Harbour Town Golf Links

This is the best set of par 3’s on any golf course in the country. The tree lined fairways and shot shaping required is as good as it gets. Lowcountry vibes and a SICK clubhouse. Does not get much better than HTGL so if you are down south make the drive to HHI and play this course. #7 and #13 are my fav holes on the course.

Harbour Town Golf Links is a living, breathing cathedral of shot-making where the ghosts of Pete Dye and a young Jack Nicklaus still whisper in the pines. The new Davis Love III renovation didn’t sterilize the place or buff it into some glossy resort caricature. No, they tightened the bolts, sharpened the teeth, and kept the soul intact — which is exactly what the gods of the modern PGA demanded. Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Patrick Cantlay — these guys marched in uninvited like a federal task force and practically begged Sea Pines not to screw it up. “Please don’t change the integrity of this golf course. We’ve got something we love.” That’s what John Farrell said, and you could tell he felt the weight of it. When the best players on earth come knocking like doomsday prophets, you listen. And Harbour Town still forces you to play real golf — not the aim-and-blast circus of the modern era. You’ve got to shape your shots, bend the ball both ways, hit it high under the gods or low under the wind. Every hole feels like it’s studying you, waiting to see if you’re smart enough, patient enough, or twisted enough to take it on. The lighthouse stands there like a final exam in red and white stripes, and if you pull off the right shots all day, it’ll let you pass without judgment. Harbour Town isn’t just a course. It’s a test of honesty. A test of nerve. A test of whether you can still play the kind of golf Dye and Nicklaus carved into the Carolina marsh decades ago. And after the renovation, it’s still every bit as mean, brilliant, and beautiful as it ever was.

Fantastic golf course with wide fairways, real sand in the bunkers, lots of water hazards, and great greens especially holes 13 and 18. Mandatory caddie for every 4 players, we had "Bones". Great caddie experience. The practice area was great and the staff was fantastic. The Tee Time was expensive but worth every penny.

Was able to walk in without a tee time so see the history and go to pro shop. I had a beer at their 19th hole. Very cool.

This was a special round for me a few years ago while vacationing in Hilton Head. Harbour Town was the 500th course I played in my career! I was a single and was paired up with a threesome. It was a great experience and I enjoyed it immensely. Playing here was a bucket list item for me, so the expense was justified. Beautiful course, clubhouse and practice facilities.

Playing Harbour Town Golf Links was everything I expected and more. To play was a treat to myself, given the green fee, but it was worth it and it will last in the memory for a long time. Played the course just a few weeks before the RBC Heritage so the prep was underway and the stands were going up. The course itself was immaculate and in tip top condition. Good straight shots required as it's quite easy to get out of position. The Greens were excellent, true but not too quick for us mere mortals, although they caught me out with breaks I didn't see on more than one occasion. I also treated myself to a walking caddie which made the experience complete, thank you to Cade, who offered good sound advice and was great company. And you know what, I might just come back and do it all again.

Only played 9 of the 18 due to rain, but wow, what an awesome experience it was just being here. Shortly after, it was cleared up. However, we had other plans, so we had to move on. I have a raincheck, but it will probably expire before I get back to the remaining 9. If you're ever given the chance to play here, take it.

This is a great golf course with incredible views, challenging holes, and pure course conditions. The club house is also amazing with great views of the course and multiple great options for food. I would definitely recommend arriving early for your tee time to sample all that there is to offer. I will remember playing here forever.

I wanted to play Harbour Town bc the pros play a PGA Tournament here. However, the price ($552 b4 taxes), and a mandatory $40 tip for a fore caddie is a real downer. In addition, I rented clubs ($75 plus tax), plus the resort fee ($9 plus tax), and there was a $9 entrance fee to the resort. My all in was over $700! I have played the nicest courses in CA (Pebble & Spyglass), as well as the nicest courses in Hawai'i where the pros play (Kapalua, Hualalai, et al), and I don't recall those courses costing as much as HT. Positives: Ian, our caddie was excellent. He knew the course well, gave good distance info and read putts well. I had a few opps for birdie bc of his accurate distance. On me tho, I only converted one birdie. Negatives: In addition to the sky high price, HT is not that special of a course. The sig holes are nice, but not that nice IMHO; Cart path only for the whole course, so you will get your steps in! I enjoyed my day bc my playing partners were nice and Ian was a great caddie. However, I would not play here again.

