Harbor Town Golf Links: A Course In South Carolina

where is harbor town golf links

Harbour Town Golf Links is a golf course on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, USA. It was designed by Pete Dye, with Jack Nicklaus acting as a consultant, and has hosted the RBC Heritage on the PGA Tour every year since 1969. The course is known for its challenging holes, including the famous 18th hole, and for its picturesque finish, with the Harbour Town Lighthouse in the background.

Characteristics Values
Location Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, United States
Designer Pete Dye
Design Consultant Jack Nicklaus
Course Superintendent Jonathan Wright
Holes 18
Par 71
Yards 7,099
Green Fees $195 to $470
Annual Rounds Played 38,000
Grass Types Bermudas, Rye, Empire Zoysia, TifEagle Bermuda, Poa Trivialis
Notable Holes 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 14, 17, 18
Tournaments Hosted RBC Heritage, The Heritage Golf Classic

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Harbour Town Golf Links is a famous golf course located on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. The course is nestled among 300 acres of oak, pine, and magnolia trees, with the iconic Harbour Town Lighthouse standing prominently in the backdrop. The golf course is known for its challenging design, which tests even the most skilled golfers, and for its breathtaking scenery, making it a popular tourist destination.

The course was designed by renowned architect Pete Dye, with input from legendary golfer and design consultant Jack Nicklaus. Together, they crafted a course that prioritises finesse, imagination, and shot-making. The layout features a collection of world-class par-threes and a notoriously difficult par-4 18th hole. The course is consistently ranked as one of the best in the United States and has hosted the annual RBC Heritage on the PGA Tour since 1969.

The holes at Harbour Town Golf Links showcase an array of grass types, with seven different varieties in total. The course superintendent, Jonathan Wright, meticulously maintains the grass, ensuring optimal playing conditions throughout the year. The fairways, rough, and tee boxes are carefully overseeded with rye grass in October to maintain their lush green appearance during the colder months.

The golf course presents a unique interpretation of links golf, with trees dominating much of the landscape. The narrow course winds through towering oaks, and most holes are bordered by palmetto bushes and shrubs. The greens, averaging 3,700 square feet, offer a challenging target for golfers, requiring precision and strategy.

Located on Hilton Head Island, Harbour Town Golf Links embodies the vision of Charles E. Fraser, who believed in the harmonious coexistence of golf and residential communities. The course has become a beloved fixture on the island, attracting golfers and enthusiasts alike to experience its beauty and demanding gameplay.

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The course was designed by Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus

Harbour Town Golf Links is a public golf course located in Sea Pines Plantation on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA. It is one of the most revered courses in the world and is the only PGA Tour event in South Carolina. The course is renowned for its challenging design, which prioritises finesse, imagination, and shot-making rather than strength.

The course was designed by Pete Dye with Jack Nicklaus serving as a design consultant. Dye, a famed designer, considered Harbour Town as one of his crowning achievements. Nicklaus, a professional golfer, brought his expertise to the design process, contributing to the course's unique character. The collaboration between Dye and Nicklaus resulted in a course that is highly regarded by golfers and critics alike.

The design of Harbour Town Golf Links began in 1967, and the course first opened for play in 1969, hosting the inaugural Heritage Golf Classic (now known as the RBC Heritage). The course is known for its towering trees, narrow fairways, and challenging holes. The ninth hole, for example, is a tight par 4 that tempts golfers with a small green guarded by bunkers. The finishing holes, the 17th and 18th, are particularly notable as they play along Calibogue Sound, with the wind off the water being a factor.

The course consists of seven different types of grass, carefully maintained by the course superintendent. The greens feature Bermuda grass, known for its slick and firm surface, and the tee boxes include a mix of Bermuda and Empire Zoysia grasses. The course is open all year round, with overseeding and aerating performed at different times of the year to maintain optimal conditions.

The Harbour Town Golf Links has received numerous accolades over the years. It has been ranked highly by Golf Magazine and Golf Digest, with PGA Tour professionals rating it as one of the top golf courses played on tour. The course has also been recognised by the American Society of Golf Course Architects and included in Golf Magazine's top 30 courses in the world.

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It has been ranked among the best golf courses in the US

Harbour Town Golf Links, located on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, is one of the most celebrated courses on the PGA Tour. It is considered one of the crowning achievements of famed designer Pete Dye and design consultant Jack Nicklaus. The course is laid out on relatively flat ground, with the fairways flanked by pines and other trees. The smallish greens are fair and not tricked up, and the course is known for its challenging holes, which require precision and strategy.

Harbour Town has been ranked among the best golf courses in the US by several publications and organisations. Golf Digest ranked it as the #21 public course in America in 2011-2012, and it was previously ranked #13 in 2010. In a Golf Digest survey of PGA Tour professionals, Harbour Town was rated the #2 golf course played on tour, behind only Augusta National. Golf Magazine also recognised Harbour Town, ranking it as the #12 public course in the US in 2012 and #14 in 2010.

