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The Cotton Dike Course at Dataw Island, designed by famed architect (and winner of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America award) Tom Fazio, has been a jewel in the South Carolina golf scene since 1985. The club is augmented by numerous facilities, including a 25,000 square foot clubhouse. Dataw Island was cited in Golf Week as "one of the 50 most distinctive development courses in the Southeast United States". Although private, the course has reciprocal agreements with other clubs.

A par 72, with full championship yardage of 6,825 and a slope of 138 on Bermuda grass, Cotton Dike offers a challenge that can be appreciated by all, even the highest caliber of professional golfer. The location of the course is dramatic, with the surroundings of beautiful scenery of Dataw Island and St. Helena as the backdrop.

The course winds through marshlands and a series of dikes that were originally part of the namesake cotton marshes that the course is built upon. These marshlands create some challenging natural obstacles, as almost half of the holes on the course wind along Jenkins Creek, which meanders in and out of play, contesting many shots and forcing precision ball striking from tee to green.

The course is a pleasure to play, though it can be very challenging. While many of the par 4s on the course are relatively short, bunkers and hazards are placed very opportunistically, which makes errant shots especially damaging to scores. Imagination is required when approaching this course, as shot making is placed at a premium due to the relatively modest layout and demands placed by hazards. Careless planning on the part of the golfer is sure to introduce frustration, especially with carefully guarded greens.

The golfer underestimating or overshooting on this course is sure to bring a significant level of frustration to their day. A few holes are particularly memorable. When asked about his own course, architect Tom Fazio mentioned that "From a playability standpoint, the seventh hole offers numerous options as a three-shot hole or a reachable par-5 for long hitters, and if the golfer avoids the forest on the right and the lagoons on the left, a birdie is a distinct possibility".

Hole number 5 has a historical placard, which gives a detailed history of the development and transformation of the area. On this same hole, the high tee box offers a tremendous view of the course area, with miles of visibility across the terrain. The 18th is the challenging par 4, with an intensely undulating fairway that comprises your approach. Further complicating the approach is the slice of green that serves as the final target on the course. The green sticks out, well protected by Jenkins Creek, which guards numerous fairways and greens along the way. The 18th hole is emblematic of the course, where there is always a hint of danger complicating the shot of the golfer.

The Morgan River Golf Course at Dataw Island Club offers a great golfing experience at a unique location. Dataw Island Club is located in Beaufort, South Carolina providing a beautiful landscape for this lustrous golf course. The Morgan River Golf Course is the more challenging of the two courses you will find at Dataw Island Club, however, the challenge of this course is met by dramatic beauty. What you will find when you golf at the Morgan River Golf Course is a great atmosphere, a private and serene location and an incredible golfing experience.

The two courses of Dataw Island are Cotton Dike and Morgan River. Cotton Dike was created first out of the two and was designed by Tom Fazzio. It gets its name from the way in which land was developed here. To develop more land for growing cotton, a series of dikes were created that now make up the terrain of Cotton Dike Golf Course. This course follows the marshes and Jenkins Creek on one side of the island while the Morgan River Golf Course follows the other side.

The Morgan River Golf Course was the second of the two designed for Dataw Island Country Club. It was designed by Arthur Hills and offers 18 challenging holes of golf that follow the Morgan River. As mentioned earlier, the Morgan River course is the more challenging of the two. This is mainly due to the narrow fairways that were incorporated in its design. This narrowness calls for skilled and precision shots while rewarding the player with a beautiful landscape overlooking the savannas and the river itself. It is one of 64 incredible islands to be found in Beaufort County.

This island is surrounded by the Morgan River in the north and Jenkins Creek in the east, south and west. It is also located 6 miles from Beaufort, South Carolina where Beaufort County Airport is a great way to travel to and from Dataw Island. The average yearly temperature at Dataw Island is 65 degrees and the temperature matched with the beautiful Savannahs, waterways, and oaks make for a great environment for golfing. Dataw Island Club also provides a great atmosphere for golfing. Along with a clubhouse, this club features a community fitness center, eight tennis courts and a marina.

There is so much to do at Dataw Island Club that the golf enthusiasts can take a vacation for themselves while providing a great vacation experience for the rest of their family. The green fees are reasonably priced for this great golfing atmosphere. Overall, the Morgan River Golf Course is one golfing experience every golfing enthusiast should take the opportunity to have. The serene landscape and privacy of Dataw Island provide an environment second to none while the great detail in design of the course itself provides a challenging and rewarding golfing experience. Whether you are a family vacationer or a private traveler, Morgan River Golf Course makes for a great trip all around.

In these times of economic recession and massive baby boomer retirement, a lot of people have affordable retirement communities on their mind. The 2004 Del Webb Baby Boomer Survey found that 36% of Boomers plan to move when then retire and that about 25% of them would like to be in an active adult community with golf.

Here is a review of three outstanding, affordable golf communities for your consideration:

Dataw Island, South Carolina
Between Savannah and Charleston, there's a historic haven of the coast of the Carolinas, a place where the fertile soil that hosted indigo and cotton on an antebellum plantation is still home to rich experience. Defined by the Intracoastal Waterway, lagoons and lush marshes, the waters helped shaped the island's history and an active lifestyle of contemporary luxury. In a place where golf is revered as highly as Southern hospitality, amateurs and pros a like will appreciate teeing off in a central show place, on two world-class golf courses. Tom Faxio's Cotton Dike course and the Author Hills Morgan River Signature Course demand accuracy at every bend and are sure to be a challenge for any player. But don't just come and play, but come and stay with plenty of beautiful real estate available. There are single family and patio homes, quaint villas, and a variety of unique styles to chose from you are sure to be able to find a place here.
For further information view affordable golf communities

StoneRidge, Idaho
Known as Northern Idaho's perfect getaway this golf and recreational community is far from a busy highway or shopping mall. Many have been wowed by the esteemed Idaho golf trail nearby. There is golf for every level and it is all surrounded by the stunning beauty of Norther Idaho. One Spokane Spokesman said, "A must play for golfers of all levels... Gentle elevations, scenic panoramas and a serene setting."

Pronghorn, Oregon
Pronghorn is a beautiful community tucked away in the mountains of Bend, Oregon. Named after a species of the western antelope, this community is just 20 minutes from Mt. Bachelor ski resort and has some of the finest fishing river around. There are many nearby shops and coffee houses. Here fractional ownership starts around $200,000.