What a great day. With premium pricing, you can expect a premium experience. Our caddie Brady added it a lot to our day. He provided great advice and had a great personality - putting up with me is half the battle. That goes for my game and my attitude. Lol. Course was in great shape, the signature holes did not disappoint - holy cow the last 3 were W ~ I ~ N ~ D ~ Y. It was a grind but was fun as well. And no, I will not be posting a pic of my scorecard - lol.

Would not recommend playing this golf course in august or after there is rain! The greens were airrated and slow. They make you take a fore caddie to speed up play not sure that really works. Took almost five hours if we all waited for him to shout out distances I would still be out on the course! Sure it's fun to say you played a course that had a pga event however not nearly the conditions they play in. Way over priced for the shape the course was in. Save your money!

We played this course with another couple. It was on their bucket list. We were not disappointed at all. The best part of the experience was having our own caddie. Max was our caddie. For me, it was my first time with a caddie and I was pretty nervous, but he made me feel comfortable from the first swing. Personally, I feel like the caddie makes the difference between having an awesome experience or a mediocre experience. Max was fantastic; very course knowledgeable (so important with the first shot and especially on the greens), professional, personable, and friendly. I highly recommend Max if you're looking to have a memorable golf experience at an iconic golf course. We'll be requesting him when we come back in March.

I was fortunate to have a brother in law that belongs to Harbour Town Golf Links a public golf course located in Sea Pines Plantation on Hilton Head Island. Most of you golf junkies would know that the RBC Heritage, is a PGA Tour event sometime in April which is played there. And the golf course is ranked high among golf courses in America by the Golf media. Unfortunately, I was unable to play on such short notice, but hope to play sometime in March. However, I did have the opportunity to visit the spectacular clubhouse which has a magnificent interior and traditional lounge. My review is only about the facility, not the golf course.

If you get a chance pay the $9 to enter Sea Pines. Drive around and see the golf courses. Play some if you want. Shop, visit the light house, and do some shopping. But don't leave until you have had a bite to eat in the club house. By far the best food I've had in a long time. The pot roast can be pulled apart with a spoon. The whipped horseradish adds the right amount of whimsy and bite that you need to take the roast from grandmas meal to a whole new level. The price is comparable to other restaurants in the area. The food is so much better so well worth the extra $9 to enter pay to get there.

