Hilton Head SC Golf Weekend
From Golf Digest 11/11, 3/10, 12/08, Links Magazine 4/10, T&L Golf 1/04, TravelGolf.com 5/06, TravelGolf.com 1/08, Golf Magazine 2/09, and PGATour.com 4/09
Away Game: Hilton Head
Zen And Coastal Carolina Just when you thought a post-round beer couldn't taste better, the owners of Bomboras Grille make you think again. To preserve the aromas and heads of their many craft beers, your pint glass is filled from the bottom then sealed with a magnetic disc. Don't toy with the magnet, or you'll drench your lap.Apr. 11, 2010
By LINKS Magazine
By Max Adler, Golf Digest Nov '11
Photos By Jensen Larson
The morning I'm to fly to Hilton Head Island, I open a box of books, telling myself I'll bring whatever's on top. I split the packing tape (I'm in the process of moving) and lying face up is A Western Approach to Zen by Christmas Humphreys, a British barrister who founded the London Buddhist Society in 1924. Bought for a college class, it'd been clunky and thick, and I'd never really read it. Surely this isn't the book to take on a trip to golf-saturated Hilton Head. But there's no turning back. I've pulled fate's headcover, and I'm sticking with it.
Hilton Head is 45 minutes from the Savannah, Ga., airport and a perfect day's drive in a minivan from Ohio, which is why the place can sometimes feel like Buckeye Country on family vacation. If you're in search of inner peace, embrace this energy: Traffic will get backed up at one of the island's signature roundabouts, so remember, impatience achieves nothing.
The must-play of the area's 26 courses is Harbour Town Golf Links, especially if you know the course from watching the Heritage Classic on TV two weeks after the Masters. The Pete Dye layout has one of the shortest yardages (6,973 yards) and some of the smallest greens of any regular PGA Tour stop. With lots of rescue shots off manicured pine straw and loblolly pines leaning like beanstalks along the holes -- except the finishing three on the water -- it's like a flat, narrow Augusta National with condos. From the tips I shot 74, and admittedly I tend to like places better when I score well, which isn't very Buddha-natured.
When you pony up the cash for Harbour Town (anywhere from $210 to $260 for morning tee times depending on the season), you get a break on an afternoon round at the other two Sea Pines Resort courses, Heron Point or Ocean. Packages go from $285 to $350. I picked Heron Point, which for me proved a minefield of modern, punch-to-the-groin bunkers and mounds. I joined a single playing the 6,168-yard tees and made too many Xs to even suggest a score. With lots of angular doglegs, it's one of those courses where you're better off choosing longer tees if you're not smart enough to not hit driver. But to channel the teachings of my airplane read, I tried not to let my poor play, or anything at all, upset me. Filling my lungs with salty air, I took in the exotic lowcountry vegetation of palmettos, marsh grasses and oaks dripping with Spanish moss. The concept of wabi-sabi says that all is transient and imperfect, and so it's important to enjoy beauty in the brief moments it exists -- even Pete Dye's fairway bunkers.
Anyone with basic knowledge of Zen is familiar with the term "nirvana," the state of wanting nothing when the body is released from the chains of desires. But the path to spiritual enlightenment is long and with many steps. So after playing 36, I forgive myself for heading off resort property and into town in search of fine food and drink.
It's hard to order bad seafood on an island. One upscale yet comfortably casual dinner option I can vouch for is The Sage Room. If you like, sit at the chef's table, a 10-seat bar where you can interact with the chefs as they prepare plates. A vantage that can help you decide what to order, as well as make sure the five-second rule or some variation isn't applied to your snapper. For breakfast, Palmetto Bay Sunrise Cafe is tops. Get the shrimp hash.
Like Sea Pines, Palmetto Dunes Resort has three championship courses (the George Fazio is the most walkable). There's also a beach, a pool, tennis, biking, fishing and kayaking in a convenient atmosphere ideal for families. If you want independence, there are accommodation options along South Forest Beach Drive, where you can walk to the water. A warning for this area: You get what you pay for. My table lamp at the Metropolitan Hotel and Villas ($90 night) sported just a bulb, no lampshade.
