Golfers love to talk about Palmetto Dunes Golf….and I’m certainly no exception.
With its three legendary golf courses, Palmetto Dunes Plantation has attained exceptional golf status all conceived by renowned golf architects Arthur Hills, Robert Trent Jones and George Fazio.
While each Palmetto Dunes golf course shares a first-rate golfing experience, they are uniquely designed and unmatched in their challenges. Encompassing the plantation’s natural beauty, the courses are characterized by the very name given to the plantation…rolling dunes and Palmetto trees.
Rated 4.5 stars in Fodor’s Golf Digest and 2009 Course Of The Year in South Carolina, I consider Arthur Hills golf course a must play for golf enthusiasts. Compared to other courses on the island, Arthur Hills golf course is shorter with only 6122 yards starting with the middle white tees.
But don’t be duped with the short yardage, this course is one of the most demanding courses I have played on the island. What Arthur Hills golf course lacks in yardage is certainly made up with tactical positioned trees, bunkers and water holes.
| TEES | PAR | LENGTH | SLOPE | RATING |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Championship | 72 | 6651 Yards | 136 | 72.9 |
| Middle | 72 | 6122 Yards | 125 | 70.4 |
| Senior | 72 | 5613 Yards | 113 | 67.4 |
| Forward | 72 | 4999 Yards | 123 | 70.1 |
Renovated in 2002, the Robert Trent Jones course is the most progressive of all the three Palmetto Dunes golf courses. Extensive reworking of the greens, bunkers and fairways were done with increased elevations and reshaping. Water became more prominent as Palmetto Dunes 11-mile lagoon system makes its way through eleven holes.
The course is one of the most picturesque courses I have played on the island with its signature ocean view on the 10th hole, the only one on the island other than Sea Pines Golf.
Out of all three courses in Palmetto Dunes Plantation, I feel this course offers the most playability for the average golfer. The layout of the course is pretty straight forward presenting itself as the fairest of the three courses.
| TEES | PAR | LENGTH | SLOPE | RATING |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| championship | 72 | 7005 Yards | 137 | 74.7 |
| Intermediate | 72 | 6570 Yards | 132 | 72.4 |
| Middle | 72 | 6122 Yards | 129 | 70.2 |
| Forward | 72 | 5035 Yards | 114 | 65.7 |
Opened in 1974, the George Fazio course went through a major renovation 20 years later, creating a challenging design with mostly par fours and two par fives for the Hilton Head golfer.
Time after time, Golf Digest has placed the George Fazio course as one of the Top-100 courses in the United States.
At 6,873 yards, this course definitely packs a challenging punch with its par fours. Accurate golf shots are the name of the game with this course. The fairways are closely packed to one another as they provide for long play and inundated with sand bunkers and water hazards.
I remember my first time on this course as I looked down the fairway and said to myself, “Oh my heavens”. Although play here is pretty straightforward, the holes seem intimidating with some of the largest bunkers I have ever seen.
| TEES | PAR | LENGTH | SLOPE | RATING |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| championship | 70 | 6873 Yards | 135 | 73.9 |
| Intermediate | 70 | 6534 Yards | 132 | 71.8 |
| Middle | 70 | 6239 Yards | 126 | 70.2 |
| Forward | 70 | 5273 Yards | 127 | 70.8 |