Cotton Dike Golf Course at Dataw Island, South Carolina

Dataw Island is a 890-acre community near Beaufort, South Carolina that boasts two golf courses, Cotton Dike and Morgan River, a marina and other amenities. But it's known for its golf - with good reason. The Cotton Dike course was designed by Tom Fazio and features his fondness for bunkers. Add holes with wide marsh views and this course deserves the many accolades it has received over the years.

The Cotton Dike golf course is in South Carolina's Lowcountry, so it's flat, but it's treacherous, gorgeous and a memorable challenge.

Dataw Island's Cotton Dike golf course - hole 1

The first green on Dataw Island's Cotton Dike golf course has a couple of nasty bunkers front left.

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Dataw Island's Cotton Dike golf course - hole 10

Trying to get to Cotton Dike's 10th green from the right is nearly a lost cause.

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Dataw Island's Cotton Dike golf course - hole 13

The 13th hole on Dataw Island's Cotton Dike course is a 537-yard par 5 from the tips that serves up some mega bunkers and lots of water.

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Dataw Island's Cotton Dike golf course - hole 16

Cotton Dike's No. 16 par 3 offers little latitude.

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Dataw Island's Cotton Dike golf course - hole 18

The awesome 18th hole at Cotton Dike on Dataw Island is a hole that will stay in your permanent golf memory bank.

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Dataw Island's Cotton Dike G.C. - hole 18

Cotton Dike's No. 18 from the tee lays out bunkers right, trees and marsh left, and many mounds and swales in the fairway.

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Dataw Island's Cotton Dike golf course - hole 3

The third hole of the Cotton Dike golf course is a dogleg left to a narrow opening onto the green.

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Dataw Island's Cotton Dike golf course - hole 5

The fifth hole on Dataw Island's Cotton Dike course is a par 3 that starts with an interesting palmetto trunk-lined path to the tee boxes.

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Dataw Island's Cotton Dike golf course - hole 5

No. 5 is a par 3 over a marsh and the green appears to be a long way from the back tees; it's 179 yards of pure Cotton Dike austerity.

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Dataw Island's Cotton Dike golf course - hole 7

Carry is about your only option off the back tees on the par-5 No. 7 at Dataw Island's Cotton Dike golf course.

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Dataw Island's Cotton Dike golf course - hole 8

The eighth hole on Dataw Island's Cotton Dike course is a par 4 that wraps about water.

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Dataw Island's Cotton Dike golf course - hole 9

The ninth on Dataw Island's Cotton Dike course is a bear of a hole. From the mid to back tees, your ball must meet the fairway from a right angle.

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