Without a doubt, Harbour Town Golf Links is a five-star golf venue. I've played at a lot amazing courses over the years. In terms of course conditions, layout, scenery, service, amenities, and simply overall fun factor, Harbour Town stands up to, if not surpasses, all of them. There's a reason why Hilton Head is a favorite stop among PGA Tour pros, their families, and caddies. Harbour Town unveiled a new clubhouse in March 2015. It's exquisite and first class all the way. The clubhouse is modern, grand, and elegant, but it's not overdone. It's a living monument to the Heritage golf tournament and its past champions who have been immortalized in a series of beautiful paintings inside the clubhouse walls. You can find the Heritage champion's tartan plaid jacket and championship trophy just inside the main entrance. The clubhouse and golf course are open to the public, so go check it out. The men's locker room (and, from what I've heard and seen from pictures, the ladies' locker room as well) is a sight to behold. The stairway to the men's locker room is lined with a multitude of paintings of past Heritage champions. The spacious locker room has TVs, complimentary snacks and sweets, and large glass displays once again showing off the Heritage champion's tartan jacket along with golf clubs and autographed flags from past tournaments. There are numerous lockers, many of which are named, belonging to past champions like Jim Furyk and Matt Kuchar. For anyone playing the course, the lockers are complimentary, as are the showers. There's a locker room attendant who will clean and shine your shoes for free (you'll have to tip, of course). Spike replacements are $13 per set and shoe laces are $2. The sinks and showers are all very nice (check out my pictures) and include a comprehensive host of toiletries such as disposable pre-pasted toothbrushes, mouthwash, deodorant, talcum powder, combs, razors, shaving cream, lotion, sunblock, soap, shampoo, and conditioner. There's a classy men's lounge with a bar (the locker room attendant pours drinks), TV, reading materials, menus for the restaurant downstairs, and comfortable indoor and outdoor seating. The covered outdoor patio has great 2nd floor views of the practice putting greens and range, 1st tee, and 9th green. The pro shop is stocked with a nice array of Harbour Town and Sea Pines logo merchandise in all the latest and fashionable brands and styles. I picked up a couple golf shirts and a lightweight water resistant hat. The shop is bigger and carries more items than the typical pro shop. They even have Scotty Cameron putters and an engraver. Range balls are included with your round and can be found at the range. They use the best: Titleist Pro V1s. You hit off both grass and mats at the range. The practice putting greens feature big pins with wooden sticks and tartan flags. An automatic pellet ice and water machine is located at the cart staging area. The carts are Club Car and come with coolers already packed with ice and bottles of water, towels, and tees that feature the Harbour Town lighthouse and signature red and white stripes (fine attention to detail). The carts do not have GPS, but the course is marked with plenty of yardages - a sprinkler head or drain, with yardages to front, center, and back, is never far away. As for the course itself, it's difficult. From the tips, it measures 7,099 yards with a 75.6/148 rating/slope. Because of the difficulty of this course, I recommend playing one set of tees up from the tees you normally play from. I've played this course from both the white tees (6,253 yards, 71.4/136) and gold tees (5,867 yards, 69.6/131) and it always provides a stiff test. A premium is placed on accurate, well-placed shots, both off the tee and on the approach. The course is notorious for its tiny "postage stamp" greens. Keeping the ball in play is critical to a respectable score and there are plenty of bunker-filled, deceivingly open, tree-lined corridors to navigate. Elevation changes are minimal. Of course, the most scenic and memorable holes are Nos. 17 and 18, bordering the Calibogue Sound. The 18th hole, with the iconic red and white Harbour Town lighthouse situated behind the green, is one of golf's most famous finishing holes. The course has always been in superb and pristine condition the times I've played it. You shouldn't expect less of a regular PGA Tour host course. It's cart path only at all times. All that said, it's expensive. We paid $155 per golfer (Sea Pines property owner rate), plus about $23 total to cover some sort of entertainment tax, for our last afternoon round here. The before-11am rate was $190 per golfer. The general public rate was $275 per golfer ($190 twilight) plus a mandatory $30 forecaddie fee (not including gratuity) per golfer. Sea Pines property owners get discounted tee times with no forecaddie required, 10% off all merchandise in the pro shop, and 10% off food and drink at the grill.

Zack @ the bar last weekend was awesome! We go into Harbour Town a lot by boat and usually go to one of the casual spots because we are dressed for boating, not dressed in "country club" attire. But the weather was a bit frightful last weekend so we drove to Sea Pines instead of going by boat. I was a little unsure if we would be ok to get in here because we had jeans & casual attire, but they were super nice and said jeans are fine. My daughter and I had on boots/regular shoes, but hubs had on his flip-flops (as usual) and they were still ok with the attire. (Yay!) The bar had a nice vibe- it was not stuffy or pretentious. They have a great selection of wines by the glass.... I had La Crema Pinot Noir, my hubs had a nice merlot and my daughter chose a spicy Syrah. The atmosphere was not at all stuffy, it was very casual and comfortable. Zack our bartender was very friendly and helpful. We took a glance at both the regular "bar menu" as well as the dinner menu... and while the bar menu was nothing to write home about, the dinner menu had some really yummy sounding options at very reasonable prices. We will definitely be going back and having dinner here!

