PGA Week In Charleston-The Number One Destination Showcasing Its Attraction

Kiawah Island Ocean Course

The rains have been descending upon the Lowcountry these early August days like a swarm of mosquitoes descending on a spottail fisherman in the backwaters of Gray Bay. Dodging the raindrops running from one destination to the next and arriving in dry clothing has become a challenge. There seems to be a definite daily pattern taking hold. The day begins sunny, the clouds build as the morning progresses, by afternoon the rains pour down, and in the evening the skies clear out. It's mid-summer in the Lowcountry. High humidity equates into precipitation as the heat of the day builds in an unstable atmosphere and voila(pardon my French), you get rain. How's that for a weather analogy Al Rocker.

The PGA's top golfers have been likewise descending upon the Lowcountry these early August days, by air and by sea. Walking from hole to hole with the least amount of strokes will be their challenge starting on the 9th. The extended forecast is calling for the possibility of rain and wind for the entire tournament. The Ocean Course already has a reputation for being dominated by fickled breezes. The capricious winds will show no favorites and figures to play a significant role in being a spoiler. Arriving at the 501 yard, 18th hole on par with dry clothing will be an added challenge for the golfers. An anticipated 200,000 hearty spectators will swamp the course through the week, but the Sunday crowd will see the final putt of the tournament. Drive for show, putt for dough. Will it be won by a Bubba Watson miracle shot or a Tiger Woods off the green chip in. One thing is for sure, Tiger will be feasting on Charleston's oysters, Casanova's favorite aphrodisiac. Come on, play fair.

Just for fun

You can bet a bucket of oysters all those spectators will be spending some money while they're in town. The PGA and the College of Charleston Office of Tourism Analysis forecasts that the championship will generate a downpour of some $193 million for South Carolina. Charleston will be close to all the action. Its renowned restaurants will be cooking up a storm of their own as they cater to the thousands of expected visitors here for the tournament. Some of the featured restaurants during PGA week are Bowens Island, Melvins, Slightly North of Broad, Fig, Husk, Red Drum, Charleston Grill, Martha Lou's, Red's Ice House, and Hominy Grill. Beautiful accommodations, informative historic tours, and a lively nighttime scene is all a part of the package.

Since it is PGA tournament time in Charleston, the area golf courses will be benefiting from all of the hype it generates. After watching the pros, the amateur golfers in the Lowcountry will be wanting to test out their own skills. At least, that is the way it is for me after watching any sporting event. Historic Charleston is surrounded by courses of exceptional variety from breathtaking coastal terrains to tree-lined forest fairways. As already mentioned earlier in this article, the Kiawah Island Golf Resorts Ocean Course is one of those courses.

View Larger Map The Ocean Course is located on the eastern-most end of Kiawah island and boasts more seaside holes than any other course in the Northern Hemisphere-10 in all. The raised golf course has unobstructed views of Kiawah’s beautiful Atlantic coastline from every hole. It is no stranger to notoriety. It hosted the 2007 Senior PGA Championship and the 2012 PGA Tournament, now underway, is the first of golf's four majors to be played in South Carolina. If you are interested in golf packages, visit Kiawah Island Golf Resort's web page. You can stay at the beautiful Sanctuary Hotel. For a complete list of all the packages the resort offers go to Kiawah Vacation Packages. The Kiawah Island Golf Resort has four additional courses.

Five other courses featured this week are Patriots Point Links, The Plantation Club at Edisto Island, Wild Dunes Resort, Charleston National and Crowfield Country Club. All have PGA specials. Patriot Point Links is in the heart of Mount Pleasant with holes overlooking Charleston Harbor and nestled in the shadows of the Arthur Ravenel Bridge. The Plantation Club at Edisto Island is offering a charter bus with express access to The Ocean Course and on-board refreshments each day for its guests. The Wild Dunes on the Isle of Palms will have a 19th Hole with extra TVs and streaming video on laptops, so if you want to play and then watch the PGA every day, they have that setup all day long. The Charleston National signed up with the PGA to offer a special, where if you bring your PGA Championship ticket or show it on your phone, you get a 10 percent discount. Crowfield Country Club will offer green fees at $40 before noon, $30 after Monday-Friday, and just $5 more on weekends. Seniors can get a $29 rate all day weekdays.

This week an estimated 500 million people in 200 countries will view the tournament on television. The Lowcountry scenery will leave a lasting impression on those visiting as well as everyone watching from afar. Come and see for yourself. Once you come here, you just might want to stay, I did.

Kiawah Island Golf Resort