The River Course

Opened in 1995, The River Course is located behind Kiawah’s Vanderhorst security gate. In 1999, it was fully certified as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. It hosted the Kiawah Children’s Hospital Classic in 2000 and 2001. Both the Tom Fazio course and its serene clubhouse designed by noted architect Bernard Wharton of Shope, Reno, Wharton are considered equal in elegance and inspiring interiors to any other golfing venue in America.

The River Course site, which extends a mile or so along the Kiawah River, was the location of the first English settlement on the Island in the 18th century. Since its opening, the course has garnered numerous accolades including that of Golf Digest's 1996 top five new private courses in the nation. It was also listed #38 on “America’s Best Top 100 Residential Courses” by Golfweek magazine in 2005.

In 2006, the course was given an extensive renovation by Tom Fazio’s team, with re-grassing of all 18 greens with ultra-dwarf Bermuda, complete rebuilding of four putting surfaces, and re-grassing of all 18 fairways, collars, and tees with Emerald, a new greens-grade dwarf Bermuda never before used on fairways and collars. Bunkers also received extensive rebuilding to complete the goal of making significant strategic and visual changes to the course. Today, as throughout its life, every hole on the River Course makes the most of its forested environment, exquisite Lowcountry terrain, and cafefully tended vegetation.

The River Course’s stained cedar-shingle clubhouse offers amenities including a golf shop, dining room, grille room and bar, veranda, living room, men’s and women’s lounges with locker areas and fitness center. Two adjacent red clay tennis courts are always in top competition conditioning.