Dataw Island

What Dataw Island does

Dataw Island is a private, gated master-planned residential community situated on an 870-acre Sea Island in Beaufort, South Carolina. The community serves property owners and their families as a primary residential destination, offering a portfolio of lifestyle amenities including two championship golf courses, a tennis and newly added pickleball complex, a private marina with deepwater access, a fitness/wellness center, multiple dining venues, and more than 50 organized clubs covering interests such as gardening, boating, arts, and social activities. An Architectural Review Board governs the built environment through deed covenants and design review, and a mandatory Owners Association membership is tied to property ownership. Revenue mechanics combine recurring membership/HOA dues, amenity usage and program fees, marina slip/rental fees, food and beverage sales from on-site dining and private events, and real estate transaction activity on homes priced from approximately $389K to $1.99M. The business model is best characterized as a bundled real-estate-and-membership lifestyle platform: property ownership creates a captive dues base, while amenities and clubs drive usage-based fees, event revenue, and ancillary spend. In 2020 the Owners Association acquired the marina and accepted donation of the 33-acre Oak Island nature preserve, bringing a major recreational asset and a contiguous protected greenspace directly under community ownership. Operations are overseen by an on-site management team and governed through elected committees, with recent leadership additions including a Director of Golf and an ARB Director succeeding prior tenured roles.

Name

Dataw Island

Legal name

Dataw Island Club, Inc.

Website

https://dataw.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Dataw Island is a private gated 870-acre residential community in Beaufort, SC offering championship golf, tennis, pickleball, full-service marina, dining, wellness, and 50+ clubs to property owners and members via mandatory ownership-tied membership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Residential Community / Country Club

NAICS

Golf Courses and Country Clubs (71391)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Golf Courses & Golf Facilities (MPAKAEAD)

Keywords

• Private residential community
• Gated country club
• Championship golf membership
• Marina and boating services
• Luxury real estate sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Beaufort

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Real Estate Sales: Sale of homes and home sites on Dataw Island. Properties include Traditional Homes, Patio Homes, Villas, and custom-built homes. Home prices range from the $300s to $2 million. Lot prices range from $47,000 to $175,000.
2. Club Membership Dues: Mandatory membership to Dataw Island Club and Owners Association for property owners. Membership includes access to golf, tennis, pickleball, croquet, bocce, marina, dining, wellness facilities, and community amenities. Sports available 'a la carte' on annual basis.
3. Marina Services: Marina services including wet slips, dry stack storage, fuel, haul-out services (50-ton Travel Lift), DIY boatyard, and marine maintenance. Transient dockage also available. Operated by Dataw Island Owners Association.
4. Dining Services: Three distinct dining venues: The Pub (casual), The Cotton Dike Deli (poolside grab-and-go), and Morgan River Grill (upscale waterfront dining). Also includes upscale dining in The Tabby Room, themed menu events, and private event catering.
5. Wellness and Spa Services: Community Center wellness offerings including yoga, fitness, indoor lap pool, spa services (massage, facials), physical therapy, and personal training. Staffed by Carolina Sportscare and Physical Therapy, Inc.
6. Private Events and Weddings: Event venue rental and catering services for weddings, rehearsal dinners, corporate events, charity galas, fundraisers, and celebrations. Venues include Carolina Ballroom, Tabby Room, and outdoor spaces. Contact Special Events Manager Amy Ferreira.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Dataw Island operates an 870-acre private gated residential community offering homes, home sites, and mandatory club membership to property owners, alongside optional memberships for non-owners. Its offerings center on two championship golf courses (Cotton Dike by Tom Fazio and Morgan River by Arthur Hills), a full-service marina, racquet and lawn sports (tennis, pickleball, croquet, bocce), wellness and spa facilities, multiple dining venues, aquatics, a 33-acre nature preserve, and a network of 50+ member-led clubs, with real estate sold through on-site partner brokerages.

Product overview

Dataw Island is a gated master-planned residential community offering a comprehensive lifestyle portfolio centered on golf, tennis, pickleball, croquet, bocce, marina, dining, wellness, and nature recreation. The community's core offerings include two championship golf courses (Tom Fazio's Cotton Dike and Arthur Hills' Morgan River), eight Har-Tru tennis courts with four lighted for evening play, four pickleball courts, two championship croquet lawns, three bocce courts, a full-service marina with wet slips and dry stack storage, and multiple dining venues (The Pub, Cotton Dike Deli, Upscale Dining/Tabby Room, and Morgan River Grill). Wellness amenities include a fitness center, yoga studio, indoor lap pool, spa services, and physical therapy. Additional offerings encompass outdoor and indoor pools, kayaking/paddleboarding with EZ Launch systems, community gardens, a 33-acre Oak Island nature preserve, private event and wedding venues, and real estate sales through partnered agencies. The club operates with multiple membership tiers (Resident, Country Club, Renter, and Tennis) that provide access to all amenities on an annual basis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dataw Island Marina: Full-service marina offering wet slips, dry stack storage, fuel, boatyard services, haul-out, and on-site marine maintenance. Located three miles from the Intracoastal Waterway.
• Morgan River Grill
• Cotton Dike Course
• Morgan River Course

