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The golf is a bit special, too. There are two courses, Crooked Oaks designed by Trent Jones Sr., and Ocean Winds by Willard Byrd. The first is a forest course and great fun; the second, akin to a links that runs by the ocean, is tougher because of the breezes and higher shot values.
Both are par-72 and a whisker over 6,800 yards from the tiger tees, with multiple options further forward. You'll have more fun from the front: both courses have fairways of Bermuda grass, a heat loving species common to the south, which reacts to the strongest tee shot like a well-soaked mattress. So it stretches every hole, as you'll discover when you continually come up short before the penny drops. This is where you'll find out how far you really hit your favourite club. The conditioning is impeccable, reflecting a recent $2 million upgrade. Seabrook offers tremendous value and there's a bonus.
Where many resort courses rack up 50,000 rounds per year the Seabrook duo barely reach that total in aggregate.
The reason: there's no public play. The courses are exclusive to members and resort guests. It's millionaires' golf, uncrowded, unhurried and with ample time for a second round.
There's more: at certain times of the year the second round will cost only the $15 cart fee. How's that for value?
Just down the road lies Kiawah Island and if all you know about it connects with the 1991 Ryder Cup match then a few statistics will give you a fuller picture.
Kiawah covers 10,000 acres edged by a 10 mile long beach; it has two resort villages, two tennis clubs, 18 miles of bike trails, a 21 acre pool complex and a marina village. There are 350 rental villas of varying capacity, all de luxe and with views to kill for.
And four golf courses. If you had only a week to live and could still swing a club I'd say this would be the place. You'd go with a smile on your face. The golf alone would make the journey worth while.
There's a course by Gary Player named Cougar Point that runs alongside an expanse of tidal marshes. Those who know Kiawah will recall the original Marsh Point course, also by Player. Cougar Point is on the same site, but is a new design that opened in 1996.
Friendlier than the original, it measures 6,808 yards, par-72, from the back tips but most would feel more comfortable from the blue tees (6,431 yards). Or there are three sets of tees further forward. So the very young or the very old could have fun here.
The oldest course is Turtle Point, by Jack Nicklaus. This one opened in 1981 and was the venue for the 1990 PGA Cup matches between Britain and the US, the club pro version of the Ryder Cup.
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