Hilton Head

[stimpmeterp]

I don't know if you or other agree, but HT also has the "intimidation" factor.  At the end of the day there are other courses on the island that present the same challenges.  It's the fact that it has so much history, PGA event, iconic lighthouse, logo, etc., that (for me) presents serious jitters on the first few holes.  

[HackerDave]

4 hours ago, stimpmeterp said:

I don't know if you or other agree, but HT also has the "intimidation" factor.  At the end of the day there are other courses on the island that present the same challenges.  It's the fact that it has so much history, PGA event, iconic lighthouse, logo, etc., that (for me) presents serious jitters on the first few holes.  

Well that first hole is pretty darn tight.  It was even worse before Matthew.   I remember playing it for the first time and hit the left side of the fairway...a fairway!!!...and feeling so happy only to get to the ball and realize if you aren't on the right side, you can't hit the green!   The par threes are spectacular but tell me who confidently stands on the 14th tee.  That is one scary shot.  

 

I love the vibe, hate the cart path only (take a caddie!!) but know that how I drive the ball there will determine my happiness at the end of the round.  I played so well last time that I am kind of afraid of going back.  It really was an out of body experience.   Every tee shot hit the middle of the fairway.   We played with a couple and our forecaddie said "Imagine that, another fairway" and I had to assure him he was the first person to EVER say that about me.   

[T-MAC]

Us "locals" need to get out and play Harbour Town together sometime.
Or hell, we should get together and get out and play ANY course.
Sounds like we could get a foursome together at least.

[Cincy_Ken]

20 hours ago, stimpmeterp said:

I don't know if you or other agree, but HT also has the "intimidation" factor.  At the end of the day there are other courses on the island that present the same challenges.  It's the fact that it has so much history, PGA event, iconic lighthouse, logo, etc., that (for me) presents serious jitters on the first few holes.  

Yes, 100%.  Tight tree lined fairways are certainly not unique to HT.

[stimpmeterp]

18 hours ago, T-MAC said:

Us "locals" need to get out and play Harbour Town together sometime.
Or hell, we should get together and get out and play ANY course.
Sounds like we could get a foursome together at least.

Count me in.  I'm an early morning weekday guy.  Young kids keep me busy on weekends for the most part.  

[HackerDave]

I'll be down in mid-January

[toypor]

On 10/24/2022 at 12:07 PM, stimpmeterp said:

I live here now and if it were me, I'd go HHN, Oyster and either of the PH courses.  They are back.  Played Hills today and Cupp a couple weeks ago.  They're pure joy.  Hills might be the harder of the two due to the greens.

 

Can't go wrong with Golden Bear but I'd pick Cupp and Hills over it by a slight margin.

Old South is really a gem but you only need to go off island once and HHN is pure.

Staying in Bluffton next week.  Would you do Old South or go to the Island for Cupp or Hills?  Unfortunately HHN is closed for an outing.  

[stimpmeterp]

It’s worth the extra 15-20 minutes to come on island.  Right now I would play either of those over Old South.

[toypor]

29 minutes ago, stimpmeterp said:

It’s worth the extra 15-20 minutes to come on island.  Right now I would play either of those over Old South.

Thanks!  Would Oyster be even better?

 

[stimpmeterp]

Oyster is up there for sure.  Almost unfair to compare them.  Greens are playing harder and from a test of golf perspective I would say Hills, then Cupp, then Oyster.  But it’s darn close as they are all in the same tier for me.

[T-MAC]

I recently played Oyster and there were a couple of greens that were in pretty bad shape.  Worst I've seen it in a long time.
The new greens at both the Cupp course and the Hills course are EXCELLENT.
Old South is a good track but they almost always overseed in the winter and the greens get pretty fuzzy.

[stimpmeterp]

4 hours ago, T-MAC said:

I recently played Oyster and there were a couple of greens that were in pretty bad shape.  Worst I've seen it in a long time.
The new greens at both the Cupp course and the Hills course are EXCELLENT.
Old South is a good track but they almost always overseed in the winter and the greens get pretty fuzzy.

Good to know, thank you for this update!

[1puttTUT]

I'll be down there Dec 27-31st. I currently have RTJ at Palmetto Dunes booked to play with a buddy. Are the conditions decent right now?

 

Also, what would be a good course to get out first thing and walk 9 as a single?

 

3rd and last question: what would be a good course to play 9 one day with the fam? Shipyard maybe?

 

We're staying pretty much halfway down the main loop so we're pretty close to everything on the island.

[stimpmeterp]

2 hours ago, 1puttTUT said:

I'll be down there Dec 27-31st. I currently have RTJ at Palmetto Dunes booked to play with a buddy. Are the conditions decent right now?

 

Also, what would be a good course to get out first thing and walk 9 as a single?

