Cougar Point

So my travels brought me to Kiawah Island. Wait didn’t you just go there? Yes, but I didn’t get to play Cougar Point. The course is right at the beginning of the resort property so you see it as you drive in. It looked so amazing, so green! Very different than Pinehurst in looks and feel and all I wanted to do was get out there!

I got to the course a bit earlier than usual as one can only eat so many grits. The Jasmine Porch located at The Sanctuary (the resort’s hotel) has the best grits I have ever eaten, I even convinced the couple near my table to get some because they heard me talking to the waitress about them! After my breakfast I headed over to the course. After my last round at Pinehurst where I played reasonably well and didn’t lose a ball I had high hopes for this round.

When I pulled into the parking lot it wasn’t very busy and a I saw a ton of carts, as I walked up and checked in I was told I would have to share a cart with someone I didn’t know, wasn’t really happy about it but ok. I was put with a threesome, and as awesome as every group I’ve played with on this trip this was the exact opposite. Three high school seniors who were on a road trip. One of them, his family had a house on the island, so he played a bit but the other two didn’t play at all. They all where sharing clubs out of one bag, same driver, same irons and same putter. They each had about 24 balls and by fifteen they each where down to three one for each hole. I could go on but needless to say a very tough round.

On the other hand I guess I could look at it as a blessing because I never really rushed and shot a 42 on the front nine. Played really well for me. I never count my score till I’m done, but the kid asked what I shot so I added it up, mistake. I promptly went and got an eight on ten, that’s what you get when you break from your routine. I came back around and ended up shooting a even 50 on the back for a total of 92. Again my best round of the trip score wise but frustrating on a personal level as the kids just where not fun to play with. The worst part was when the round was over, it took almost five hours to play with no one in front of us, but there were a bunch of carts facing in the direction to go out and a few facing the way in, so they had extras.

So when I got up this morning and went to check the video for the round I realized that on over half of my shots one of the kids are blocking the camera, I even told them what I was doing and asked them to move several times. I was so frustrated that I called to complain about the round. If I was given my own cart I could have just played thru the kids. I decided to call the golf course and let them know how frustrating it all was. I called on a Sunday morning at 9am. I didn’t think I would get a call back on a Sunday, but a call back I got. The director of all golf operations of Kiawah Island called me back in twenty minutes. We talked for about five minutes and at the end of the call my faith was restored in southern hospitality and I will definitely go back. Thanks for reading and be sure to check out my Instagram for the little of the video I did get. As I always like to say, I promise to try and hit them straight but if I don’t I will yell “FORE”!

The High Handicapper