View from 18th at Harbour Town Golf Links at Sea Pines Resort
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5.0
83 Reviews (83)
5 Stars
72
4 Stars
9
3 Stars
2
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
5.0
Value
4.4
Layout
5.0
Friendliness
5.0
Pace
5.0
Amenities
5.0
99.6%
Recommend this course
80 out of 83 reviews
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Average Rating
Avg Rating
0
5 Stars
0
4 Stars
0
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
0
Value
0
Layout
0
Friendliness
0
Pace
0
Amenities
0
0%
Recommend this course
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
5.0
2 Reviews (2)
5 Stars
2
4 Stars
0
3 Stars
0
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
5.0
Value
4.5
Layout
5.0
Pace
5.0
Amenities
5.0
StaffFriendliness
5.0
100.0%
Recommend this course
2 out of 2 reviews
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About

Holes 18
Type Resort
Style Links
Par 71
Length 7099 yards
Slope 148
Rating 75.6

The Harbor Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, is one of three 18-hole courses at the Sea Pines Resort. It is constantly ranked one of the best courses in the area and in the U.S. Pete Dye, with help from Jack Nicklaus, who designed the course and it is touted as one of his finest courses. The par-71 course covers 7,099 yards of flat terrain.

The RBC Heritage is an annual golf tournament played at the Harbour Town. This challenging course is known for its stunning views and attracts top professional golfers from all over the world. The tournament has been a beloved tradition since the course's opening in 1969, drawing in over 100,000 spectators each year and is an elevated event in 2023. If you're looking to attend or follow the tournament, make sure to mark your calendar for the week following the Masters in April.

As for the course itself, Harbor Town's sloping greens are small and covered in Tif Eagle grass. There are several challenging par 3s but the signature hole of the golf course is a tricky par 4. The infamous 18th hole is 458 yards that require a long tee shot towards the lighthouse. The breeze from the Calibogue Sound is definitely a factor in the difficulty of the hole.

Course Details

Year Built 1969
Fairways Celebration Bermuda Grass
Greens Tif-Eagle Bermuda Grass
Golf Season Year round
Architect Pete Dye (1969) Jack Nicklaus (1969) Alice Dye (1969) MacCurrach Golf

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes - included in green fees
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Caddies Yes
Golf School Academy Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex, Discover Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No

Food & Beverage

Restaurant

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Banquet Facilities

Available Sports

Tennis

Accolades

Reviews

5.0
83 Reviews (83)

What Golfers Are Saying

The 19th Hole is Great For:
19th Hole Scenic Views 11
Drinks 10
Patio Dining 10
Course Challenges Include:
Water Hazards 17
Narrow Fairways 16
Bunkers 14
This course/club is great for:
A Bucket list/Top 100 Pick 19
Advanced Golfers 18
Wildlife/ Scenic Views 17
This Course's Location is:
At a Resort 14
Near Local Attractions 6

Numbers based on reviews tagged with attribute.

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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 30
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Great experience

Very fun course with challenges everywhere. Scenic finish and interesting par 3s!

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once every three months
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Cold weather
Used cart

Great Day at Harbour Town

Had a great round with family. Caddy was awesome and overall experience was great!

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 335
Handicap 0-4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Golf Advisor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Walked

A midcentury-modern marvel

It's odd to call a golf course built in the late 1960s "historically significant," but Harbour Town deserves every bit of that designation for the way it ushered in the modern era of golf design in the U.S., as well as the dawn of the "signature design" era. Despite the intimate feeling of practically every hole corridor, it somehow never feels claustrophobic. Thanks to the subtle bends of the fairways and orientations and diminutive size of the greens, it is an aspirational shotmaker's course that somehow never feels overwhelming. And thanks to the restrained and clever placement of its hazards, it is a stern test that somehow never feels unbeatable. Good golf is rewarded, and substandard golf is tolerated for the most part. Mounds and railroad ties add character and ambiance, and the brilliantly walkable routing makes it a joy to play over and over. It's one of my all-time favorite golf courses.