 

3rd and last question: what would be a good course to play 9 one day with the fam? Shipyard maybe?

 

We're staying pretty much halfway down the main loop so we're pretty close to everything on the island.

It’s been shorts and long sleeves or vests until literally this week and about to get cold per the 10 day forecast.  Sorry!  But true.  About to get cold.  Conditions remain great.  
 

Picture below for reference - practice facility @ Palmetto Hall yesterday morning.

 

You will want to download the WTOC First Alert weather app for when you are here.  Its red and blue.  Being an island and having microclimate, everyone gets it wrong but they ping off local antennas (antennae?).  If it’s going to rain at a certain time that’s the app that has it right most often.

 

RTJ or Hills at Palmetto Dunes are great tracks.  You may want to walk 9 anywhere on that property but note the Fazio course is actually not the same clubhouse as the others and has no range.  I personally put the Sea Pines courses above Palmetto Dunes but its splitting 6s for many.  If practice is part of your day then Sea Pines range and facility are best in class.

 

Shipyard for the kiddos for sure.  Or Port Royal has two courses and get a lot of family play from the Westin and Marriott.

 

For your solo 9, if you want to stay on island, go Sea Pines (Plantation Club is  the clubhouse for Atlantic Dunes and Heron Point).  Atlantic gets the slight nod for better front 9.

 

Or visit Palmetto Hall towards the top of the island (next to airport).  Two great courses recently revamped with green structures replaced.  Arthur Hills and Robert Cupp are the two courses. Front 9 nod goes to Cupp.  

And because they’re also great, don’t hesitate to research Oyster Reef and Golden Bear.  Oyster is in Hilton head plantation.  Golden Bear in Indigo Run.  Two addiitonal great tracks and would let you walk 9.
 

Funny, but no coincidence, the island has a ton of dramatic 18th holes.  But walking “early” here means realistically 8:00 a.m. b/c greens crews are not to be hassled and don’t start early.  They protect them like they are their children.

 

[1puttTUT]

37 minutes ago, stimpmeterp said:

It’s been shorts and long sleeves or vests until literally this week and about to get cold per the 10 day forecast.  Sorry!  But true.  About to get cold.  Conditions remain great.  
 

Picture below for reference - practice facility @ Palmetto Hall yesterday morning.

 

You will want to download the WTOC First Alert weather app for when you are here.  Its red and blue.  Being an island and having microclimate, everyone gets it wrong but they ping off local antennas (antennae?).  If it’s going to rain at a certain time that’s the app that has it right most often.

 

RTJ or Hills at Palmetto Dunes are great tracks.  You may want to walk 9 anywhere on that property but note the Fazio course is actually not the same clubhouse as the others and has no range.  I personally put the Sea Pines courses above Palmetto Dunes but its splitting 6s for many.  If practice is part of your day then Sea Pines range and facility are best in class.

 

Shipyard for the kiddos for sure.  Or Port Royal has two courses and get a lot of family play from the Westin and Marriott.

 

For your solo 9, if you want to stay on island, go Sea Pines (Plantation Club is  the clubhouse for Atlantic Dunes and Heron Point).  Atlantic gets the slight nod for better front 9.

 

Or visit Palmetto Hall towards the top of the island (next to airport).  Two great courses recently revamped with green structures replaced.  Arthur Hills and Robert Cupp are the two courses. Front 9 nod goes to Cupp.  

And because they’re also great, don’t hesitate to research Oyster Reef and Golden Bear.  Oyster is in Hilton head plantation.  Golden Bear in Indigo Run.  Two addiitonal great tracks and would let you walk 9.
 

Funny, but no coincidence, the island has a ton of dramatic 18th holes.  But walking “early” here means realistically 8:00 a.m. b/c greens crews are not to be hassled and don’t start early.  They protect them like they are their children.

 

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Thanks for all the great info!

 

I'm not scared of a little cold. I'm driving down from Michigan and routinely play in high 30's to low 40's, but I'm certainly hoping it will at least be in the 50's while we're there 🤞

[Cincy_Ken]

Ugh, thanks. Hadn't started checking 10 day forecasts until I read this thread. Hopefully the temps forecasts rise over the next 10 days

[1puttTUT]

So I played Brigantine 9 at Shipyard today with the fam. Unfortunately the range was closed for maintenance, as everyone has winter rust and we were stiff from the long drive down.

 

I can't complain about the course otherwise; everything was in nice shape. I didn't make a putt all day until the 9th, but no lost balls and got out of there with a 38 (four bogeys and two birds). Saw a pretty big gator, which my son and his friend loved.

 

Playing 18 tmrw with a buddy at Palmetto Dunes RTJ.

