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Kiawah Island Club (Cassique) Preview

U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship

Kiawah Island Club (Cassique), Kiawah Island, S.C.

Oct. 3-8

Yardage (Cassique): 6,964/6,907 yards

Par (Cassique): 36-36—72

Second stroke-play course yardage (The River Course): 6,908

Second stroke-play course par (The River Course): 36-35—71

Defending champion: Steve Wilson

Opened: 2000 (Cassique); 1995 (River)

Designers: Tom Watson (Cassique); Tom Fazio (River)

USGA championships: This will be the first USGA championship for Kiawah Island Club. The nearby Ocean Course, however, was the site for the 1991 Ryder Cup.

Championship notes: For stroke play, hole Nos. 4-6 will play at 370, 148 and 525 yards, respectively, but once the second round of match play begins, competitors will utilize alternate teeing grounds (360, 155 and 565 yards) on what members call the “pulpit” and “nip-tuck” holes. When playing the “pulpit” layout, golfers will utilize the right portion of the “split fairway” on the 370-yard, par-4 fourth hole, then have an extreme downhill tee shot at the par-3 fifth hole before playing the par-5 sixth from a tee that is not elevated. In the “nip-tuck” version, the left side of the fairway is used on No. 4, while the tee shot for the fifth is uphill to the alternate green of No. 4 (hole features two different greens). The par-5 sixth features an elevated tee that offers an entirely different look.

Allison Jarrett, the director of the U.S. Mid-Amateur championship, said it is likely the “pulpit” and “nip-tuck” routings will each be used the last two days of the competition, including the 36-hole championship match.

The second nine also will have alternate teeing grounds on 16 (181 and 169 yards) and 17 (430 and 348 yards), with the shorter yardages being utilized for match play only.

Design notes: Cassique, named for the Kiawah Indian chief who once hunted on these lands, is an Oceanside links-style course that is separated by the Atlantic Ocean by a few sand dunes, and the prevailing winds play a key factor on a number of holes. The first nine holes were constructed on former farmland, which was heavily sculpted to recreate the many dunes that occupied the landscape. Cassique offers little protection from the ocean winds, so Watson, a five-time British Open champion who used the classic British links courses as his inspiration, designed holes that could be played a variety of ways depending on the conditions and skill of the player.

The River Course notes: The second stroke-play qualifying course offers an entirely different look. It was built on rolling hills, an unusual characteristic for the low-lying area. Tree-line fairways, tiered greens and numerous water hazards dot the course. Six holes play along the Kiawah River and Bass Pond, while the remaining holes feature marsh savannahs, ponds and maritime forests. Charleston, S.C., designer Amelia Handegan decorated the interiors of the clubhouse using more than 20 original works of art. Besides the usual golf amenities, members have access to a fitness center, two red clay tennis courts and a day spa.

Fitting tribute: In the lobby of the Cassique clubhouse a portrait of Cassique, the Native American chief who lead English settlers to the site of Charleston greets members and guests. Murals by local artists of the golf course and nature scenes of Kiawah can be found on the central stairway just off the lobby. An homage to golf’s history is illustrated on the ceiling of the entrance to the lobby by 100 hickory-shafted clubs arranged in circular fashion. Inside the Tom Watson Room on the first floor is an oil portrait of the course designer as well as black-and-white images of his various great moments.

South Carolina and the Mid-Amateur: No player from the state of South Carolina has claimed a Mid-Amateur title, but Bert Atkinson of Charleston was the runner-up in 1991 to Jim Stuart at Long Cove Club in Hilton Head Island, S.C. That was the only other time that the Mid-Amateur was contested in South Carolina.  The state has hosted 12 previous USGA championships, the last being the 2005 Men’s and Women’s USGA State Team Championship at Berkeley Hall in Bluffton.

South Carolina and the USGA: South Carolina native Beth Daniel registered two U.S. Women’s Amateur victories in 1975 and ’77 before enjoying a successful career on the LPGA Tour. Carolyn Cudone of Myrtle Beach also won a USGA-record five consecutive USGA Senior Women’s Amateur titles from 1968-72.

Did you know: Kiawah Island covers 10,000 acres and 10 miles of land, but is only 1.5 miles long at its widest point…Approximately 500 families live on Kiawah Island year-round and members come from all 50 states and numerous foreign countries…While Cassique and The River Course are private venues, Kiawah Island features five other layouts that are open to the public, including the Ocean Course (1991 Ryder Cup and 2007 PGA Senior Championship) designed by Pete Dye. The other courses are Oak Point, Osprey Point, Turtle Point and Cougar Point.

A sanctuary: More than 140 species of birdies can be found on the island, including osprey, sea gulls, terns, heron, hawks, egrets, owls and American Bald Eagle. Other species that can be found are whitetail deer, bobcat, opossum, squirrels, and 30 species of reptiles, including alligators and sea turtle.

What’s in a name: The island is named for the Kiawah Indians who inhabited the area until the land was deeded to George Raynor in 1699 by the Lords Proprietors. Ownership of the property has changed hands only four times since then.

Compiled by USGA Digital Media staff writer David Shefter.