For golf fans, the dawning of spring truly marks the beginning of the golf season as well. The ball gets rolling with the granddaddy of them all, the Masters at Augusta National; then continues southeast to the coast and Hilton Head Island, S.C., for the player- and fan-favorite alike, the RBC Heritage.
Every year, the world’s best golfers rave not only about the comparisons between the tournaments and their world-class venues, but also the contrasts between the two settings: The formal “tradition like no other” of Augusta National and the more relaxed, family feel of Hilton Head.
Savvy golfers interested in not only watching the professionals, but also playing outstanding courses will find themselves in one of the game’s most golf-rich regions. The South Carolina Lowcountry offers numerous memorable golfing experiences.
Located 144 miles from Augusta, in the heart of famed Hilton Head Island, Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort is where many college stars demonstrated their early prowess during the resort’s longtime intercollegiate golf tournament played over two of its three outstanding courses that were designed by a trio of legends in golf course architecture: the renowned Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront Course, the Arthur Hills Golf Course and the George Fazio Golf Course, designed by George Fazio and his nephew, famed architect Tom Fazio.
All three of the layouts at Palmetto Dunes have been named South Carolina’s “Golf Course of the Year.” They are each distinctively different yet uniquely appealing — the Jones is the longest but also most wide-open; the Fazio features lagoons running through the course and Donald Ross-style elevated greens; and the Hills is arguably the most challenging of the trio.
The resort, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2018, remains on the cusp of golf technology. Palmetto Dunes partnered with Toptracer Range to complete an exciting upgrade of the Robert Trent Jones practice range. Guests can experience interactive golf entertainment powered by the same technology in televised PGA Tour events to track the shots of the game’s best players.
The enhanced facility features 15 covered, outdoor bays with high-speed cameras, TV monitors, technology and games. Casual seating, drinks and food service are available during specific times of day. Warm up before you tee it up, practice your swing, play a virtual round at some of the world’s top courses, or challenge your golf buddies to a game.
But your trip from Augusta to Hilton Head doesn’t have to be entirely about golf. With 2,000-acres of activities along three miles of Atlantic Ocean beach on one side and an Intracoastal Waterway marina on the other, little wonder why Palmetto Dunes has been named by Condé Nast as one of the “Top Resorts in the South” in its Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards for the past three years in a row. Hilton Head Outfitters & Bike Rentals has everything you and your family will need for the beach, from surf boards to beach umbrellas and everything in between. Rental gear can also be delivered directly to your doorstep.
Directly across the street from Palmetto Dunes, HarbourFest at Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina is a three-decade-long-and-running tradition and Hilton Head’s most popular multi-week summer event. Named a “Top 20 Event” by the Southeastern Tourism Society and a “Best of Southern Fests” by The South Magazine, generations of families plan their vacations around HarbourFest, which is now in its 33rd year.
Amazing fireworks serve as HarbourFest’s grand centerpiece. This year, 12 firework shows will be held on Tuesday nights from June 7th until August 23rd, beginning when the sky is dark, as well as Hilton Head’s largest fireworks display on Monday, July 4th (there will be no show Tuesday, July 5).
For short-term and long-term accommodations, Palmetto Dunes offers the island’s premier selection of vacation rentals from oceanfront hotel rooms to spacious homes and villas overlooking the harbour, lagoon, fairways or beach. At Palmetto Dunes, you can make yourself at home in your choice of vacation rental accommodations just steps from the golf course, the beach or the courts.
For information about activities or reservations, please call 877-567-6513 or visit www.palmettodunes.com.
