Hilton Head: America’s Golf Island

by | Jul 23, 2024 | Where to Play

Long heralded as one of America’s more popular golf resort meccas, Hilton Head Island is ensconced in the South Carolina Lowcountry, where much of the Old South’s romance, beauty, and graciousness continues to survive and thrive.

Located 40 miles north of Savannah, Ga., and 90 miles south of Charleston, S.C., “America’s Golf Island” rests along the Intracoastal Waterway and encompasses 42 square miles of semi-tropical geography, including unspoiled sea marshes, creeks, and lagoons, heavily wooded forests of tall pines, palmettos, magnolias, and live oaks. Twelve miles of broad Atlantic beaches are warmed by the Gulf Stream and fringed with palm trees and rolling dunes.

Enjoying a round of golf on one or more of Hilton Head Island’s 26 renowned area courses is more convenient than ever. Hilton Head Island has always been a convenient drive destination for many from the north, south, and Midwest. And with daily non-stop flights from major cities across the U.S., flying to The Golf Island is even more of a breeze.

Hilton Head has earned its reputation as one of the world’s finest golf destinations because of its outstanding public and resort courses that will satisfy the palate of even the most selective golfer. Fall is the perfect time to visit Hilton Head Island, with temperatures in the 80s in September, 70s in October and early November, and 60s in late November and early December. It’s also one of the driest times of the year, especially November, which typically includes only seven days of precipitation. This makes packing easy, typically entailing shorts, polos, and a couple of pairs of pants and pullovers.

A wide variety of golf packages are offered by three world-class resorts – The Sea Pines Resort, Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort, and Heritage Golf Collection, which includes Port Royal, Shipyard, Oyster Reef, and Palmetto Hall. This collection includes such famed venues as Pete Dye’s Harbour Town Golf Links, Heron Point, also by Dye, and Atlantic Dunes by Davis Love III (at Sea Pines Resort); the Robert Trent Jones, George Fazio and Arthur Hills courses (at Palmetto Dunes); and designs by Rees Jones, Arthur Hills, George Cobb and more (via Heritage Golf).

The trifecta has designed packages for golf buddies’ trips, couples golf getaways, and family golf vacations, as The Sea Pines Resort, Palmetto Dunes, and Heritage Golf Collection feature a variety of different accommodations, amenities, and activities. There are enticing options like Heritage’s “Golf Weekend Warrior,” Palmetto Dunes’ “Group Golf Stay & Play Premier Package,” and The Sea Pines Resort’s “Group Golf Package.” Highlights of each of these packages include:

The Heritage Golf Collection’s Golf Weekend Warrior

Port Royal (Heritage Golf Collection)

The Heritage Golf Collection’s Golf Weekend Warrior package includes a luxurious 4-day, 3-night stay at the Hampton Inn, where guests can indulge in a complimentary breakfast to start their day right.

The collection also allows golfers to access the prestigious three-day Unlimited Golf Heritage Collection, ensuring an unforgettable golfing experience. Prices start at $450 plus tax per golfer based on double occupancy. The off-season rate is $409.25 (tax included), while the in-season rates start at $699 plus tax per golfer. For larger groups, explore our cost-effective home booking options.

Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort’s Group Golf Stay & Play Premier Package

Robert Trent Jones GC (Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort)

The Group Golf Stay & Play Premier Package for groups of 12+ features outstanding resort accommodations on Hilton Head Island, plus two or three rounds of golf on your choice of the George Fazio Course, Arthur Hills Course, or the Robert Trent Jones Course. This Hilton Head Island golf vacation package is completely customizable with accommodations and activities.

The package includes four days/three nights in a two-bedroom villa at Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort, two or three rounds of golf on your choice of three championship courses (includes green fees and cart fees), pro shop merchandise and dining discounts at Big Jim’s, The Dunes House and Alexander’s Restaurant, as well as preferred rates on select resort activities.

The Sea Pines Resort Group Golf Package

With three world-class courses and a generous selection of accommodations, there’s no better place than The Sea Pines Resort for your golf group or special event. From comfortable villas to spacious oceanfront homes, your group will enjoy first-rate accommodations as well as convenient access to all resort amenities.

With the Sea Pines Resort Group Golf Package, groups as small as 12 golfers receive special incentives to make your outing a truly unique and memorable experience.

Golfers can also explore other on- and off-island course packages and offers at hiltonheadisland.org/golf that offer exclusive fall golf specials. Hilton Head, America’s Golf Island Experts, also helps golfers build packages to suit their needs, timing, and budgets.

Getting There

Getting to Hilton Head, America’s Golf Island, has never been easier. Hilton Head Island Airport (HHH) on the island’s north end offers non-stop and one-stop service from multiple hub cities and connections via American Airlines, Delta, and United. American offers daily non-stop flights to/from Charlotte and seasonal service to/from Dallas / Ft. Worth, Philadelphia, and Washington National (DCA). Delta has daily flights to/from Atlanta, and United provides daily non-stop service to/from Newark (EWR) and Washington Dulles (IAD).

Golfers can also utilize Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV), with direct flights on eight different airlines from numerous East Coast, Midwest, Texas, and Canadian airports on several major and discount airlines. For golfers who prefer to hit the open road, major metro areas in the Carolinas, Georgia, and north Florida are under a half day’s drive, while several Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern cities are seven to nine hours away.

Hilton Head, America’s Golf Island is a marketing cooperative of 26 member courses across Beaufort, Bluffton, and Jasper counties in South Carolina’s stunning Lowcountry region. Golf enthusiasts relish the region’s Southern hospitality and world-class venues sculpted by vaunted architects Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus, George Fazio, Arthur Hills, Rees Jones, Robert Trent Jones, Willard Byrd, Davis Love III and Clyde Johnston. Home to the world-renowned Sea Pines Resort, the PGA TOUR makes its only South Carolina stop each April at Harbour Town Golf Links for the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing. In conjunction with the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Visitor and Conventions Bureau and Chamber of Commerce, the Lowcountry Golf Course Owners Association launched Hilton Head, America’s Golf Island to support the island’s thriving golf market through the promotion of golf rounds and packages

Feature Photo: Harbour Town Golf Links (Sea Pines Resort)

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OnCoreGolf

About the Author

<a href="https://golfonemedia.com/author/steve_pike/" target="_self">Steve Pike</a>

Steve Pike

Steve “Spike” Pike is a lifelong journalist whose career covers Major League Baseball, the NFL, and college basketball. For the past 26 years, Spike has been one of the more respected voices in the golf and travel industries, working for such publications as Golfweek, Golf World, and Golf Digest for The New York Times Magazine Group. In 1998, Spike helped launch the PGA.com website for the PGA of America. As a freelance travel and golf writer, Spike’s travels have taken him around the world. He has played golf from Pebble Beach to St. Andrews, walked the Great Wall of China, climbed an active volcano in the Canary Islands, been on safari in South Africa, and dived with sharks off Guadalupe, Baja California.