Conditions Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 15
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Staff
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Walked

Exceeded high expectations

Could go on and on about this place and will. From the second you step on property the staff is friendly and goes out of their way to make your experience great. The course is beautiful, unique, and in great shape. The staff also did a great job of handling our 13 person group for lunch as well. Can't wait to be back to this special place.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 38
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
D C Advisor
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Walked

Great Classic Pete Dye Design

Harbour Town Golf Links, One of the earlier Pete Dye designs that put him on the map. Located in Hilton Head, SC this course has many of the famed features you either love or hate from the Dyebolical mind of Pete Dye. The course is a true gem and requires a thoughtful mind and well executed shots to score well. I am usually a fan of courses with elevation changes and sweeping expansive view, while this course does not offer much of either (excluding famed 17 and 18) I was more than impressed by the use of the land and the beauty of the course. While a respectable bailout area is present on most holes the corridors are tight and you can find yourself easily blocked by large trees. It also must be noted that the greens are fairly small and often with a hazard to one side but are very receptive. I had a great time throughout the course but the stretch from 13 to 18 is special, and 17 and 18 are a near perfect final two holes. The Tour will be playing the RBC Heritage this week, this course is often referred to as a shotmakers course and I truly understand why.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 25
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Great experience on a good course

Enjoyed getting to play a course I watch every year on TV but the conditions were only ok due to overseeding. Grass throughout the course was a little thick and putting was extremely slow. Obviously during regular conditions the course would be in top shape but during this time frame it not and the price should reflect that. Way to expensive during overseeding. The layout is fun but get able as long as you can stay out of the trees. Glad I played the course while in town but future trips I will skip it to play else where which are much cheaper.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

What a great course and experience

Harbour Town lived up to its reputation- it was a fantastic course (for me #3 all time), challenging but fair, very scenic and each hole is a treat. One of the highlights of our trip was 3 rounds (also played the other 2 courses) with our caddie Rick P. I can’t say enough about how he enhanced our experience and enjoyment. When I go back to Harbour Town I definitely will request Rick for his reading of greens, course tips, but most importantly just being a great dude. Would recommend this course to everyone- has to be played.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Carts

For the money that we paid for our round, we would have expected a far superior cart fleet. The carts were no better than what you would find in a low end public course

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 11/03/2020

I can understand your comment since I recently played the course as well. I had a similar thought but then asked myself, “Did you come for the golf or the golf carts?”
The carts are fine and do not disrupt the excellent experience of the course.

Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Required fore caddies

Our fore caddie was fine. Great guy, but I would have preferred that we had the option. He just showed up on the tee and we had to use him. To be honest, we did not need him and it was an additional $30 I did not want to spend.
Having said that, what a great experience. This would not keep me from coming back but should be by request.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Greens were in excellent condition, fairways only fair. Golf carts are pathetic for the price we paid, similar in to a cart you woul get at a second rate public course.

Conditions Fair
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great course

Great day, though it was cart path only. Tough course with excellent design.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 90
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Top 500 Contributor
First Time Playing

What can I say, it’s HarbourTown

So this course did not disappoint me at all. Sure the weather was only in low to mid 50’s, but the sun was shining. Yes the cost to play here if you in fact pay full price, as I did, is high. I wasn’t disappointed and may play again if I can get a discounted rate. All said and done, you could spend just around $300 US with a forecaddie, per person. But it’s now off my bucket list and although I didn’t start off well, the day was all good. Pace of play was around 4-1/2 hrs for the first 16 holes, then it took almost 45 minutes to play the last two as it just got extremely slow (probably due to the photo opportunities). The course is tight in spots, but was in very good shape with the tourney only 6 weeks away.

Conditions Excellent
Value Fair
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Walked

First Time at Harbour Town

Our foursome really enjoyed our round here. We opted to walk and had two caddies that carried our bags for our group. If you're willing to pay the extra caddy tip money, walking is totally worth doing! I feel like we got to experience and enjoy the course more by walking. Note that if you have a big cart bag, the course will probably provide you a carry bag to borrow for the round so that caddies can carry it.
The staff were very friendly and helpful. They are there to make sure your experience is an enjoyable one!
The first 15 holes are a nice layout that culminates starting at 16 fairway with amazing views of the Sound. You'll want some pictures.
Fairways are narrow and tree lined and green complexes are tricky. The course is difficult, but we felt it was fair for all abilities. So bring a straight tee ball and your short game!

