The Evolution of Inclusion

Dataw Island Club Now Offers Multi-Generational Memberships

by JG Walker

Dataw Island has been a residential destination for at least 6,000 years and probably longer. Located in the heart of the South Carolina lowcountry, about 15 minutes east of Beaufort, the island was originally home to Native Americans, and its name is derived from a legendary chief of the Muskogean tribe, King Datha.

The modern history of Dataw began in 1983 when ALCOA bought the entire island to build a master-planned community beneath the natural canopy of towering live oaks and surrounded by pristine tidal wetlands. The first Dataw Island Club amenities added were a pair of superb 18-hole golf courses by designers Tom Fazio and Arthur Hills that remain today among the region’s topranked private layouts. The mansion-style clubhouse features both fine- and casual-dining restaurants. The Dataw Tennis Center is likewise a top-tier facility, and the Dataw Community Center features indoor and outdoor pools, the latest fitness equipment, dance and aerobics studios, spa services, and activity rooms where dozens of interest clubs hold their meetings.

All Dataw Island property owners become members of the Dataw Island Club at the time of their purchase. There’s a one-time initiation fee paid at closing on a home or unimproved lot, plus annual dues and fees that are pro-rated for the first year. Both types of property owners are considered to be resident members and enjoy access to community center facilities and services, clubhouse dining options, golf/tennis practice areas, community clubs, docks, and kayak launches.

For many years, Dataw has been at the forefront of customdesignable participation programs and fee plans. Members can elect to add flexible sports-amenity options. For instance, there are annual unlimited and restricted golf options, as well as available singlemonth unlimited and per-round packages. Similar choices are also offered for play at the Tennis Center and on the croquet lawn. All three offer additional one-time and weekly fees for the guests of members.

Dataw Island Club membership is also available to non-property owners, which entitles them to standard facility and services access, similar to residents. There’s a one-time initiation fee and monthly dues if one of the sports-amenity or clubhouse dining-only options are chosen. Even long-term renters on Dataw Island can join the club with a variety of flexible month-to-month plans that can include golf course and tennis center access.

Dale and Diane Goodrich moved to Dataw from Cleveland in 2008. He and others on the Dataw Island Club Board of Directors have been advocates for the expansion of membership options with flexible plans. But, even those progressive policies weren’t enough for the 2020s.

According to a recent article in Realtor Magazine, up to 41 percent of Americans in the home-buying market consider accommodating an elderly parent or adult child to be a factor in their purchasing decision. That conclusion was based on the results of a nationwide survey, but the Dataw Island Club leadership had already seen evidence of the trend in their own backyard and decided to address it.

“Like many communities,” Dale says, “the standard resident membership at Dataw Island Club extends automatically to children up to the age of 21 and to any age for those who have special needs. We’ve now designed a multi-generational policy that allows parents, kids, and grandchildren over 21 and siblings of homeowner members, to opt into membership benefits for a monthly fee of just $75. Those multi-generational family members can enjoy the fitness center, use of the indoor and outdoor pools, the sports practice facilities, and other amenities such as the free library, bocce courts, and dining. Perhaps most importantly, it’s also the gateway to participating in our community’s many social activities.”

Long-time Dataw residents Pete and Pat Stevens are among those who appreciate the expansion of membership opportunities. “We moved here from New Jersey 20 years ago,” Pete says, “and two years ago our daughter Kathy and her son joined us from Greenwich, CT. This new program is really a great thing because it has allowed her to become connected with many community activities, and our grandson especially enjoys working out at the fitness center.”

“With multi-generational living becoming more and more popular,” Dale says, “it was not only an issue affecting our existing members, it was also something in which we wanted to be proactive and make sure that our membership policy continued to be welcoming and inclusive. We want to make certain that everyone who comes to live on Dataw Island has the same opportunities to get involved and feel like they are fully part of the community.”