Palmetto/Magnolia at Callawassie Island Club

Callawassie Island Club sits on a private island in the South Carolina Lowcountry near Okatie, between Hilton Head Island and Beaufort. Tom Fazio designed both the Palmetto and Magnolia courses here in the early 1980s as part of the island's residential development. The courses occupy a landscape typical of the coastal region, with flat to gently rolling terrain, mature live oaks draped in Spanish moss, and natural wetlands that define playing corridors and create strategic interest.

Fazio's routing on both courses works with the island's natural features, incorporating marshland edges and tidal creeks that influence shot values and visual character. The Palmetto and Magnolia layouts share the Lowcountry aesthetic—wide fairways framed by native vegetation, elevated greens with pronounced contouring, and water hazards that appear both as strategic elements and scenic backdrops. The courses are designed to accommodate a range of skill levels while maintaining enough challenge for accomplished players, a balance typical of Fazio's resort and club work from this period.

Callawassie Island functions as a private residential golf community, and the club serves as the social and recreational center for property owners and members. The courses remain relatively quiet compared to the more heavily trafficked resort layouts in nearby Hilton Head, offering a setting focused on member play rather than tournament competition or public access.