston National Golf Course

Charleston National Golf Club, designed by Rees Jones and located in Mount Pleasant, is open to the public year round. It was rated by Golf Digest as the best non-resort course in the Charleston area.

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Charleston FAQ's

Choosing a hotel and where to stay in Charleston all depends on your budget and goals. Do you want to stay Downtown, at the beach or in the outer areas such as North Charleston where you have to drive to get everywhere? For more help on deciding: https://travelerofcharleston.com/articles/hotels/

Charleston has 3 main public beaches which are: Folly, Isle of Palms and Sullivans. Each beach has it’s own atmosphere. The most common beach that people visit is Folly Beach and then Isle of Palms followed by Sullivans Island. For more info on Charleston’s beaches visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/

Charleston, SC is full of historical things to do. Everything from museums, to public sites and free landmark sites such as Rainbow Row and the Battery can be seen. For more info on Charleston’s top historical sites visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/places-to-learn-about-charleston-sc-history/

There are many things that will keep the kids and family entertained and educated in Charleston. There are historic sites such as Fort Sumter, a Children’s Museum, Aquarium and the USS Yorktown…a WWII era aircraft carrier you can tour. For more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-family-fun-activities/

There’s so many  things you could do in Charleston it can be overwhelming. We recommend that first time visitors, checkout the ultimate first-time visitor guide here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-first-time-visitors-guide/

Spring in Charleston, SC is an amazing time of year to visit. The flowers are blooming and the weather is mild and sunny. For more info, check-out our spring guide to Charleston here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-springtime-in-charleston/

Summer in Charleston is a great time to visit. There’s plenty of things to keep you busy and visiting the beach will probably….or should be on your short-list. Also water-based activities and tours are popular. Checkout this summer guide to Charleston for more info: 

Our 10 Favorite Summer Activities in Charleston

Fall is one of the best times to visit. The weather cools down a bit and the skies are typically blue and clear. In addition there are many great events, festivals and the large crowds of summer have gone back to school or work. For more info on visiting in the fall, checkout this article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-12-things-to-do-fall/

There are so many great things to do that it’s difficult to narrow the list down. This article does a great job with figuring out the must do things to do in Charleston

7 Can’t Miss Reasons to Visit Charleston, SC Now

The consensus is a minimum of 3-days is needed to settle in and experience Charleston. For instance, many people take 2 days exploring downtown and another day visiting sites outside of downtown such as the plantations, Angel Oak Tree or beaches. Checkout this page for a list of tours and attractions: 

Charleston’s Top Tours & Attractions | Things to do

Downtown Charleston was made for walking and for sure one of the best way to soak up and experience the history first-hand. This article goes over getting around Charleston with and without a car as well: 

Getting Around Charleston, SC

We’re of course partial to Charleston, but here’s the truth. There are many similarities however there are some differences in our opinion: 

  • Both cities are historic and beautiful. 
  • Both cities are extremely walkable. Savannah, with it’s park-like squares maybe more walkable than Charleston. 
  • Charleston has a more established and food scene with many more options. 
  • Charleston has better hotels and shopping.
  • Both cities have equally good tours.
  • Charleston has better beach options. Savannah has Tybee which is great, however it’s 1 beach vibe versus Charleston which has 3 beaches with different vibes. Checkout this Charleston beach guide article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/
  • In Savannah you can walk with alcoholic beverages on the street. This is not allowed in Charleston. This can be good or bad depending on your stance. 
  • Savannah is more affordable.
  • TourPass offers all-inclusive passes in both cities: https://tourpass.com

There are always great and world-class events happening in Charleston. For a calendar of events and things to do in Charleston, checkout our online calendar of events: https://travelerofcharleston.com/events/

Of course there are free money-saving coupons that you can use. Visit the coupons page for a bunch of ways to save: https://travelerofcharleston.com/coupon/

Charleston has some fantastic can’t miss tours such as Fort Sumter, carriage, ghost, harbor, historic and culinary tours. For a full list with more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/attractions/

Checkout the Charleston Relocation Guide page which will guide you during your move: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-sc-relocation-guide/

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