This is the home of the RBC Heritage Classic since 1969 and we played here on Monday one week after the tournament. Green fees are $259.00 a round and includes a four caddy. The whole course is cart path only but the course is immaculate. The Greens were about 10 1/2 on the stimpmeter and fairways are narrow but fair. The Harbor Town Golf Links is rated coexistent rated number two by many of the PGA pros behind the masters course at Augusta GA. I can totally understand why this course is rated so high with pine tree lined fairways and perfect fairways, traps and greens. From the Heritage Tees the course length is: 7,101 yards, 75.6 rating with a 147 slope; par 71. Hole number 17 and 18 are incredible finishing holes due to the high winds off the shore and will truly test your golf skills. I enjoyed the course so much I returned another afternoon to get in the front 9 holes. The pro shop is fully stocked with equipment, apparel and golf goodies which made great souvenirs. The staff are also friendly and knowledgeable. I would definitely recommending playing this course on your vacation in Hilton Head. The experience here was priceless!

The clubhouse is currently under construction and closed. They are doing the best they can with the situation and have temporary ProShop set up. Amazingly helpful and friendly employees. The greens have just been aerated. On this course when balls hit the trees they seems to drop straight down. Beautiful course.

Difficult , for me, course that played long. The rough was very thick and near impossible to come out of with any good results. Greens were challenging and fast. It's no wonder so many pro events are held here. Bring you A game. Course was in great shape, well maintained and laid out.

Paid top dollar to play this course. There was course maintenance going on every hole. Chain Saws, Skill Saws, Gas leaf blowers, Garbage trucks. Without a doubt the Noisiest Course I've ever played. The greens were sanded and playing very slow. Almost felt like a $45 municipal course. Checked that off my list. I think I'll ask more questions the next time I book a course like this.

Harbour Town is a great Golf course and a must play at least once if you travel to Hilton Head. It is not the type of course that you would need to play every visit Therefore I STRONGLY recommend you check on the greens conditions regarding aeration before you play during any season. I suggest an August round, after the PGA Tour leaves, so it is going to be close to the exact same condition as when the pros play it. As most of you know they play the Heritage here (Verizon) and used to host the MCI and I guess that is why the price is what it is when there are many other great coursed that should be played. *See my list of Hilton Head Island Courses for a review of above mentioned courses.* You can Follow my reviews as well. Greens fees range from about $125.00 to $200.00 and I think can exceed that price up to $250.00. The reality is that if you are in Hilton Head and you don't play HTGL, your gonna feel as though you wished you had, but it's not really worth any more than one round, in my opinion. Nice course to walk, as it is really flat, as are most all courses in the area. Tough alignments from teeing areas. The last 3 holes are absolutely spectacular and give you the 'mystique' feel, that they speak of, but the other holes were not that memorable. The mandatory forecaddy is a little distracting, as they run ahead to keep an eye on where your tee shot will land. It is a mandatory fee, obviously to speed up play when the course gets busy , which it does, as it is regarded as the "premier" course on Hilton Head Island. I know my game and I very much enjoy a personal and knowledgeable caddy that has course knowledge, IE: where to miss, where not to miss, insight on greens, yardage, wind (it can blow there) but I just don 't like the idea of a mandatory forecaddy. This is the only reason Harbour Town is not going to get the 5th star, its just too much money, when there are so many other great options, but play it at least once.

Harbour Town is in process of building a club house, so the experience of signing in at a temporary building was not an impressive start. We were not aware that you have to take a fore caddie. It took a while to get used to as the main objective of the caddie was to speed play. He did not even want to look for your ball in the rough. I will say our caddie was excellent at reading the greens. Clearly, Harbour Town is known for 17 and 18 where you finish on the water and play to the lighthouse. The finish is spectacular. Otherwise the course is similar to other HHI courses. Worth playing once, but I would not rush back.

Here in Hilton Head on vacation, week and a half ago the RBC Heritage was played here. What a beautiful course, tough but fair, staff was awesome, our forecaddie Carson was great. I highly recommend Harbour Town for a first class golf experience.