 

 

[1puttTUT]

RTJ course was cool. Entire front nine seemed dead into the wind and played long. Greens were slower than Shipyard, but bunkers were pristine. I can't remember having so many sand saves before. OMG was it windy! Par 3's were no joke. They all played at least 180, and up to 215.

 

Shot 39/39

 

[jbirnie]

Great thread. Lots of good info here. 

 

I'm planning a last minute trip with a few buddies for the last week of January or first week of February. What does the weather and confitioning look like on Hilton Head that time of year? Are practice areas open year round? 

 

Traveling from the Boston area so cooler temps are okay, just want to make sure it's playable. 

 

[Cincy_Ken]

54 minutes ago, jbirnie said:

Great thread. Lots of good info here. 

 

I'm planning a last minute trip with a few buddies for the last week of January or first week of February. What does the weather and confitioning look like on Hilton Head that time of year? Are practice areas open year round? 

 

Traveling from the Boston area so cooler temps are okay, just want to make sure it's playable. 

 

Average highs in winter are normally around 60.  I just got back from there and the course conditions were great at Palmetto Hall, Golden Bear, and Hilton Head National.  Also played Crescent which was okay for the price; not as bad as I've seen it in recent years. The Cupp course at Palmetto Hall was in great shape however they have started replacing a lot of the bunkers which are ground under repair and #3 is shortened to a Par 3 due to some construction on the tee area.  I wasn't able to play it but the Arthur Hills Palmetto Hall from what the people there said are not under the same bunker restoration that the Cupp Course is.  

[T-MAC]

Weather is hit or miss this time of year.  It was sunny and in the 70's yesterday but it's not supposed to get out of the 50's today.
Practice areas are usually open all year unless the course has scheduled maintenance.  Most courses are VERY playable right now.
Have fun!

[Cincy_Ken]

Was just looking at some of the rates for this weekend and I've come down here regularly over the last three years since my company opened up working remotely so I'm aware of what the golf market has been. Oh boy is inflation in full force.  Seems like it costs more to play an average course around here than it did to play Heron at the beginning of the COVID Era in Spring '20

[Imp]

On 3/9/2023 at 10:31 AM, Cincy_Ken said:

Was just looking at some of the rates for this weekend and I've come down here regularly over the last three years since my company opened up working remotely so I'm aware of what the golf market has been. Oh boy is inflation in full force.  Seems like it costs more to play an average course around here than it did to play Heron at the beginning of the COVID Era in Spring '20

[stimpmeterp]

I know it’s hard to pull off, especially if you don’t live here full time, but a Beaufort County drivers license makes golf here very affordable.  

[HackerDave]

On 3/12/2023 at 9:34 AM, stimpmeterp said:

I know it’s hard to pull off, especially if you don’t live here full time, but a Beaufort County drivers license makes golf here very affordable.  

Time to ask the kids where they got fake id's back in college.  A few offer me the local rate but most refuse.   I'm here for 4 months so it kind of bugs me.   Rates have really climbed this year and PD moved up peak prices a full month.   

[unprecedented_three]

Staying in Sea Pines with the family early this summer. Planning on one round with my brother and father at Atlantic Dunes (Harbour Town is too $$$, and Heron Point will be under aeration). If I were to play 2-3 more courses solo (~$100 or lower per round), where should I go?

 

Golden Bear, Hilton Head National, Old South, Oyster Reef? Somewhere else?

[stimpmeterp]

4 hours ago, unprecedented_three said:

Staying in Sea Pines with the family early this summer. Planning on one round with my brother and father at Atlantic Dunes (Harbour Town is too $$$, and Heron Point will be under aeration). If I were to play 2-3 more courses solo (~$100 or lower per round), where should I go?

 

Golden Bear, Hilton Head National, Old South, Oyster Reef? Somewhere else?

For $100 give or take a few, it’s HH National, Old South, or find coupons for the Palmetto Hall courses.

[caniac6]

We are staying in condos on the 9th tee of Atlantic Dunes. We walked the cart path on four holes after dinner, and the conditions are beautiful. Not playing. Play enough at home. It was pretty busy over the weekend, but not too busy during the week.

[jrg75]

Anyone know is Sea Pines uses solid tine or core aeration?  I'm there in late July and was going to book Harbor Town and Atlantic Dunes but saw an aeration warning.  I've played many courses after solid tine and it's didn't really bother me.  Not sure I'll spend the money if they are pulling cores.

[kamizzou91]

On 5/15/2023 at 7:30 PM, jrg75 said:

Anyone know is Sea Pines uses solid tine or core aeration?  I'm there in late July and was going to book Harbor Town and Atlantic Dunes but saw an aeration warning.  I've played many courses after solid tine and it's didn't really bother me.  Not sure I'll spend the money if they are pulling cores.

Following - I'm in the same boat (will be there at the end of July).