Hilton Head Golf Island’s Perfect 4-Day Itinerary
Golfers offered choices of 26 Courses, Spacious Lodging and World-Class Dining
Getting from the Great Lakes State to Hilton Head “Golf Island” is easier than ever for have-clubs-will travel Michigan golfers. Delta offers direct seasonal service from Detroit Metropolitan Airport to Savanah Hilton Head International Airport (SAV). And year-round, one-stop flights are offered on a variety of airlines into both SAV and the very convenient Hilton Head Island Airport (HHH).
With 26 courses spread over Beaufort, Bluffton and Jasper counties, Michigan golfers have plenty of championship caliber layouts to choose from. The mid to late fall is the perfect time to visit the Lowcountry, with highs in the 70s in November and 60s in December. Winter brings highs in the 50s and 60s with plenty of sunshine.
Here’s a sample itinerary including iconic on-island venues, like The Sea Pines Resort, and upstart off-island options, like Old South Golf Links.
Where to Play – Day One
Opened in 1982, Oyster Reef Golf Club is the scenic Rees Jones-designed layout recognized by Golf Digest as one of the best new courses in the U.S. Tipping out at 7,000 yards with a 139-slope rating, Oyster Reef continues to beguile experienced players while also appealing to average and novice golfers with its spectacular setting.
If you missed a meal in transit, grab a much-needed bite to eat and a cold beer at the new LagerHead Tavern, which showcases Southern comfort food with a twist. Local favorites include slow-smoked Smithfield ham and grilled oysters plucked from the nearby May River.
Day Two
Atlantic Dunes by Davis Love III is the newest course at The Sea Pines Resort, having opened in 2016. It was forged from what was once the oldest course on Hilton Head Island, the resort’s Ocean Course. Love Golf Design, led by Scot Sherman and Mark Love, restored the property’s coastal aesthetic, restoring natural dune lines and adding coquina shells and native seaside grasses.
Stick around Sea Pines in the afternoon for a round on Heron Point by Pete Dye, formerly the Sea Marsh Course. Dye returned in 2014 to oversee a series of enhancements, including softening green surrounds and contours, enlarging several putting surfaces and adding new ornamental landscape.
Day Three
No Sea Pines experience is complete without a round at famed Harbour Town Golf Links, home of the PGA Tour’s RBC Heritage. This Dye/Nicklaus collaboration epitomizes Lowcountry course design replete with live oak-lined corridors, diminutive greens and Dye’s trademark bulkheads lining languid lagoons.
Walking off the 16th green and toward the tee box on the par-3 17th, the Calibogue Sound comes into view with yachts and sailboats passing leisurely by. Harbour Town culminates with one of America’s most famous finishing holes, the par-4 18th playing into the iconic Harbour Town Lighthouse.
Post-round, settle in for a signature cocktail at Links, an American Grill, in the stunning new Harbour Town Clubhouse. If it is remotely close to dinner (or not), order up one of Links’ signature filet, strip or porterhouse steaks.
Day Four
The Robert Trent Jones Course at Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort is widely considered the island’s No. 2 pitcher, drawing upon a baseball analogy. Having opened in 1967 just two years before Harbour Town, the two courses’ histories are inexorably linked.
Jones’ former protégé Roger Rulewich updated the course in 2002, elevating the fairway on the signature par-5 10th hole for even better views of the Atlantic Ocean. Credited with designing the majority of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama, Rulewich spent considerable time reworking every tee box and green.
Before heading out for an afternoon round on Palmetto Dunes’ George Fazio Course, make time for lunch at Big Jim’s BBQ, Burgers & Pizza at the Robert Trent Jones Course clubhouse. Big Jim’s is open seven days a week serving three meals a day, making it easy for golfers to grab a bite around their tee times.
The George Fazio Course is Hilton Head Island’s only par-70, and with a slope of 144 from the 6,873-yard back tees, it’s considered by many to be the most difficult resort course on the island. With just two par 5s and a series of meaty par 4s, proper tee selection is paramount.
Extended Stay and Play
For a northern golfer extended stay, the Bluffton area just off the island is a veritable golf destination unto itself. Start with Old South Golf Links, one of the region’s best kept secrets when it comes to pure Lowcountry golf. Designed by local golf course architect Clyde Johnston, Old South is the only area public course playing along the Intracoastal Waterway.
The front and back nine views, with MacKay Creek and the Calibogue Sound in the distance, are among the best in the region and are a great way to welcome your golf group to the Lowcountry.
The variety of indigenous terrain is also worth noting – oak forest, pastures and tidal marshes are all on display, and in play. The finishing stretch, holes 16 through 18, is vintage Lowcountry with target fairways and greens requiring carries over marshland.
Hilton Head National, a neighbor of Old South, has long been considered one of the region’s best public venues. The design is a Gary Player, Bobby Weed collaboration, with PGA Tour design consultant Weed crafting the front nine and Player the back.
Similar to Old South, Hilton Head National is a “core” golf experience devoid of residential development. The par-4 sixth is widely considered the course’s signature hole. Just 300 yards from the back tees, the largest lake on property runs along the entire right side and behind the green complex.
Where to Stay
For sheer convenience on the island, it’s hard to top a rental home or villa at The Sea Pines Resort or Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort. These vacation residences have all the amenities of home, including flat screen TVs, washers and dryers, wireless internet and fully-equipped kitchens.
Off island, Old South Golf Links and Hilton Head National offer golf packages with the Hilton Garden Inn, located under a mile away from both courses. Two-, three- and four-night stay-and-plays are available with special features.
For a more authentic Lowcountry Flavor, head to the Old Town Bluffton Inn, situated in the heart of downtown in walking distance to bars and restaurants aplenty. Myriad privately-owned vacation rentals are also available for larger groups, or those in search of more indoor and outdoor space.
Dining and Nightlife
There are more than 250 restaurants on Hilton Head Island covering the spectrum from local watering holes to fine dining establishments. For a true taste of Lowcountry waterfront dining, check out Skull Creek Boathouse or Skull Creek Dockside.
Hit the Main Street area for Italian at Frankie Bones or a dry aged steak from WiseGuys. And whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner, do not miss the chance to visit Java Burrito for the region’s best “Fresh Mex” and espresso.
Off island, Old Town Bluffton is the place to be. Situated on the shores on the May River, this quaint burg is ideal for grabbing a warm meal, a cold drink and relaxing with friends. Old Town delights northern visitors with its Antebellum homes, historic churches, and unique shops, all connected by Spanish moss-covered streets.
Get the night started with a flight of hand-crafted ales at the Saltmarsh Brewing. Then, head to Captain Woody’s for a plate of Lowcountry seafood while taking in the views from the rooftop deck. Open until 2 a.m., Old Town Dispensary is a good spot to grab a night cap.
Expert golf vacation planners are available to help you design your Hilton Head Golf Island golf trip. Click here to complete a brief form and to receive a custom quote.
