In Coastal Livings newest rankings, Kiawah Island’s Golf Resort now has every reason to make the designers of it’s 5 championship golf courses happy: Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye, Tom Fazio, and Gary Player, and we’re certainly proud of it here in Charleston too.

UPDATE: Kiawah Island Golf Resort’s Ocean Course makes #25 in 2009

Other South Carolina courses in the top 100:

• #73 – Long Cove Club on Hilton Head Island
• #75 – Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island
• #85 – Cassique – a private course of the Kiawah Island Club & 2009 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship host
• #87 – Sage Valley in Graniteville, S.C.

From the Shem Creek blog.

Kiawah Island Makes Exclusive ‘Top 10 Golf Resorts’ List

Isle of Palms Boardwalk Inn – #30 Top Resort, mainland USA.

images courtesy of Condé Nast Traveler

From the Shem Creek blog.

SC Ranks High In Condé Nast Traveler 2008 Readers’ Choice Awards

What many people don’t realize, is that when the Kiawah Development Partners bought Kiawah Island from the Kuwaitiis back in 1988, it was planting the seed for the 1991 Ryder Cup a mere 3 years later – an extraordinary feat to accomplish – only to be topped by the U.S. actually bringing the Ryder Cup home that year!

Fast forward 20 years and several development projects later, including the Doonbeg Golf Club in County Clare, Ireland, and we arrive at the newest golf course for the KDP: the $2B Christophe Harbour, St. Kitts in the West Indies.

“We are not going to let economic conditions deter our enthusiasm for this project,” – Darby at the groundbreaking ceremony for the 18-hole golf course designed by Tom Fazio.

The resort community sits on approximately 2,500 acres with 6 beaches. When opened in 2010, the resort will feature 5-star hotels including a Mandarin Oriental and Auberge Resort, a Tom Fazio signature golf course, a mega-yacht marina, yacht club, myriad shops, restaurants and activities, plus a private club and residences.

Speaking of golf, if you’re into HD computer games, check out World Golf Tour where you can tee off from Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course!

From the Shem Creek blog.

St. Kitts Island Resort in Christophe Harbour

Heading south from New Jersey to Cherry Point, NC, the Nanami first became disabled off Cape Hatteras and was towed to port by two Coast Guard cutters.

Then, rough seas off SC broke it free of it’s anchor chain and it ran aground on Kiawah Island.

With 400 gallons of diesel fuel onboard, the Coast Guard is working hard to refloat it.

With luck like that, it may be time to call it a trip!

Updates
* Tuesday 11/18: Charleston Marine Services has successfully removed approximately 900 gallons of fuel, with approximately 250 gallons of fuel and oils remaining.

* Wednesday 11/19: $100,000 may not be enough for a full recovery – who’s gonna pay for it?

* Saturday 11/22: On the way down from N.J., the Coast Guard ordered the Namami to dock at Lewes, Del. and cleanup some environmental concerns they noticed. After crashing through a piling and leaving town, the Namani has refused to pay for the piling or the dock fees, a bad karma move obviously still haunting them.

* Wednesday 11/26: Coast Guard oversees successful removal of vessel on Kiawah Island.

_{Photos courtesy of USCG and The Post & Courier.}

From the Shem Creek blog.

Coast Guard rescues Nanami – TWICE!

AMERICA’S BEST BEACHES 2008

1. Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida
2. Hanalei Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
3. Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Florida
4. Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York
5. Coronado Beach, San Diego, California
6. Main Beach, East Hampton, New York
7. Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii
8. Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, North Carolina
9. Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Florida
10. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina

AMERICA’S BEST BEACHES 2009

1. Hanalei Bay, Kauai, Hawaii
2. Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Florida
3. Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York
4. Coronado Beach, San Diego, California
5. Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii
6. Main Beach, East Hampton, New York
7. Cape Hatteras,Outer Banks, North Carolina
8. Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Florida
9. Coast Guard Beach,Cape Cod, Massachusetts
10. Beachwalker Park,Kiawah Island, South Carolina

AMERICA’S BEST BEACHES 2010

1. Coopers Beach in Southampton, New York
2. Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Florida
3. Coronado Beach in San Diego, California
4. Cape Hatteras in the Outer Banks of North Carolina
5. Main Beach in East Hampton, New York
6. Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
7. Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts
8. Beachwalker Park in Kiawah Island, South Carolina
9. Hamoa Beach in Maui, Hawaii
10. Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne, Florida

AMERICA’S BEST BEACHES 2011

1. Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Florida
2. Coronado Beach in San Diego, California
3. Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
4. Main Beach in East Hampton, New York
5. Cape Hatteras in the Outer Banks of North Carolina
6. St. George Island State Park, Florida panhandle
7. Beachwalker Park Kiawah Island, South Carolina
8. Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts
9. Waimanalo Bay Beach Park on Oahu, Hawaii
10. Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne, Florida

Photo courtesy of Google Maps

Map of Beachwalker Park

From the Shem Creek blog.

Kiawah Island’s Beachwalker Beach makes America’s Top 10 Best Beach list 2008 – 2011