When it comes to the importance of golf courses in the world of golf architecture, Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina is among the most important designs in the history of golf.

As we outlined in our earlier article here, this iconic layout once put Pete Dye (and, of course, Alice) and Jack Nicklaus on the golf architecture world’s map of designers.  

Bringing in the right designer to preserve that legacy was vital to the team at The Sea Pines Resort which is precisely why they employed the talents of Davis Love III and his team at Love Design Company. Love III is a five-time winner of the RBC Heritage presented by Boeing, and his team has already collaborated with The Sea Pines Resort once before as they were responsible for the renovation of Atlantic Dunes.  

Their efforts there have been praised by the likes of Tom Doak who said that Love and his team were “one of the few that didn’t mess up a Pete Dye Design” during a restoration project.  That’s high praise from a man who is known as one of Dye’s disciples.

The course is scheduled to reopen on November 10, and the renovation was done to ensure championship-level conditions for both players on the PGA TOUR as well as guests of The Sea Pines Resort.

With an emphasis on preserving the essence of Nicklaus and Dye’s original design, there was an emphasis put on improving the agronomy of the course which included rebuilding all the greens, bunkers, and bulkheads which have become a trademark of Dye’s designs. But at the end of the day, preserving the integrity of Dye’s original work was at the core of this project as Love III referred to this as more of a “refresh” than a “renovation.”

During an interview with Sea Pines Director of Sports Operations John Farrell and Davis Love III, Farrell asked Love about some of the key elements that make Harbour Town Special to which Love III replied, “Think about great courses like Oakmont and the Chicago Golf Club.  They were built in fields and then someone had to come up with strategies and fill in the space.  But Pete carved Harbour Town out of the woods. No one had ever done that before!  He went through the woods and left trees in place as hazards. 

“The 8th hole is just incredible genius because of the pine trees, the oak tree, and one little hazard.  You must drive it the right distance down the right side.  It’s the simplest hole, but I remember making a triple bogey there during the tournament.  If you don’t play it the way Pete wanted you to, if you get too aggressive, you’re going to pay a price.”

Love III also went on to say, “Another reason we want to keep Pete’s design is that anybody can win on that golf course.  The tournament has always been won by the top players of their generation, but not all the same kind of player.  Long hitters and short hitters; tall players and short players.  Anybody who is playing well can win.  That’s what I always explained in the press room after I won: Coming when the tournament did, I was ready for the Masters.  I was playing good golf, and my game came out on a course that rewards the best player for that week.”

If you and yours haven’t played this classic design, there’s never been a better time to experience the splendor that is Harbour Town Golf Links. Hilton Head Island is home to 26 great golf courses, so bring a crew and fill up your itinerary with some of the amazing golf that the Island has to offer.