Products and services

• Real Estate Sales (Traditional Homes, Patio Homes, Villas, Custom Home Sites) Sale of homes and home sites on Dataw Island through on-site partner brokerages. Includes Traditional Homes, Patio Homes, Villas, and custom-built homes on home sites. Homes range from $389,000 to $1,990,000 and lots from $47,000 to $175,000. Mandatory Dataw Island Club membership required for property owners.
• Golf (Cotton Dike Course) Tom Fazio-designed 18-hole championship golf course with five sets of tees, renovated in 2011, featuring Jenkins Creek views and holes influenced by historic 18th-century plantation cotton dikes. Ranked among South Carolina's Top 50 Golf Courses.
• Golf (Morgan River Course) Arthur Hills-designed 18-hole championship golf course with Scottish-style design, renovated in 2012, winding through oak canopy with water challenges and aqua-shaping technique. Ranked among South Carolina's Top 50 Golf Courses.
• Tennis Tennis program with eight Har-Tru courts overlooking Jenkins Creek and historic tabby ruins, four of which are lighted for evening play. USTA recognized as an Outstanding Tennis Facility. Hosts the annual USTA 'Dataw Splash' tournament and Special Olympics tennis programs through partnership with SOAR Special Recreation.
• Pickleball Four newly constructed pickleball courts located behind tennis courts 3 and 4, with views over Jenkins Creek and Cotton Dike hole #9. Operated through the Dataw Island Pickleball Club (DIPC).
• Croquet Two championship croquet lawns overlooking Jenkins Creek, open year-round, hosting regional USCA-sanctioned tournaments.
• Bocce Three championship-style bocce courts along Jenkins Creek offering league play and friendly matches for all skill levels.
• Dataw Island Marina Full-service member-owned marina located three miles from the Intracoastal Waterway with wet slips, dry stack storage, fuel, haul-out services up to 50 tons, DIY boatyard, transient dockage via Dockwa platform, and on-site marine maintenance partners including Sea Island Marine and Hold Fast.
• Dining Venues (The Pub, Cotton Dike Deli, Tabby Room) On-site club dining including The Pub (casual with live music and themed events), Cotton Dike Deli (poolside grab-and-go), and Tabby Room (upscale fine dining with seasonal menus featuring locally sourced seafood and produce).
• Morgan River Grill Restaurant Independently-run waterfront restaurant overlooking the marina, serving fresh seafood and coastal-inspired cuisine. Open to members and the public for lunch and dinner, Monday through Saturday.
• Wellness and Fitness Center Community Center wellness facility featuring yoga and fitness studio, indoor lap pool, on-staff physical therapists (Carolina Sportscare and Physical Therapy), NASM-certified personal trainers, certified athletic trainers, and an art studio.
• Spa Services On-site massage, facials, and skin care services provided by fully-licensed NCBTMB-certified therapists.
• Aquatics (Indoor and Outdoor Pools) Resort-style outdoor heated/cooled pool with marsh views and food/beverage service via Cotton Dike Deli, plus junior Olympic-size indoor lap pool and hot tub at the Community Center.
• Kayaking and Paddleboarding Water recreation with kayak storage areas and launches equipped with EZ Launch accessibility systems featuring handrails and rollers for easy water access.
• Oak Island Nature Preserve 33-acre maritime forest nature preserve featuring nature trails, off-leash dog exercise enclosure, and a dock, preserved in perpetuity for Dataw Island members.
• Community Gardens Member-tended garden plots near the Cannery with split-rail fencing, plus a Butterfly Garden maintained by the Garden Club.
• Private Events and Weddings Event venue and catering services for weddings, rehearsal dinners, corporate retreats, charity galas, and celebrations. Venues include Carolina Ballroom, Tabby Room, and outdoor spaces. Sales managed by Special Events Manager Amy Ferreira.
• Dataw Island Club Memberships (Resident, Country Club, Renter, Encore Tennis, Dining) Multiple annual membership tiers: Resident Membership (mandatory for property owners), Country Club Membership (non-property owners), Renter Membership (renters or liveaboards >30 days), Encore Tennis Membership, and Dining Membership. Includes access to golf, tennis, pickleball, croquet, bocce, marina, dining, wellness facilities, and community amenities on à la carte annual basis.
• Experience Dataw Discovery Tour 3-day, 2-night discovery tour package including golf, tennis, pickleball, dinner with member ambassadors, and complimentary use of facilities. Designed as a no-pressure introduction to the community for prospective buyers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Dataw Ladies Golf Team finished undefeated season and won Division 2 Championship, earning promotion to Division 1