One of the best golf experiences ever. We visited in January and got so fortunate with the weather. Everything is top notch here from the course to the service and clubhouse. The course is cart path only year round so you can opt to walk which I did and it wasn't bad. The price tag may seem hefty but it is cheaper than Pebble Beach. And while Pebble certainly has more ocean views, Harbour Town has pretty everything else on a grander scale. Oh and look for Jimmy from New York to caddy for you. Great service, attitude, and demeanor. Definitely going back.

My son and I played this course in March and it was it great shape. The staff was extremely friendly. The course was challenging, but the fore caddy was awesome. He was very knowledgeable about the course and greens. Everyone moved at a good pace. We got to enjoy the clubhouse for a few refreshments afterwards. It is definitely worth the money.

This was a genuine 5 star experience as you would expect for a PGA Tour course. Despite the deluge in rain the day before, the course was still in pristine condition. Possibly a little on the steep side at $350 + tax + obligatory fore caddy at $30 minimum per bag but still worthwhile if you have the cash. The course is recognized as being one of the more difficult on the PGA Tour (excepting majors of course) so I would recommend considering tees forward of where you might normally play. I play off a 9 handicap but still chose the Whites and shot mid 80's playing reasonably well and hitting two birdies. There are penalties for even narrow fairway misses (bunkers, water, blocked shots, etc.) and the greens are hard to hit in some places. Having a mid iron or better for approach shots made the experience more enjoyable for me. Avoid the restaurant in the clubhouse unless you enjoy expensive, poor quality food with service to match. Too bad, the facility itself is outstanding.

Okay, so I am reviewing a golf course that we did not play. But the ever putting BJ had harmed his back in some strange way the day before our trip. And was a bit of a crip on our trip! We did, however, manage to somehow walk the infamous 18th hole. Oh, yes, I am sure professional golfers shudder at this thought. But it was so tempting and we wanted to see it up close. Next, we visited the pro shop. This place is really great. BJ was able to pick up a handsome new golf shirt and a wonderful Tartan plaid towel. The lobby area is interesting and they even have a replica Harbour Town Lighthouse. And who doesn't enjoy a little photo op with a bright red Tartan plaid winner's jacket and a trophy or two. And good old Arnie Palmer's 1969 plaque is on the wall here. Love him. This was a fun stop on our visit.

This course is truly great. I played it on the Tuesday after the RBC, so it was obviously in perfect condition. Our fore caddie was a good dude and helped navigate the course really well. I really really love this place. Can't wait for my next opportunity to play.

Stopped by to pick up some souvenirs at the pro shop for friends of mine back home. $8:00 gate fee just to get on to the property so I turned around and left. They lost a sale. I can understand a security gate but an $8:00 fee?!! I wonder if they charge the gate fee if you book a tee time?!

This is a review from a Nov '18 visit. I am not a golfer but I enjoyed playing here. The course was in good shape and the guys I played with, actual golfers, were very pleased as well. We came back for dinner the same evening and toured the clubhouse. Again, not a golfer but it was very impressive with the memorabilia and architecture. Dinner, from the service, dining room and meal were the perfect end to the day.

Beyond 5 stars. The best of the best. We stayed for 6 days, 5 nights. Chose Harbour Town to stay for our 13 & 14 yr old daughters to golf. From the moment we arrived, every detail has been thought of & prepared before we enemies thought of it. The butler crew is extraordinary, Frankie at the pool, extrordinary. Our daughters golfed twice here at Harbor Town, 1st day had an exceptional caddy, Ryan Smith, they shot a 97 & 99. 2nd day had another exceptional caddy, Kiley Kohler, they shot an 89 & 91. The pro shop is huge and excellent. The restaurant, the Links exceeded our expectations. Every staff member knew our names & personally greeted us continually. They really go the extra mile to enhance your stay. The Inn at Harbour Town as well as the golf course will forever be a family tradition for us now.

