Dunes West Golf Club
4.3
4 reviews
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Address: 3535 Wando Plantation Way, Mount Pleasant , Charleston, South Carolina, 29466-8052 United States
Tel: (843) 856 9378
Golf Pro: Kevin Zemnickas
Website: http://www.golfduneswest.com
Golf Club Facilities
Club Hire
Buggy Hire
Bar
Dining
Semi-Private
* Any prices shown are guide prices, please confirm with the course prior to booking.
Tee Time Information
* Any prices shown are guide prices, please confirm with the course prior to booking.
Review Information
GOLFSHAKE RATING
4.3
AVERAGE RATING 4.4
(based on 4 reviews)
5 star
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HIGHLY RATED
100%
would play again or recommend
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What the club says: This course is set amid some of the most beautiful landscape in South Carolina, and it takes full advantage of these rich surroundings. Meandering its way between bermuda-covered dunes, natural water hazards, and 200 year old oaks draped in spanish moss, it is truly picturesque. The clubhouse is referred to as one of the finest in the South; built on the waterfront, it was designed to remind its visitors of the charm of the Lowcountry. Dunes West Golf Club is a world-class golf expierence in every way.
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Reviews for Dunes West Golf Club
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The golf courses reviews are the personal opinions of members of Golfshake who completed a review after playing the course. These opinions do not necessarily represent the views of Golfshake.com
Brendon B rated 3.5 out of 5
Reviewed Oct 31 2024
Carolinas
Great course - take care near water - Alligators - big greens - parkland style.nice club house and mobile beer drop!
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The Golfin Guy rated 5 out of 5
Reviewed Jan 10 2024
Lowcountry Golf At Its Finest
The history of the land where Dunes West Golf and River Club and the surrounding community are built dates back to 1696. The property changed owners multiple times between then and 1930 when Henrietta Hartford - one of the nation’s wealthiest women - purchased it. She developed the property into a stately manor, including a 32-room house furnished with imported European antiques, a guest house, a saltwater swimming pool, tennis courts, stables, servants’ quarters, and a nine-hole golf course. The estate burned to the ground a few years after she married Prince Guido Pignatelli of Italy in 1937, and was sold to the O.L. Williams Veneer Co., which is now part of Georgia Pacific.The gated Dunes West community features ten tennis courts, three pools (one adult only and one with a slide and zero entry for toddlers), a fitness and aerobics room; a boat ramp with optional boat dry storage, a playground and miles of sidewalks for walking, running and biking. Property owners are not required to join the golf club.
Over the years, the golf course has received its fair share of accolades: 2009 Golf Course of the Year by the Charleston Golf Course Owners Association, Top Ten New Resort Course by Golf Digest, and America's Fifty Best Courses by Golf Week Magazine.
Manager Rich Rankin attributes much of the club’s success to his staff, who “help us present a great product and a great experience for our members and guests.” He adds, “One of the special attributes of Dunes West is that the club’s owners are constantly upgrading the course and everything else about the club.” This has included everything from adding drainage and rebuilding sand traps to new maintenance equipment. A new wedding ceremony site was added and sits beneath three centuries-old oak trees overlooking Wagner Creek. To date, Dunes West has hosted over 1,200 weddings.
The golf course at Dunes West does not resemble the 9-hole original course in any way, however, the clubhouse does sit on the very spot of the princesses’ 32-room mansion. The oak trees that frame the drive up to the clubhouse and the right side of the 18th fairway were planted by Princess Pignatelli herself and serve as a reminder of the property's history.
Dunes West Golf and River Club is ideally situated along Wagner Creek and the Wando River, which produces some spectacular views of the surrounding aquatic life. The course was designed by renowned golf course architect Arthur Hills and is a “must-play” for any golfer in or around Charleston, SC.
Dunes West offers golfers five sets of tees; the scorecard adds a “hybrid” yardage by combining the Blue and White Tees, so finding a yardage that fits your game shouldn’t be difficult. Yardages range from 6,826 yards for more skilled golfers to 5,048 yards for women, juniors, and seniors. I found that the Blue Tees (6,091 yards) provided a fitting challenge and still let me leave with a little dignity.
Hills took full advantage of both the Wando River and Wagner Creek when he built this masterpiece, yet water only comes into play on seven holes. As you make your way around the course, you’ll see saltwater marshes and coastal tidelands; all commonplace for those who live in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, but visually stunning for those who don’t. Many of the fairways are wide and forgiving with mounding on the peripheries, leading to new Paspalum-grass greens guarded by both sand and grass bunkers. The grass bunkers are every bit as challenging as the ones filled with light, fluffy sand. Greens come in all shapes and sizes, are mildly undulated, and all roll true.
Before your round, be sure to visit Dunes West’s practice facility. It’s a short cart ride from the pro shop and features a full-length driving range with multiple targets that will let you hit every club in your bag. There’s a sand trap in the short game area and a large putting green to get the feel of what you are about to encounter.
There are several challenging holes on the front nine at Dunes West, but none of them were more memorable than the three finishing holes. Number 16 is the toughest hole on the inward nine and plays 369 yards from the Blue Tees. Water comes into play over the trio of fairway bunkers on the right off the tee. An ideal tee shot between the 150-marker and the trees on the left will leave what many consider to be the toughest 2nd shot at Dunes West, over sand traps to a small green with water looming on the right, two sand bunkers on the left and grass bunkers behind the green right. Par is a great score here!