The course is known for its challenging holes, which require precision and strategy. Several holes have a small margin of error between greens and water hazards, and golfers must carefully navigate overhanging trees and tight fairways. The par-4 18th hole is particularly notable, considered one of the most feared holes in golf. It features the iconic Harbour Town Lighthouse standing behind the green, providing a memorable finish to the course.

The course also stands out for its variety of grass types. The holes consist of seven different types of grass, with four types of Bermudas that can withstand the warm summer months. The different grass types provide a unique playing experience and contribute to the course's reputation as one of the best in the US.

In addition to its rankings by golf publications, Harbour Town has also been recognised by golfers and golf enthusiasts for its design and playability. Tom Doak, writing in "The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses", noted that Harbour Town is "rightly famous as a turning point in the history of American golf architecture". He highlights the course's emphasis on straight hitting off the tee and precise iron shots to small greens, as well as its strategic holes and endearing features. Harbour Town has also been the site of the annual RBC Heritage tournament on the PGA Tour since 1969, further solidifying its reputation as one of the top golf courses in the country.

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The course is open all year and green fees range from $195 to $470

Harbour Town Golf Links is open all year round, even during overseeding in October and the aeration of the greens in June, July, and August. The course is located in Sea Pines Plantation on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. It is consistently rated as one of the best golf courses in the US.

The course is a public golf course, with green fees ranging from $195 to $470, depending on the season. An estimated 38,000 rounds of golf are played at Harbour Town every year. The course consists of seven different types of grass, five of which are Bermudas that can withstand the heat during the warm summer months. The other two grass types are overseeded annually in October to maintain the course's lush appearance during the colder months.

The tee boxes are made of Celebration Bermuda and TifSports Bermuda. The fairways, rough, and tee boxes are overseeded with rye grass in October. Some tee boxes are made of Empire Zoysia, which does not turn brown in winter and does not need overseeding. The greens consist of TifEagle Bermuda, which is overseeded with Poa Trivialis in October.

The course is known for its challenging design, requiring finesse, imagination, and shot-making rather than strength. It features a collection of highly-ranked par-threes and a par-4 18th hole that is considered one of the most difficult and recognisable holes in golf. The final two holes are along Calibogue Sound, with the water line varying due to changing tides.

The Harbour Town Golf Links course is a popular destination for golfers, offering a unique and demanding golf experience all year round.

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The course has hosted the RBC Heritage on the PGA Tour since 1969

Harbour Town Golf Links is a golf course located on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. The course is considered one of the crowning achievements of designer Pete Dye and design consultant Jack Nicklaus. It is consistently rated as one of the best golf courses in the United States. The course features a variety of challenging holes, including several with small margins between greens and water hazards. The 18th hole is particularly notable, as it is considered one of the most difficult holes in golf.

Since 1969, the Harbour Town Golf Links has hosted the RBC Heritage on the PGA Tour. The RBC Heritage, also known as the Heritage Classic or simply The Heritage, is a prestigious golf tournament that attracts top players from around the world. The inaugural tournament, known as "The Heritage Golf Classic", was held in November 1969, with Arnold Palmer claiming the title. The tournament moved to different months over the years before settling into its current schedule of being played in mid-April, the week after The Masters in Augusta, Georgia.

The RBC Heritage is one of only five tournaments given "invitational" status by the PGA Tour, which means it has a reduced field of participants. The tournament is known for its unique traditions, including a parade of the past champion, Heritage Classic Foundation Board members, and volunteers. The past champion also hits a featherie-style golf ball into the Calibogue Sound, reenacting a centuries-old tradition.

The Harbour Town Golf Links course has played a significant role in the history of the RBC Heritage. The course has challenged golfers with its design and varying grass types. The tournament has seen many memorable victories, including Hale Irwin's first-ever PGA Tour win in 1971 and Nick Faldo's first PGA Tour victory in 1984. More recently, Wesley Bryan earned his first PGA Tour win at the RBC Heritage in 2017, and Scottie Scheffler became the first golfer in 39 years to win the tournament after winning the Masters in 2024.

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Frequently asked questions

Harbor Town Golf Links is located on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, United States.

The course is known for its narrow fairways and tight Bermuda greens, with trees dominating much of the course. The greens average 3,700 square feet, which is significantly smaller than those of other famous courses.

The 18th hole is considered the signature hole, with the entire left side guarded by the sound and the right lined with out-of-bounds stakes. The famous Harbour Town Lighthouse serves as a backdrop.

The course was founded in 1969, with construction beginning on July 2, 1968.

Harbor Town Golf Links is the crowning achievement of famed designer Pete Dye and design consultant Jack Nicklaus.

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