Underwhelmed by the condition of the course. Fairways were plush but tees were in poor condition at best. Greens were Ok, just not $250 good. Fore caddie Ryan was outstanding. Didn't lose a single ball and his green reading skills saved me a few pars. Glad I played once, but if you're looking for top level golf in the low country, travel 2 hours North to Kiawah Ocean Course. Far superior course and in far better condition.

Went with my two daughters for breakfast on Tuesday for breakfast. The new clubhouse is beautiful and welcoming. Breakfast food was great and service was outstanding. I had eggs Benedict and it was perfectly prepared. I will return and can highly recommend!!

4.5, can't go whole 5, so it's a four. Famous from TV, always recognizable but not the best design from Pete Dye, maybe only the third best Dye in the area if you are fortunate enough and can play them all. The par 3's are superb, the par 5's mostly fun and the par 4's are occasionally mundane, saved by making testy for the pros with orphaned way back tees that some can be fun to find while you are waiting, which you will of course do. It is not like a Pebble Beach wait, but you have to expect it. That said from a very harsh critic's chair, you will not be disappointed in any way except it is the most expensive course in the are and play will be slow due to twice a year players who must play the famous course, etc. Fortunately from its original incarnation, partially due to Hurricane Matthew, many trees are out and especially from 16's last 100 yards, excessively beautiful long views are now available. The last three holes are stunning to see. From originally, the greens have been expanded and are much more interesting than long ago. Conditions can vary greatly at times of year, but it is much better off-Heritage than in the past. Large, exceptional clubhouse experience with excellent dining and beverage. Don't miss it, rarely do you get to just walk up and lay down your credit card to play one of televised Golf's most venerated venues. You'll be sky high and wonder where I am coming from. From playing nearly everything you've heard of, that's where. Enjoy! Again, the Par 3's are just sublime, all four of them.

Our Foursome had an 8:24 TT during the week. The weather was not good as it was Cold (40-45), Windy and Overcast. We checked in with the Starter and headed off to hit balls on the Range. As with other courses that use Caddies we figured ours's would approach and introduce him/her self and we would head over to the 1st Tee. Right at TT the Caddie approached us as we came to the 1st Tee. He introduced himself and we were off.... during the Round the Caddie was pretty quiet except calling out Yardages and Putts. Weather was cold and you could tell that he was not happy at all about being out there with us. On the 9th hole it started raining and the caddie pulled out an umbrella unannounced from one of our players bags and used it for himself. He never sheltered one of us with that umbrella for the next 2 holes it rained and, we never used ours! It was Harbour Town and we so looked forward to playing there but, the weather and the Caddie made it a somewhat disappointing day not to mention the Price to play for that day.

We played March 7, 2015. The clubhouse was closed for remodeling....not a big deal because I came for the course. Went to the range and had to hit off mats. Next, went to the first tee were we were informed it was mandatory to take a caddie. I play a lot of private clubs so I know guests are required to take a caddie; however, this is not a private club and there really is no need to force a caddie on us when the course is so straight forward. The tee markers were setup without tournament tees due to the PGA coming in 6 weeks. I have played many other courses that did not close down the tourney tees this early so it was a let down. We hit from the blues on the first hole, great 95 yards left because I am playing from the "wrong" tees for our group. Now, I do not know why this course is rated so highly. It does NOT deserve it. Every hole is lined with OB, and the majority have it on both sides. Two holes, 17 and 18 are where you see the water...the rest are in between houses. Very comparable to pinehurst #1, which everybody hates the most out of Pinehurst courses...read the reviews. We played Kiawah, ocean course, osprey, and turtle, and all of them are much better. This course is in great shape but there is no rough and no real danger besides the OB. If the course was under 100, I wouldn't be as down on it but its 315+ greens fee due to an entertainment fee, 30 forecaddie, 6 parking and 2.50 toll to the island. Basically, $350 to play a sub par golf course in great shape. Stay away and go to kiawah, definitely not worth the price as there really won't be any positive memories besides seeing the last few holes on tv and saying I played there but the course was lame.