Kiawah Island Golf Resort: The Ocean Course

First on Golf Digest's 2025-'26 ranking of the best golf courses in South Carolina, labelled "Public," scored 4.8 from 53 reviews. Designed by Pete and Alice Dye, built 1989-1991 and opened in 1991 for the 1991 Ryder Cup; 18 holes, par 72, with Golf Digest giving length 7849 and slope 155. Host of the 1991 Ryder Cup, the 2012 PGA Championship (Rory McIlroy) and the 2021 PGA Championship (Phil Mickelson). Walking only, with carts allowed after 10:00AM in June, July and August and a forecaddie then required. The resort's booking engine returns it with resvRqd: false and sells it to a non-member, non-guest golfer under the operator's own "Non Resort" rate types. The resort publishes no rate card; its booking system returned $685.00 for those rate types on every slot and every play date sampled inside the 60-day non-guest window in 2026, and Golf Digest independently prints $685.