Congratulations to the Arthur Hills Golf Course at Palmetto Dunes, which was named 2009 Golf Course of the Year by the South Carolina Golf Course Owners Association. The Island Packet reports that the Arthur Hills is the first Beaufort County course to receive the honor since the Robert Trent Jones Course at Palmetto Dunes earned the distinction in 2002. The Arthur Hills course was built and designed by master architect Arthur Hills in 1986.

To win the honor, the Arthur Hills course had to beat out the other three state finalists for the award: Shaftesbury Glen in Conway, Oak Hills Golf Club in Columbia and Dunes West Golf Club in Charleston. The award was based on three categories: quality of the course, management, and contribution to the community and contribution to the game.

The next step for the Arthur Hills course is to represent South Carolina in the national course of the year competition. This award will be given by the National Golf Course Owners Association in February at the 2010 Golf Industry Show in San Diego. To date, no Beaufort county course has ever won the national award.

“They do so many things well on so many different levels. A big part of it is the commitment that goes into it from the top,” says Brett Borton, executive director of the Lowcountry Golf Course Owners Association. “Greenwood Development’s stewardship and involvement in this community has been significant for many years. It’s not just about being a great golf course. It’s being a very well-rounded operation.”

Borton thinks Arthur Hills has a “very good” shot at winning the national award. Keep your fingers crossed!

Have you played the Arthur Hills course? What makes it a winner?