Of course, what's so great about Hilton Head -- the bumping supply of golf, bars, restaurants and people -- might be a turnoff to those looking for a gentler scene. For an elegant place reminiscent of what coastal South Carolina used to look like, you needn't drive farther than 20 minutes inland to Bluffton. At the gate of the Inn at Palmetto Bluff, an Auberge resort, you're given an introductory audio CD timed to the seven minutes it takes to arrive. The place is essentially a 22,000-acre nature preserve with a small, uniformly developed town square that's very "Truman Show" but in a good way. You can stay as a guest in one of the cottages (packages go for $535 to $745 a night), or you can rent a vacation home. The May River Golf Club, designed by that famous Ohioian Jack Nicklaus, is not open to outside play. The only way to get on the course is to stay on the property.
Hate to name-drop again, but in soft focus the course is like Pine Valley. Each hole is firmly isolated by forest, and the fairways and greens, though manicured, blend into the surroundings like natural clearings. Life grows quickly, and when it comes to pruning, superintendent Chris Johnson says, "We try to always tread the perfect middle between manicured and rugged." The course is demanding, but the sandy hardwood forest floor is kept clean in the areas you're most likely to miss.
Yes, it's expensive, but with Southern grace the luxury draws scant attention to itself. Sitting outside my cottage, watching the sunset on the ripples of the May River, the next idea to rise from my book is that of the Eternal Now. All there ever is, all we ever have, is the present moment.
Destination: Hilton Head
While crowds flock for the cocktail-party atmosphere of the Verizon Heritage, the island is a welcome destination year-round for visitors, who are lured by the natural setting and stress-free atmosphere.
Where to Play
Harbour Town Golf Links: On the East Coast, there are few finishes as memorable as Harbour Town's last three holes, which emerge from the forest to Calibogue Sound -- a distinctive Lowcountry setting.
Palmetto Dunes Resort: There are three courses, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., George Fazio and Arthur Hills. The Hills course once confounded Tiger Woods, who made a quadruple bogey on the difficult 17th in a college event.
Palmetto Hall Plantation: There are two courses, one by Hills and the other by Robert Cupp. The latter has greens and bunkers with straight lines and angular shapes, but the features offer strategic options.
Where to Stay
Inn at Harbour Town: The intimate 61-room property is just steps from the eponymous golf course, shops, restaurants and the iconic lighthouse that has come to symbolize the island.
Inn at Palmetto Bluff: Although located on the mainland, Palmetto Bluff offers more luxury than any property on the island. A stay offers access to May River Golf Club, one of Jack Nicklaus' best designs.
Hilton Head Marriott Resort: Besides golf, the beach is the primary reason to visit Hilton Head, and this hotel offers the ocean at its doorstep. If guests get tired of the sand, they can sit by the large outdoor pool overlooking the beach.
Where to Eat
C.Q's: After a round at Harbour Town, there is no better place to recounts shots like the soaring drive on the 18th hole. One of the oldest restaurants on the island features an eclectic menu and a wine list to match.
Old Fort Pub: Located on the northern end of the island and overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway, this fine-dining establishment is a pub in name only. The full experience includes a sunset that complements the new Southern cuisine.
Santa Fe Cafe: This restaurant captures the tastes and atmosphere of the American Southwest with dishes like lamb chops authentically grilled over mesquite hardwood. Try for a table in the intimate rooftop cantina.
My Town: D.J. Trahan
Not playing one of the courses this PGA Tour pro grew up on? There are plenty of nice sandy spots to enjoy
By John Strege March 22, 2010
D.J. Trahan grew up in the shadow of what has evolved into one of the game's iconic landmarks, the red-and-white striped lighthouse behind the 18th green at Harbour Town GL on Hilton Head Island.
