The classiest town in the South Atlantic is in my opinion Charleston, S.C. The combination of southern charm, historic buildings, great restaurants and shopping, all in a seaside location make this town a must see. If you want to combine a little golf on a visit to this region, the place to stay is the Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina. The resort is ideally located just across the Charleston Harbor and from the downtown area. The recently renovated Patriots Point Links golf course at Mount Pleasant is just a par-4 a way from the resort and well worth a visit.
The Golf
The Patriots Point Links is an 18-hole par-72 facility and is run and owned by the Ginn Company, is a privately-held resort development and management firm that specializes in exclusive leisure lifestyle and vacation destination communities across the U.S. The course is located on a peninsula surrounded by the Charleston Harbor with views of Fort Sumter and Shem Creek. If someone blindfolded you and took you out to the finishing holes you would probably think it was Cape Cod, a quaint fishing village on one side and sailboats on the other side. The only thing different would be the occasional large freighter pulling in from overseas. Patriots Point is a links course, which normally sports a 10-20 mph wind to keep you cool and make the golf more interesting. My favorite holes were towards the end of the course. Number 16 is a challenging dogleg-right par-4, which plays 390 yards into the wind.
The green is right on the water and the views of the nearby marina will be a pleasant distraction. The 17th is only 150 yard par- 3, but very challenging. Again it plays directly into the wind and the green is surrounded by marshland. After you reach the green, take a moment to look out into the Harbor and contemplate the great history of this town.
Patriots Point Links has excellent practice facilities as well as a large grass range, chipping green and several putting greens, for more information visit www.patriotspointlinks.com.
This area is home to lots of great golf. Kiawah Island is less than an hour away. If you wish to travel to a closer destination, you might try the Charleston National County Club, RiverTown Country Club or the Dunes West Golf Club, which are open to the public. For an exotic private golf club experience look into Daniels Island Club or the Bulls Bay Golf Club, which are both no more than 20 minutes away.
Charleston
Charleston is one of the oldest cities in the U.S. dating back to 1670. Great pains have been taken to keep its original flavor. The city logo is “The city where history lives.” Walking around downtown it is easy to get a feeling of what life was like here as far back as the Civil War. Charleston is where the first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter. Back then it was the South’s second largest city and primary port. There are many great restaurants to choose from. If you want the feel of the “old south” try Muse Restaurant and Wine Bar. Just a couple of blocks from the Charleston Market, it is located in a historic home and has a New Orleans flavor. The menu is a unique combination of Mediterranean cuisine, including meat and seafood. Reservations are a must at this small, intimate restaurant, which is very popular with the upscale local residents. For more information on Muse call (843) 577-1102. If waterfront seafood is your thing then go to Fleet Landing. I had yellow fin tuna here, which was expertly prepared. For more information on Fleet Landing visit www.fleetlanding.net.
The Resort
The Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina is an elegant property and very comfortable. The rooms are all decorated in a nautical theme and are state of the art. If you can get a harbor view room with a balcony, I recommend spending hours just sipping a beverage and watching the parade of vessels cross the historic harbor. The property has its own marina, where guests can charter boat rides for all sorts of occasions. Full and half day fishing excursions as well as day and evening harbor cruises are available. The Resort offers two equally unique ways to get to downtown Charleston. Its Marina offers a water taxi service or you can ride the resort’s cable car bus across the new, towering Cooper River Bridge.
You can also walk across this bridge, which offers dramatic views of the entire Charleston area. Patriots Point is also home to the U.S.S. Yorktown aircraft carrier and the new National Medal of Honor Museum. Both venues are very close to the hotel and within view of the marina. For more information on The Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina visit www.charlestonharborresort.com.