Cat Island Club — Restaurant in Beaufort

The Cat Island Club in Beaufort, South Carolina was course designer George Cobb's final design as he “passed the baton” to his understudy, John LaFoy who did a masterful job completing the work. When the course debuted in the summer of 1985, it was enjoyed by both locals and out-of-state residents and became one of the most desirable clubs in the area for years.

However, after several years of neglect and poor management, the property was in disrepair and was subsequently purchased by Resort Development Partners (RDP) on June 1st, 2022. The company immediately called on LaFoy to help them return the golf course to its former glory. LaFoy and the staff at Cat Island Club have worked tirelessly to see that every mound, undulation, and contour has been restored to what both Cobb and LaFoy meant it to be.

RDP hired Tim Mervosh, a golf industry professional with over 35 years of experience in the golf industry as General Manager. One of the first things Mervosh did was open up lines of communication between himself, RDP, and the membership base eliminating any doubt that RDP was “in it for the long haul!”

LaFoy has done a wonderful job of blending Cat Island Club into its natural surroundings. Water comes into play on at least 12 holes and makes for a couple of Kodak moments from the 16th and 17th tees. The Port Royal Sound comes into play on six of these.

As I stood on the first tee at Cat Island Club in Beaufort, SC, one of the members offered me some words of advice, “Favor the right side of the fairway.” I took his advice and hit it down the right side and, when I drove up to the ball, I could see why. There's a pond on the left side that is reachable from the tee. If you hit it left off the tee, you might get lucky and find a bunker! The water comes into play on approach shots to center or left pin placements. Looking back, I should have kept him around for the rest of the round!

The views for Numbers 16 and 17 steal the show. As you stand on the tee box of the 118-yard par 3, 16th hole, you can’t help but be impressed by what you see behind the putting surface. Sixteen showcases South Carolina’s Lowcountry at its best with a boat dock beyond the green and countless miles of marshland behind that. The par 4, 17th hole is a dogleg left that plays 341 yards and starts with a tee shot from a manmade tee box in the middle of the marshland. Playing your tee shot over the marsh and down the left side of the fairway will leave a good angle into the green which is long and narrow.

If you’re looking for a club where status is measured by how much you’re worth, how big your house is, or the car you drive, then Cat Island Club probably isn’t a good match. Membership here leans towards God, country, and family. Patriotism is also on high display here and with Parris Island nearby it’s no wonder! There are many Military veterans in the area and Cat Island Club is no exception. They’re easy to spot; they’re the ones standing at attention and saluting whenever Revelle plays at nearby Parris Island. When the course officially reopened, the Marine Honor Guard raised the flag and there was a flyover of F35 fighter planes; talk about impressive! LaFoy himself served in the Marine Corps.

On my recent visit to the club, I was overwhelmed by how much use the swimming pool complex received. It includes a lagoon-style pool, a kiddie pool, an adult-only pool, and a jacuzzi. In case hunger or thirst overtakes you, there’s a full-service bar and poolside grill with a casual menu. It’s not unusual to find entire families here for the day.

Cat Island Club is currently accepting new members. There are several membership classifications with low initiation fees and very reasonable monthly dues. It’s the best and most economical way to be a part of Cat Island Club and take advantage of everything they...

Played Cat Island golf club on July 30th 2023 during a VGA tournament. Overall this is a nice course and has its challenging moments. The best thing about this cause is its greens. They are in great condition and roll honest and true. The fairways, tee boxes, and bunkers are also in good condition. You must land in the fairway or you will be punching out of some very thick rough. Nice range and putting green for practice. However, the course is still working on adding to the course due to being shut down for a few years. One thing they MUST do immediately is put more water to drink on the course. It is way too hot in SC to only have 2 water points throughout 18 holes. This made the round a little hard to enjoy honesty. But, great course for anyone looking to join this...

A friend who lives at Cat Island invited me over to check out the new Restaurant that just opened at the Pool....Tavern on the Green Poolside. He mentioned that Cat Island has new owners and they are making a difference. The Pool area is stunning, They now have a driving range and the Golf Course will reopen soon. The Tavern had a nice menu with salads, Sandwiches, Baskets and even a kids menu. I had the Angus Burger and my friend the Cranberry Almond Chicken Salad Wrap.They looked Great and tasted even Better. Top notch! I told him this a real nice addition for people who live at Cat Island and he told me that it's all Open to the Public and that the Clubhouse will also feature a new restaurant soon. The Cat is Back and so...