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ERA Wilder Real Estate (ERA Evergreen Real Estate)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary real estate partner with on-site presence at Dataw Island Sales & Welcome Center. Specializes in Dataw Island properties and provides property tours, sales services, and market expertise for buyers and sellers.
• Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices | Bay Street Realty GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary real estate partner with on-site presence. The Anderson-LaBrosse Team and multiple agents (18+) specialize in Dataw Island real estate. Full-service brokerage providing buying and selling services.
• Carolina Sportscare and Physical Therapy, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOn-site wellness partner staffing the Dataw Island Community Center. Provides injury evaluations, physical therapy, home exercise programs, NASM certified personal trainers, and certified athletic trainers.
• Sea Island MarineminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOn-site marine service provider at Dataw Marina boatyard. Offers professional marine repair and maintenance services for boat owners.
• Hold FastminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOn-site marine service provider at Dataw Marina boatyard. Qualified service provider for boat maintenance and repair.
• Morgan River GrillcoreOthersIndependently-run waterfront restaurant located at Dataw Island Marina. Open to members and public for lunch and dinner, Monday through Saturday. Features fresh seafood and Lowcountry cuisine with sunset views.
• Special Olympics (Tennis Program)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDataw Island Tennis Association (DITA) partners with SOAR Special Recreation to host special athletes for annual tennis days and end-of-season celebrations.
• The Beaufort Foundation (Keyserling Cancer Center)minorOthersBeneficiary of Dataw Island's 'Community for a Cure' fundraising events. Multi-event fundraising effort supporting local cancer center and community needs.
• Dataw Historic FoundationcoreOthersMember-led nonprofit preserving and fostering plantation history of Dataw Island. Works on preserving tabby ruins, creating museum for artifacts, and integrating history into Dataw lifestyle.
• Alan and Joanne Moses (Oak Island Donors)minorOthersGenerous donors who purchased and donated 33-acre Oak Island maritime forest nature preserve to Dataw Island community in 2020, ensuring preservation for future generations.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Windmill Harbour: Private marina community on Hilton Head Island with deep-water lock system, yacht club, and residential real estate. Comparable Lowcountry waterfront community with strong marina focus.
• Palmetto Bluff: 20,000-acre private Lowcountry community in Bluffton, SC with multiple golf courses, marina, dining, spa, and real estate. Closest direct analog to Dataw in terms of amenity stack (golf, marina, dining, wellness) and target buyer (active retiree / second-home).
• Brays Island Plantation: Lowcountry private plantation-style community in Sheldon, SC with equestrian, shooting, fishing, and limited golf. Chad Langford worked as Assistant Golf Pro at Bray's Island—comparable regional Lowcountry plantation-style private community.
• Hilton Head Plantation: Private gated community on Hilton Head Island with four golf courses, tennis, marina, and waterfront dining. Comparable island-based private community with marina + golf + dining amenities.
• The Landings Club: Private club and gated community on Skidaway Island near Savannah, GA with 36 holes of golf, tennis, marinas, dining, and wellness. Brian Hollingsworth (Dataw's Director of Golf Maintenance) previously worked here—directly comparable amenity footprint.
• Belfair: Private golf community in Bluffton, SC with two Tom Fazio-designed courses, clubhouse, and residential real estate. Comparable Lowcountry private club model with championship golf.
• Haig Point: Private island community on Daufuskie Island, SC with golf, equestrian, beach club, ferry, and residential real estate. Comparable private island model with mandatory membership.
• Sea Pines Resort: Hilton Head Island private resort community with golf, marina, beach club, and residential real estate. Comparable Lowcountry coastal private gated model with full amenity stack.
• Colleton River Club: Private golf club community in Bluffton, SC with two championship courses (Jack Nicklaus and Pete Dye), clubhouse, and real estate. Direct competitor in the Lowcountry private golf club space.
• Kiawah Island: Private island residential community near Charleston with multiple championship golf courses (including The Ocean Course), tennis, dining, and gated neighborhoods. Highly comparable private island + golf + real estate model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DatawIsland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dataw-island-conservancy-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/datawisland
• Xx.com/datawislandsc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dataw Island