FEATURE STORY

Hilton Head Island is filled with women-friendly golf courses

By S. Adam Cardais,
Staff Writer

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. - From Hilton Head National to the Golden Bear Golf Club, which was designed by Jack Nicklaus, Hilton Head has golf courses that could intimidate even the most seasoned golfer.

Yet, it also has something for everyone, including women and seniors, who usually look for similar features in a course, including well-planned forward tees, greens with open fronts, few forced carries and multiple tee boxes.

"In a world of male-designed courses, [women] usually look for certain factors that will make it pleasurable," wrote Tim McDonald in a story for HiltonHeadGolf.com. "In the Hilton Head area, there are several golf courses that fit that description."

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Hilton Head's women-friendly courses

Golden Bear Golf Club at Indigo Run: Awarded one of America's Top 100 Courses by Travel and Leisure Magazine, this course has forward tees at 4,974 yards. It also has diagrams and descriptions on the tee markers and more detailed graphics on the GPS, making it easy to know where you're going even if you're new to the course. And every Tuesday morning is Ladies' Day.

Harbour Town Golf Links at Sea Pines Resort: As far as women-friendly courses go, this one has a lot going for it because it was designed by Pete Dye. Dye's wife Alice, an amateur golfer and designer, makes sure her husband's designs are fair and challenging from the women's tees. Harbour Town, where the forward tees are 5019 yards, makes the grade.

It is also one of the most sought after courses on the island. It hosts the PGA Tour's Verizon Heritage tournament every year, and Golf Magazine has ranked it the top course in South Carolina.

Palmetto Dunes, Robert Trent Jones course: This scenic course with views of the Atlantic Ocean on the 10th hole made an appearance in the Top Fairways list of the country's 100 "Most women-friendly courses." It's also been written about twice in Golf for Women magazine.

The forward tees are 5,035 yards, and golf carts with air conditioning are available for rent. Women-only instruction programs are offered at the Arthur Hills course on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8:30-10:30 a.m.

Okatie Creek Golf Club at Sun City Hilton Head: Designed by PGA Tour player Mark McCumber, this course with 15 lakes has five tee boxes on every hole, making it accessible to golfers of all skill levels. The forward tees are 4,763 yards.

Hilton Head National: Designed by Gary Player to be challenging but not unnecessarily punishing, this course has four separate sets of tee boxes, and women's tees are 4,682 yards.

The greens are spacious but not severely undulating, and the course is known for its friendly service. There are no homes on Hilton Head

Country Club of Beaufort at Pleasant Point: The forward tees are 4,753 yards at this course, located on Lady's Island not far from historic Beaufort. It is known for having an unhurried pace of play.

If you go

For Hilton Head tee times and vacation packages, contact:
Hilton Head Golf Travel
Web site: www.hiltonheadgolftravel.com
Tel.: (866) 870-4653 or (843) 842-2401

July 6, 2006

Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans.