Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Groups that gather at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, with its five golf courses and a plethora of event spaces, never have to meet in the same place — or play the same hole — twice.
“We have such a tremendous variety of venues and activities to offer because of the setting we’re in,” said director of sales Marty Couch.
Just 45 minutes south of Charleston, the gated resort features the Sanctuary Hotel, a luxury oceanfront property that has 255 guest rooms and a variety of ballrooms and meeting rooms that can accommodate events for up to 750 people. The East Beach Conference Center can welcome 800 guests in the 6,960-square-foot Governor’s Hall.
Couch said that of its five golf courses, three work especially well for meeting groups: the Ocean Course, the Turtle Point Golf Course and the Osprey Point Golf Course. Groups of 60 can meet in the upstairs PGA Room at the Ocean Course Clubhouse or have a reception on the 4,600-square-foot event lawn where “the backdrop is the Atlantic Ocean, and it absolutely doesn’t get any better than that,” he said. Mingo Point is a rustic outdoor venue overlooking the banks of the Kiawah River where groups can enjoy a low country oyster roast or barbecue.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Over the past 50 years, Myrtle Beach has grown from 10 golf courses to nearly 100. According to Chris King, spokesman for Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, “The pace of life is a lot slower down there; it’s a different feel.” Five of the 18 holes on the Jack Nicklaus-designed course at the Pawleys Plantation Resort are located along the scenic saltwater marsh that separates the island from the mainland. And that’s the same view guests can enjoy during meetings and events in the 6,500-square-foot conference center, with a foyer for registration or receptions and a veranda that delivers views of the 18th hole.
The Marina Inn at Grande Dunes is a AAA Four-Diamond hotel that sits just across the Intracoastal Waterway from the Grande Dunes 18-hole golf course. The inn can accommodate events for up to 700 people with a variety of function spaces, among them the 5,100-square-foot Nautilus Ballroom, an outdoor covered loggia and an event lawn with waterway views.
The Barefoot Resort features four golf courses, two clubhouses and a hotel with condominium units. Nearby, Barefoot Landing sits on the banks of the Intracoastal and features more than 100 shops and restaurants.
Sunset Beach, North Carolina
Just across the state line from Myrtle Beach, Sunset Beach in North Carolina is home to 180 holes and seven courses. Three of those, each of which has 18 holes, are located at the Sea Trail Resort, where guests can choose from 300 suites and vacation rentals and where groups will find the area’s largest meeting venue.
The full-service Sea Trail Convention Center has 40,000 square feet of meeting space, the largest of which is the flexible, 10,000-square-foot Carolina Ballroom. The center also features smaller flexible breakout rooms, the Carolina Promenade and Gallery for vendor booths or registration, and an outdoor piazza overlooking the 18th holes of the Rees Jones and Willard Byrd golf courses, as well as an event garden and a gazebo.
In the Jones/Byrd Clubhouse, a 4,500-square-foot ballroom can be split into three smaller spaces and opens onto a 5,000-square-foot patio.
Thistle Golf Club boasts 27 holes and a clubhouse designed to mimic a traditional rambling 1800s Scottish clubhouse. Groups can hold events on the private lawn or in the clubhouse’s pub, boardroom or dining hall, which accommodates up to 120 guests.
