The Ocean course is the hardest course I've ever played
and its not close. More than 9 holes (I think 11) play from N to S along the beach with a prevailing wind going from left to right. When I played, that wind was ~ 20mph. Plus, there is soft sand, water and knee deep weeds instead of rough on both sides of the fairway. I have a natural slice that I can control strait or curved. But I cannot draw the ball. Even when I hit the ball perfectly, landing on the left side of the fairway, it would roll across the entire fairway and into the crap on the right. My point is, if you cannot draw the ball on even a normal wind day, you will be very frustrated.
Watch the Ryder Cup and see the players fall apart under those conditions with the pressure. The par 3 16, where several went OOB and Bernhard Langer missed a six footer that allowed the USA to retain the cup is an experience. The wind there makes the ball move on your put...very tough. IIRC, one US player put his ball into the water on 16 causing him to lose his match. After finishing, he went to the beach and cried for some time before he could compose himself.
Kiawah is a wonderful resort, one of the best I've ever been too. There are four great courses there that are interesting because they carry the personality of the player:
Gary Player course: short with crap everywhere. You play every club in the bag. Fun for short hitters and good putters. Jack Nicholas course: Long and strait. Big flat greens. Grip it and rip it. Three beautiful holes on the beach. Very pretty track.Fazio course: Platform golf, meaning the fairway is raised about 3 inches from the rough. if your ball rolls off the fairway a few inches, its frustrating. Big bonus for keeping the ball in the fairway here. One quick story...I was there once when a storm blew a small palm tree over in the front yard of our condo. I went to breakfast in the city and came back in the early afternoon. The tree was gone, the hole was filled and grass was laid down. In a matter of a few hours, you didn't even know it happened. Beautiful place, great biking and fishing (caught two bonnet head sharks at
bohicket marina). Also, there are some nice courses nearby that are much cheaper (Oak Point near Bohicket Marina and the entrance to Kiawah). Bohicket has a nice place to eat (fresh Grouper) and the Island has many fantastic places to eat. There is a place nearby named "Gilligans" that is fun and cheaper for a bunch of dudes.