Wild Dunes - Links Course - Isle of Palms, SC

One of Tom Fazio's earliest designs, the Links Course at Wild Dunes received a great deal of attention upon opening in 1980, and deserves no less acclaim now in a discussion about the best public courses in South Carolina. The course is kept in prime condition and is truly one of Fazio's great works.

Though it plays just over 6,700 yards, the Links has ample defense. The undulating greens are roughly half the size of those on other notable Fazio courses, making an up-and-down nearly impossible from certain areas. Difficult rough penalizes drives that miss the fairway, and well-placed pot bunkers swallow shots. The elevation change, unusual for the Lowcountry, and the ever-present wind make distance-control a major factor.