Arthur Hills course at Palmetto Dunes
You can definitely call Hilton Head Island “Golf Island.” After all, there are more than 30 golf courses at this South Carolina Lowcountry spot that’s just under 70 square miles.
It offers way more than golf, of course. There are swanky and casual resorts, lots of great spots to dine, water recreation, tennis, and terrific beaches. It’s part of the overall experience that makes a golf vacation or even relocation to this destination with mild winters and terrific springs, autumns, and summers so attractive.
But let’s take a look at some of our favorite golf courses first, since if you’re reading this, that’s most likely your primary interest. It ranges from high end to golf more on a budget. There are some private courses, but the majority are open to the public or at least resort guests.
Home of the RBC Heritage
The most famous golf spot is The Sea Pines Resort. That’s where you’ll find iconic Harbour Town Golf Links, host course of the PGA Tour’s RBI Heritage. This is one of Pete Dye’s early designs (he also enlisted Jack Nicklaus as a design consultant as well as wife, Alice Dye), known for its signature 18th and the famous red and white lighthouse in the background of the last green. But this shotmaker’s course is so much more than the par-4 finisher, a hole where wind is almost always a factor, playing over the marshes onto a peninsula green perched toward Calibogue Sound.
Most of the course is inland with tight holes and small greens. There are some really tough par-3s, and one hole that Alice influenced greatly – the par-4 13th. Like another hole she had a big role in – the famous 17th at TPC Sawgrass Stadium – the 13th also has an island green, but instead of being surrounded by water, it’s surrounded by sand.
Adding to the Harbour Town experience is The Sea Pines’ 26,000-square foot clubhouse with sumptuous dining and the Pete Dye Room, which celebrates the legendary architect’s life and career. It’s a must-see for any visitor.
Beyond Harbour Town, the rest of the golf at The Sea Pines Resort includes Heron Point, also designed by Dye, as well as Atlantic Dunes by Davis Love III, both of which are pretty scenic as well, well-conditioned, and superb.
Harbour Town Golf Links
Three courses by some more big names
Another highly regarded spot on Hilton Head Island is the Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort. This is where you will find the much-heralded Robert Trent Jones Course, which has a stunning signature hole, but a lot of other great holes, too. The 10th is a par-5 that plays right into the Atlantic Ocean. It’s only one of two holes on Hilton Head Island with true Atlantic views.
Palmetto Dunes has two other courses. The George Fazio Course, which many say is the island’s most challenging layout, is a par-70 that can play close to 7,000 yards, with just two par-5s, lots of tight par-4s, and is always in great shape. And the Arthur Hills Course at Palmetto Dunes was built over a series of dunes with lots of palm trees and palmettos lining the fairways and 10 holes with water on them. It also has a lighthouse you can see, the historic Leamington Lighthouse, which dates back to 1880.
Robert Trent Jones course at Palmetto Dunes
Hilton Head Island’s Heritage Collection
Another popular golf option are the three nines at Shipyard Golf Club, which features some of the oldest golf on the island. The first two nines – the Clipper and the Galleon – opened in 1970, while the Brigantine nine made its debut in 1982.
The courses are designed by the legendary George Cobb, who was originally from Savannah, Ga., to the south. The Shipyard courses, as you might imagine, have lots of water on them, as well as large oaks trees covered in Spanish Moss, doglegs and wetlands with gators, providing a great Lowcountry feel. Course management and accuracy is what spells success here.
Shipyard is part of the Heritage Collection, which has 117 holes in total. It also includes longtime favorite Oyster Reef, a Rees Jones design known for the dramatic par-3 sixth hole, which is perched in front of Port Royal Sound.
And then there’s Port Royal Golf Club, which has three 18-hole courses – the Cobb-designed Barony Course that opened in early 1960s; Robber’s Row, originally designed Cobb and William Byrd, but later redone by Dye; and Planter’s Row, a Byrd design with water on 10 holes. Planter’s Row is the former site of the Hilton Head Seniors International.
And finally, Heritage also has Palmetto Plantation, where you will find two courses – the Arthur Hills Course and Robert Cupp Course. The Hills Course, which opened in 1991, cuts through tall pines and large oaks with lots of water holes. The Cupp Course, which can play more than 7,000 yards, also has lots of water, with a slope rating of 144.
Besides the Heritage Collection, a couple of other courses that really stand out include Old South Golf Links and Hilton Head National.
Located just before you get to the bridge to Hilton Head Island in Bluffton, Old South has great views of the intracoastal waterway and surrounding salt marshes. It’s been named “Favorite Public Golf Course” by Hilton Head Monthly magazine readers many times.
Hilton Head National, also in Bluffton, is a Bobby Weed/Gary Player design and a Lowcountry favorite as well. Known for its southern hospitality and great conditions, the 6,700-yard, par-71 course has no homes on it, just nature.
Shipyard Golf Club
Accommodations, dining and other stuff to do
Hotels and resorts on Hilton Head Island run the gamut. You could base yourself at The Sea Pines Resort, where you could stay at The Inn and Club at Harbour Town, a luxury hotel that offers gorgeous golf views, “serenity pool,” fine dining, and even butler service.
The Sea Pines is one of many resort options, many of which offer golf packages. The Omni Hilton Head Island Oceanfront Resort and Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort are both right next to the three courses of Palmetto Dunes. The Westin Hilton Head Resort & Spa is another highly acclaimed option located right on the beach. The Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island and Hilton Beachfront Resort & Spa are two more great resort options.
The Island has more than 250 restaurants so you’ll never run out of dining options. One of the best known is Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks, located at the edge of Port Royal Sound. With great views and the freshest seafood just a few feet of way, this is a must for visitors and locals alike.
Some other good choices include Lucky Rooster Kitchen & Bar, Oliver & Fig Mediterranean Kitchen, and Rockfish Seafood & Steaks.
Besides golf, Hilton Head Island is a hotbed for tennis, too. It’s where you will find The Sea Pines Racquet Club and Smith-Stearns Tennis Academy headed up by the legendary Stan Smith. There’s also the Port Royal Racquet Club, Shipyard Van Der Meer, and Palmetto Dunes Tennis and Pickleball Center.
Other activities include offshore fishing excursions, sunset cruises, bike trails, and of course, beach combining. Beach access isn’t limited to the resorts, and all the beaches are open to the public. Coligny Beach, Fish Haul Beach Park, Driessen Beach, and Folly Beach Park are just some of the options.