The game of golf has been a South Carolina Lowcountry tradition since Scottish immigrants to the city of Charleston organized America's first golf club in 1786.

From the day the first course was born on Hilton Head in 1961 to today, the island golf community has always valued quality over quantity – a belief that has earned Hilton Head the reputation as “The Golf Island.”

Hilton Head, which truly began its journey to a treasured golf destination with the 1969 opening of Harbour Town Golf Links – host course to the PGA TOUR MCI Heritage Classic for more than three decades, boasts more than 20 public golf courses featuring the works of great architects such as Arnold Palmer, Arthur Hills, Robert Trent Jones Sr., Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus. But Hilton Head has never been about the number of courses it hosts, but rather the quality of those courses. From design, to conditioning to service, Hilton Head Island’s golf community has always strived for, and often reached, perfection.
To be sure, the Hilton Head menu features just about every flavor of golf one could want. Traditional parkland courses with tree-lined fairways and challenging water hazards; breathtaking Lowcountry layouts with marsh and wetlands creeping close on numerous holes; and even links-style courses reminiscent of the Old World call Hilton Head home.

Though forever tied to its past, Hilton Head and its golf courses have never been afraid to embrace change. Three years ago, Harbour Town Golf Links underwent an extensive multi-million-dollar renovation to ensure the future of the celebrated Pete Dye-designed course located in Sea Pines Plantation.

Following that lead, Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront at Palmetto Dunes took the first half of 2002 off for some extensive renovations. Popular architect Roger Rulewich, who helped on the original construction of the course more than 30 years ago, returned to make the improvements to the resort course. If it wasn’t before, the renovations, which included drainage improvements, slight routing changes, rebuilt greens, the addition of several water hazards and improved views of the Atlantic Ocean on the 10th and 11th holes, have made this a “must play” on the island.

It is, however, one of only several Lowcountry unforgettables. In addition to the Trent Jones course, Palmetto Dunes offer 2 other layouts, including a George Fazio and Arthur Hills designed courses, which golfers annually rate among the finest on Hilton Head.

Palmetto Hall Plantation offers two of the best layouts on the island. The Robert Cupp and Arthur Hills courses, now owned and managed by the Heritage Golf Group, specialize in outstanding customer service and course conditions.

In addition to Harbour Town, Sea Pines offers two other resort courses, including the Ocean Course, which, along with Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront, offers the only views of the Atlantic Ocean. Indigo Run Plantation offers the Jack Nicklaus-designed Golden Bear Golf Course, one of many Lowcountry courses created by Nicklaus.

Great golf neither ends nor begins at the bridge to the island, as the mainland offers a number of unforgettable layouts as well. Old South Golfers Links offers offers breathtaking views of the Intercoastal Waterway and many "island" greens. Similarly, Eagles Pointe and Crescent Pointe, two of the newest additions to the Hilton Head golf scene, have brought the first Davis Love III and Arnold Palmer creations to the area.

With the addition of a new nine designed by Bobby Weed, Hilton Head National now boasts 27 holes of championship golf, including 18 designed by the legendary Gary Player.

These are the jewels of Hilton Head Island, where the quality of the golf rather than the quantity of the courses is something to experience.

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