Best Places to Golf on Isle of Palms

If you’ve been looking for a beautiful place to live with a relaxed lifestyle that includes some great golf, then Isle of Palms should be at the top of your list. This seven-mile-long barrier island is one of the most idyllic places to live in the Charleston area and offers residents the feeling of year-round resort living.

Among the highlights of living on Isle of Palms are the two golf courses, the Links Course and the Harbor Course, located at the Wild Dunes Resort on the island's northern end, just in from the gorgeous white sandy beaches on the Atlantic coast. One of the great things about these two courses is that they are open to resort guests and the general public alongside other visitors to this incredible part of the country. Golf Digest holds the two courses in such high esteem that it consistently ranks them among the best places to play in the Palmetto State.

Before we tee off and discuss the best places to golf in the area, you should know it takes just a glance at the housing market to realize how popular Isle of Palms is. The current median price of homes for sale in Isle of Palms, SC, is about $1.3 million. That’s an increase of 40% over the last year. Additionally, homes sell after only 43 days on the market, compared to 95 days last year. That makes the Isle of Palms a seller’s market, meaning the inventory of available homes lags behind the number of buyers who want to own a luxury home that either line the fairways of the two fabulous golf courses or one of the many gorgeous beach homes along the Atlantic. Other housing options in Isle of Palms include comfortable single-family homes on one of the town’s quiet, tree-lined streets and luxury condos loaded with amenities.

Navigating your way through a seller’s market is best done with a licensed, experienced real estate agent at your side. Although prices are up and inventory is tight, a great agent still knows how to find a deal for homes for sale in Isle of Palms, SC,  that will fit your lifestyle needs. Look for an agent with extensive experience in the market and knowledge of all the neighborhoods and housing options available, particularly golf course properties.

An agent will represent you throughout the process. They will start by finding the specific kind of home you are looking for, including location, square footage, and amenities. With that information in hand, your agent will narrow down properties to view to get you settled in to begin enjoying golf on the Isle of Palms as soon as possible.

 

If you’ve been thinking of moving to Isle of Palms and first want to get a general feel of the area, the best way to schedule a stay at the award-winning Wild Dunes Resort. This marvelous oceanfront resort offers both the Sweetgrass Inn and the Boardwalk Inn, with luxury hotel rooms and various rental properties, including houses, villas, studios, and condos. Whatever your accommodation needs, you will soon be out enjoying the two terrific golf courses.

Noted golf architect Tom Fazio designed both 18-hole courses at Wild Dunes to challenge players of all levels. That includes players who want a competitive round and those who just want a relaxing trip around one of the breathtakingly beautiful courses.

Golf at Wild Dunes Resort is open to the public, but people who have bought homes for sale in Isle of Palms, SC, will get a fuller experience by purchasing a membership. Besides golf, Wild Dunes’ memberships offer dining opportunities and other social activities. Wild Dunes also offers a wide range of private lessons and clinics with top-notch professional staff. There is a fully stocked golf store and club rentals. Wild Dunes also partners with Ship Sticks to have your clubs picked up at your home and delivered to the resort to avoid the hassles of checking them at the airport and risk having them be damaged or lost.

 

As its name implies, the Links Course at Wild Dunes is a classic, links-style course that is one of the best-known layouts in Charleston and the entire state. People who have moved into homes for sale in Isle of Palms, SC, love The Links for its old-country feel accentuated by the tall grass swaying in the breeze, its signature palm trees, and its two finishing holes right along the ocean. The most memorable hole is No. 18, which, while just a par 3, stands out because of its location right along the sea. Locals know to book a tee time in the late afternoon so they can finish their round as the sun is sinking over the mainland.

The Links was Fazio’s first solo venture into golf course design, and he remains proud that he hit a hole-in-one on this layout. The original yardage was 6,800, but hurricane damage, unfortunately, brought it down to 6,503 yards. Still, the course remains fun and challenging due to the breeze coming in off the ocean.

 

The Harbor Course has a little different feel and look than the Links Course but is equally as enjoyable and challenging for residents who’ve gotten settled after buying homes for sale on Isle of Palms, SC. The Harbor Course plays to 6,359 yards with salt marshes and lagoons along this course, and its signature holes are 9, 10, and 11, each along the Intracoastal Waterway. The greens are scheduled to be reworked to make them even more extensive. Golfers are warned to keep an eye out for the occasional gator that might crawl onto the course.

These are the best places to play golf on the Isle of Palms. If you’ve decided to begin looking at homes for sale in Isle of Palms, SC, let the exceptional IOP Residential Real Estate team put their extensive experience to work for you.

_{*Header photo courtesy of Golf Force It}