Number 17 is a par 3 that plays 159 yards and is by far the most challenging par 3 at Dunes West. With water on the right side and sand left and long, there is no room for error off the tee. Miss the left fairway bunker long and you’re facing a tough lie in a grass swale. The green is small, and slopes left to right towards the water.
Number 18 is a great finishing hole and will give any golfer all they can handle from the back tees; from the Blue tees, it’s a manageable 383 yards. The biggest challenge on this hole is to control your drive off the tee. Keep it in the short grass and leave yourself a clear shot into the green and you can finish strong, just be sure to avoid the marsh area short left.
After your round, step into The Grille Room for a bite to eat or your favorite adult beverage. They offer breakfast and lunch seven days a week, as well as dinner on Thursday nights. Friday is Charcuterie Night with wine, craft beers, and cocktails and brunch is served on Sundays. Also, be sure to check out their weekday specials like $3 beers on Tuesday and $10 lunch entrees on Wednesday.
As you can imagine, Dunes West Golf and River Club is also a popular venue for weddings and events. It starts with the drive up Wando Plantation Way with all of its arching live oak trees, to the antebellum-style clubhouse with its fantastic water views. They have an excellent staff of event coordinators and culinary artists who put together some of the area’s best cuisine.
Dunes West offers memberships for both residents and non-residents. As a member, you’ll receive advanced tee time booking, discounts on food and beverage as well as merchandise in the pro shop, charging privileges, access to member-only tournaments, activities, and events, and a whole lot more. Simply complete the form on the website for more information.
On my latest visit to Dunes West Golf & River Club in Mt. Pleasant, SC this past August, it was 97° outside with a “feels like” temperature into triple digits. I was amazed at the number of people who were already on the golf course and how many were waiting to tee off. According to the cart attendant, there were 237 rounds booked for that day. It was a great testament to what golfers think of this golf course.
If you are relocating to the Charleston area and are seeking an active lifestyle, then Dunes West Golf and River Club is where you need to be.
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Brendon B rated 4 out of 5
Reviewed May 21 2018
great winter golf - hot in summer months - alligators in most lakes so lost balls not worth getting.
(Round played: Apr 2018 - Score: 95 Handicap: 15.4)
(Round played: Apr 2018 - Score: 95 Handicap: 15.4)
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David Theoret rated 5 out of 5
Reviewed Aug 2 2017
An Arthur Hills Lowcountry Masterpiece
Dunes West Golf and River Club is ideally situated along Wagner Creek and the Wando River, offering up some spectacular views of the surrounding aquatic life. The course itself was designed by renowned golf course architect Arthur Hills and is a “must play” for any golfer traveling in or around Charleston, SC. Dunes West has been proclaimed by both Golf Digest and Golf Magazine as a “Top 10 Resort Course”.The course plays 6,859 yards from the back tees, with a course rating of 73.0 and a slope of 134. Most golfers will find that the Blue Tees (6,100/69.0/122) will give them all they can handle and still maintain a little dignity.
Hills took full advantage of both the Wando River and Wagner Creek when he built this masterpiece. As you make your way around the course, you’ll see saltwater marshes and coastal tidelands; all commonplace for those who live in the South Carolina’s lowcountry, but visually stunning for those who don’t.
Like most Arthur Hills, there’s a lot of mounding in the peripheries of the fairways and around the green complexes. Grass bunkers and swales are every bit as challenging as the light, fluffy sand you’ll find in any of the traps. Greens come in all shapes and sizes, most have subtle undulation and all roll true.
There were several challenging holes on the front nine at Dunes West, but none more memorable than the four finishing holes. Number 15 is a Par 5 that has two sets of four fairway bunkers that challenge players off the tee and in the layup landing zones. The first set are on the edge of the fairway and shouldn’t cause much trouble; the second set bisect the fairway and catch a good deal of layup attempts. A long drive up the left side sets up a good opportunity to get home in two and go for broke.
Number 16 is the toughest hole on the inward nine. Water come into play over the trio of fairway bunkers on the right off the tee, but is more in play on your approach shot. The green is small with subtle undulations.
Number 17 is a par 3 that is by far the most challenging par 3 at Dunes West. With water on the right side and sand left and long, there is no room for error off the tee. Miss the left fairway bunker long and you’re facing a tough lie in a grass swale. The green is small and slopes left to right. Best of luck!
Number 18 is a great finishing hole. With no bunkers on the hole your biggest challenge is to control your drive off the tee. Keep it in the short grass and leave yourself a clear shot into the green and you’ll finish strong; just be sure to avoid the marsh area short left.
In addition to a superb golf course, Dunes West also has a 6000-square foot clubhouse with full service dining. One of the specialties at The Grille are the tacos, which come in several varieties, and the burgers are outstanding. On Thursdays, The Grille is open for dinner with delectable entrees of beef, chicken and fish. There’s also a full array of country club amenities including swim and tennis.
Because of its location, Dunes West is a picturesque and memorable location for weddings. Their experienced event and culinary staff can help you put together your special occasion. It’s also a great venue to host your next tournament or golf outing.
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The golf courses reviews are the personal opinions of members of Golfshake who completed a review after playing the course. These opinions do not necessarily represent the views of Golfshake.com
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