LEFT: Rancho Manana Golf Club is a par-70
course with impressive elevation changes
BELOW: The Phoenician, set in the beautiful
Sonoran Desert, features stunning views and
many amenitites on its premises.
Atlantic waves crash just beyond
hole 10 at Palmetto Dunes. An
aerial view of the course, below,
shows the beauty of the ocean
and lagoon along the greens.
PALMETTO DUNES ROBERT TRENT
JONES COURSE
The island’s most heavily trafficked
course hosted some 43,000 rounds last
year, and after we stood on the green on
the Par 5 No. 10, we saw why.
There, with the waves of the Atlantic
Ocean crashing, you putt out in a serene
setting that is seldom available any-
where else. The links-style course takes
on a different feel starting at the ninth
hole, where the ocean and
stretched lagoon system
at Palmetto Dunes provide
breathtaking scenery.
The Jones Course shares
the property with the
Arthur Hills Course and the
George Fazio Course, and
all three have been honored
by the various ratings ser-
vices. Both Hills and Jones,
for instance, are past recip-
ients of the South Carolina
Course of the Year. Palmetto
Dunes has also been a local front-runner
in addressing the bells and whistles that
may help attract younger golfers. The site
offers “Tempo Walk” by Club Car, a fleet of
autonomous golf caddie units that provide
resort golfers the enjoyment of walking
the courses, while also enhancing play, and
fostering health and wellness. The courses
The 162-yard par 3 over-
looking Port Royal Sound
at Oyster Reef Golf Club.
32
V I R G I N I A G O L F E R | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 19
also feature junior tees that allow mom and
dad to bring their budding golfer along for
the round.
OYSTER REEF GOLF CLUB
Much like the Jones Course, it would be
unfair to say that Oyster Reef Golf Club
gets its love because of one hole. The 162-
yard par 3 overlooking Port Royal Sound
across to Parris Island makes it tough.
The only thing slowing your eyes from
trending immediately to the water is a
massive live oak that frames the backside
of the green. Either way, this is a photog-
rapher’s paradise, not to mention a great
locale for your group shot. It is universally
regarded as one of the top holes on the
Island, but that’s nowhere near all this
Rees Jones course has to offer.
Oyster Reef recently underwent a ren-
ovation that included reducing the num-
ber of bunkers from 160 to 90, and the
addition of brand new Tif-Eagle putting
surfaces. The end result is an extremely
playable layout that is always in impec-
cable condition.
vsga.org
PALMETTO
It would have been impossible to see
everything in such a short timeframe, but
throughout the whirlwind trip, we witnessed
enough to get a good feel for what the island
is all about. What we can only describe as
active leisure comes across in the form of
massive pickleball centers, paddle boarding,
surf lessons, dolphin tours, sand and fun.
And, of course, incredible golf. Here
are some of the highlights from our trip.