Charleston, South Carolina
CHARLESTON OFFERS PRISTINE GOLF, UNRUSHED AND UNSPOILED BY THE CROWDS. . . . AND THERE IS STILL A SMORGASBORD OF ACTIVITY AWAITING YOU IN WHAT WAS VOTED THE “TOP CITY IN THE UNITED STATES”.
Sample the Bounty of Charleston’s Sea Island Golf.
Since it’s founding in 1670, the Charleston area has been famous for its many historic “firsts”. These range from the first museum in America to the first shots of the Civil War. What many people don’t realize is that the game of golf also figures prominently on this list.
Over 200 years ago Charleston was the site of America’s first golf club. In 1786 the South Carolina Golf Club and Harleston Green were established in what is now downtown Charleston. In fact, the term “green fee” is thought to have evolved from the membership fees paid to maintain the area green where they played.
Still, many golfers were unaware of the outstanding golf available in the Charleston area until 1991, when The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort hosted one of the most fiercely contested Ryder Cup Matches in history. Since then the Charleston area has hosted numerous international tournaments, including the 1997 and 2003 World Cup of Golf, the LPGA tour and most recently The Ocean Course hosted South Carolina’s first major, the 2012 PGA Championship.
It took a lot more than golf to make Charleston one of America’s “Top Ten” vacation destinations for the past two decades, according to Condé Nast Traveler. In fact, surveys of Charleston area visitors confirm that golf ranks well down the list of reasons why they return to the historic port city year after year.
So why is this a good thing for those of us who love golf? Two reasons, actually.
First, it means that unlike with your typical “golf destination,” Charleston offers pristine golf, unrushed and unspoiled by the crowds. But moreover, it means that once you’ve completed your round, there is still a smorgasbord of activity awaiting you in what was voted the “Top City in the United States” in Condé Nast Traveler ‘s 2011, 2012 and 2013 Readers’ Choice Awards.
It really doesn’t matter what you desire or prefer. You’ll find it in Charleston. But then, what would you expect from a city that has been welcoming guests for more than 400 years?