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

This course is amazing

First time playing at this course. I had a fantastic experience at this course. Great layout, challenging greens, and exceptional customer service. My forecaddie Randy gave helpful tips during my round and was a great guy to talk to. Unfortunately, the greens were just punched but they were still rolling pure. Even if your debating whether to play this because of the price, its totally worth it. This course is a must-play in Hilton Head and I plan on coming back in the future.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Beginner
Plays Once every three months
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Worth the money

Although a little expensive, I found the experience well worth the cost. Very tight course with tree lined fairways, but fair. You just can’t hit a huge slice or hook. Greens were in great condition and rolling at around an 11 on the meter. Our caddie, Boyde (sp?), was great. Being a player himself, really helped us pick our clubs and areas to aim at. Very knowledgeable about the course. We didn’t get to use the clubhouse amenities due to the wives wanting to go out. Last four holes are beautifully designed and provide great views. I would totally recommend playing here and plan to return.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 22
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Wow.

The course was in absolutely pristine shape. The RBC Heritage took place a week earlier, which I'm sure helped.

Our family also received a discount by purchasing a "3-Pack" for all of the three courses at Sea Pines, which definitely helped with the high price tag that accompanies Harbour Town.

Our forecaddie helped, but the other players in our group complained that he didn't work very hard compared to other forecaddies. Regardless, having a forecaddie certainly helps with the pace-of-play.

The course is incredibly difficult, but it's hard not to enjoy playing such a beautiful and well-kept course.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 7
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Just a Joy

Only once before have I spent over $200 to play a golf course and that was Pebble Beach $500 10 years ago. Having watched the RBC Heritage on TV for many years I thought that $349 or $290 PM wasn't worth it but decided to bite the bullet and play. Good decision. TV does not do this place justice. Danny our fore caddie was excellent and really encouraged my wife. The course is immaculate and and the final 3 holes are well worth the wait but the rest of the course should not be underestimated. When you don't play that well but still fall in love with a course, you know it's special. Pete Dye Classic.

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Poor
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 378
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 10 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Simply the best on Hilton Head Island

The Harbour Town experience is top notch from the clubhouse to the first tee to the 18th hole with the famous red and white lighthouse in the background overlooking the sound. The course is known for its last couple of holes, but really the inland holes are just as interesting as they set up the fantastic finish. It has a great collection of par 3s, the par 5s are pretty good, too, and every par 4 is different. In other words, there's great variety. With greens on the smaller side, a good short game is a must, and you really do have to think your way around the golf course.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
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Golf Packages

Sea Pines Resort Stay & Play Package

FROM $217 (USD)
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC | Enjoy up to 7 nights’ accommodations at the Sea Pines Resort and up to 5 rounds of golf at your choice of Harbour Town Golf Links, Atlantic Dunes Golf Course, and Heron Point Course.

Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort Stay & Play Package

FROM $137 (USD)
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC | Enjoy up to 7 nights’ accommodations at Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort and up to 5 rounds of golf at your choice of Palmetto Dunes – Robert Trent Jones Course, Palmetto Dunes – Arthur Hills Course, Palmetto Dunes – George Fazio Course, and Hilton Head National Golf Club.

The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa Stay & Play Package

FROM $207 (USD)
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Oyster Reef Golf Course, Robber’s Row Course, Barony Course, and The Shipyard Golf Course.

The Villas at Kiawah Island Stay & Play Package

FROM $177 (USD)
KIAWAH ISLAND, SC | Enjoy up to 7 nights’ accommodations in a 1 to 4-bedroom unit at The Villas of Kiawah Island and up to 5 rounds of golf on your choice of Kiawah Island - Cougar Point, Kiawah Island - Osprey Point, Kiawah Island - Oak Point, Kiawah Island - Turtle Point, and Kiawah Island - The Ocean Course.

The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Stay & Play Package

FROM $337 (USD)
KIAWAH ISLAND, SC | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at The Sanctuary Hotel and up to 4 rounds of golf on your choice of Kiawah Island - Cougar Point, Kiawah Island - Osprey Point, Kiawah Island - Oak Point, Kiawah Island - Turtle Point, and Kiawah Island - The Ocean Course.
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