
Ocean Winds Course
Seabrook Island Resort


About this course
Ocean Winds occupies the oceanfront portion of Seabrook Island Resort, a barrier island community roughly twenty-five miles south of Charleston. Willard Byrd designed the course in 1973, routing it through maritime forest and along stretches of tidal marsh and beach. The layout takes advantage of the island's natural topography, with holes threading through live oaks draped in Spanish moss and several playing directly beside the Atlantic. The ocean influence is most pronounced on the back nine, where wind and views of the water become central to the experience. The course measures just over 6,800 yards from the tips and features relatively modest elevation changes typical of Lowcountry terrain. Byrd's design emphasizes strategic bunkering and the management of coastal winds, which can shift club selection significantly depending on conditions. Water hazards—both tidal creeks and marsh—come into play on multiple holes, requiring careful navigation. The par-three sixteenth hole plays toward the ocean and is often cited as one of the more memorable on the property. Seabrook Island Resort operates as a private residential and resort community, with Ocean Winds and its companion course, Crooked Oaks, available to property owners, guests, and club members. The setting remains relatively quiet and natural, with limited commercial development and an emphasis on the coastal environment. The course reflects the era of Lowcountry design when architects worked within the constraints of sensitive island ecosystems while still delivering oceanfront golf.
Rankings
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Best in USA
Best in SC
Quick facts
- Location
- Johns Island, SC, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1975
- Holes
- 18
- Designer
- Willard Byrd
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 6,765 yards
- Difficulty
- 73.2/141
- Course Vaults score
- 7.2
Getting there
The journey to Seabrook Island Resort begins at Charleston International Airport, a comfortable half-hour drive north through the storied Lowcountry. From the terminal, the route traces Highway 700 southwest across tidal marshes and over the Bohicket Creek bridge, where the mainland gradually dissolves into barrier island solitude. As asphalt narrows and live oaks draped in Spanish moss close in overhead, the transition from Charleston's cobblestone charm to Seabrook's gated, oceanfront seclusion feels both swift and profound - a passage into one of the Carolina coast's most quietly guarded retreats.

FAQ
Common questions about Ocean Winds at Seabrook Island Resort
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Ocean Winds at Seabrook Island Resort has a Course Vaults score of 7.2 out of 10 based on 17 logged golfers.
Ocean Winds was designed by Willard Byrd.
Yes. Ocean Winds at Seabrook Island Resort is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Ocean Winds is 72.
Ocean Winds plays 6,765 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Ocean Winds is 141.



