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DATAW ISLAND, South Carolina – Just miles away from historic and beautiful
Beaufort is Dataw Island, an effortlessly charming coastal community
ideal for casting aside the travails of everyday life. Dataw’s first
golf course, Cotton Dike, is a shining example of what Lowcountry golf
is all about.
This charming layout separates itself from the pack by producing
stunning panoramic views of marshland as far as the eye can see. The
narrow fairways and prevalent water hazards require accuracy off the
tee but leave players with plenty of options when considering how to
approach each hole.
Tom Fazio’s design isn’t terribly long, playing just less than 6,800
yards from the back tees. If you’re playing from the most difficult
distances, forced carries will come into play every now and then. This
is especially true on the tee at No. 9, which requires a tee shot over
a significant marsh area before you can safely land on the fairway. The
ubiquitous presence of water is what makes this course so special.
Almost half of the 18 holes lie along the marsh and Jenkins Creek.
Cotton Dike is both a challenge and a pleasure to play. The serene
setting is almost postcard-worthy at every turn but the scenery doesn’t
overshadow the playability of the course. Long hitters can take
advantage of relatively short par-4s but will have to be leery of
trouble that can lie in the distance in the way of bunkers and hazards.
Shorter hitters will benefit from accuracy off the tee and won’t have
to leave their comfort zones to attack the pins. Cotton Dike puts a
premium on imagination and shot-making ability and will reward solid
golf shots but penalize poor distance control and careless planning.
The course received its name from the system of dikes that were built
140 years ago by plantation owners on Dataw Island to increase the land
area for growing the staple crop of the period, Sea Island cotton.
These distinctive features are still visible today around the Cotton
Dike course.
A placard noting the history of the area’s transformation is located on
the 5th tee box. Standing on the tee at No. 5, golfers are treated to
one of the most spectacular views you’ll ever experience on a golf
course. Marshlands seemingly extend for miles in every direction.
Combined with winds whipping in your face and a challenging carry over
the marsh, this namesake hole is the best of the bunch at Cotton Dike.
The finishing hole at Cotton Dike is no slouch. The par-4 closing hole
has a sloping fairway that dips up and down about every 10 yards making
it difficult to find a second shot on level ground. From the fairway
you’ll be shooting at a small green that juts out into the creek. These
are just two examples of the beauty offered by Cotton Dike’s collection
of waterfront holes.
Overall, this course is a true Lowcountry treasure. It’s a shame that
more people don’t know about it. If you get a chance to visit Dataw
Island, make an effort to play the Cotton Dike course. Dataw Island is
located a short drive from classic southern cities like Charleston and
Savannah and is just over an hour from Hilton Head Island.
Cotton Dike is just one of two courses located at Dataw Island. Morgan
River was designed by Arthur Hills and offers 6,646 yards of play. The
Morgan River course takes its name from the body of water used by the
Sams family, one of the most prominent planter families in Beaufort,
S.C. They purchased the land in 1774 and used the river to transport
their Sea Island cotton to Beaufort.
Dataw Island has plenty to offer other than golf.
The Dataw Island Marina is conveniently located just three miles from
the Intracoastal Waterway and only eight miles from the Atlantic Ocean.
The full-service marina provides wet slips for boats up to 100 feet in
length.
Currently, there are approximately 800 completed homes on Dataw Island,
with another 250 homes to be constructed on the Island at the end of
the project. Homes on Dataw Island typically feature three or four
bedrooms and two to four baths. Homes on Dataw Island range from 2,200
to 7,500 in total square footage and range in price from $450,000 to
more than $3 million. Many of the homes are located along the golf
courses.
The land known as Dataw Island was mainly used as a plantation for
growing indigo, rice and cotton in the 1700’s. Dataw Island was
purchased by William Sams in the 1780s to grow Sea Island cotton on the
fertile soil. More than 15 buildings on Dataw Island were built during
the Plantation Age using tabby – a composite material consisting of
sand, lime, water and oyster shell aggregate. Dataw Island once
represented one of the largest collections of tabby structures in the
South. The tabby ruins that can be seen today on Dataw Island are all
that remain from the original structures. One of these structures can
be found adjacent to the left hand side of the fairway on Cotton Dikes’
third hole.
To learn more about Dataw Island including membership options, please visit www.dataw.com or call 1-866-68-DATAW.
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