Harbour Town perennially turns up on Golf Digest's ranking of "America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses," and it was there that Trahan played more than at any other course in his youth. His father, Don, was the director of instruction at Harbour Town, and when the PGA Tour came through for its annual post-Masters stop in South Carolina, the Heritage Classic, young Trahan was usually in the gallery.
There are no home games in professional golf, it is said, but for Trahan, who now lives in Mount Pleasant, S.C., about 100 miles northeast of Hilton Head, the Heritage at Harbour Town is the next best thing.
COURSES: I really only grew up playing three courses on the island -- Harbour Town GL, the old Sea Marsh Course, which is now Heron Point by Pete Dye, and the Ocean Course. The Ocean was the first course in Hilton Head, opening in 1962. All of them are part of the Sea Pines Resort. I'm a fan of good golf courses, and I think they all fit that description.
Dining: There's a little Italian restaurant, Bella Italia Bistro and Pizzeria, on the north end of the island where I like to eat. Giuseppi's Pizza in Sea Pines Center is a place we ate at a lot growing up. I always go back when I'm home. The Sage Room is good. We often kept it pretty simple. Truth is, the island is a tourist destination, so there are several great restaurants.
Fishing: There's great fishing, whether you go offshore in the Atlantic or stay inshore on the Calibogue Sound. Redfish, tarpon, speckled trout are some of the more common fish you'll find. If you go to the Harbour Town Yacht Basin or South Beach you'll be able to find fishing guides. Area resorts should be able to recommend some, too.
WHERE TO STAY Some people like to stay in hotels, some like to rent condos. The Sea Pines Resort offers both, including the Inn at Harbour Town. The island caters to tourism, so for those going there for golf, figure out where you're going to play and find a place close by. Many places on the island offer resort packages and many also offer day-care programs of some kind in the event you want to play golf and your kids don't.
DON'T MISS The most popular places for people who aren't playing golf are the beaches. Why else do you come to Hilton Head? The big public one is Coligny Beach. There are lifeguards, and you can rent beach equipment. If you're visiting locals, they can help you get parking at Islander's Beach, which is another nice one. While the beaches are all pretty good, don't go looking for surf. They don't get big waves in Hilton Head. People can go wakeboarding though.
There is some Civil War history in and around Hilton Head, and Savannah, Ga., is less than an hour away. Honey Horn is the only plantation on the island that has an original house still standing. There is also the Hilton Head Island Trolley Tour if you want to learn more about the history of the area.
The Golf Island
The enduring appeal of Hilton Head
From T&L Golf January 2004
by Evan Rothman
Half a century ago, Hilton Head Island had three hundred residents. Most were native Gullah islanders, descendants of slaves, who lived off the land. Today, Hilton Head has 34,000 full-time residents and twenty-three golf courses—plus another twenty-two in neighboring Bluffton—which together draw two million visitors a year. Some Gullah are still here, but Hilton Head is now, uniquely, the island that golf built.
Golf, that is, and a developer named Charles Fraser. Fraser, who died two years ago at the age of seventy-three, was the key figure in Hilton Head's environmentally sensitive growth. As owner of the Hilton Head Company, he was instrumental in bringing the first solid bridge to the mainland, and he contracted for Hilton Head's first layout, the Ocean Course at Sea Pines. In 1969, Fraser hired Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus to build Harbour Town Golf Links, and the rest is history.
Yes, Hilton Head mostly missed out on the late-'90s course-building boom, but spend a week on its tranquil shores and you'll find an island that still exudes the essence of golf. Amble around the shops by the harbor, bicycle beneath a canopy of Spanish moss, ride the ferry across glistening Calibogue Sound, and the grace and languor and beauty of it all inspires you to get out early again the next day. That feeling is seldom found in this country, and it's one worth traveling for—and worth treasuring.
HILTON HEAD GOLF
Hilton Head has long been synonymous with Harbour Town, the course that's hosted a PGA Tour event every year since its debut and has in the process become one of America's best-loved layouts. So central is Harbour Town to the island's identity that when the tournament's sponsorship was threatened by the collapse of WorldCom, the town council passed an ultimately unnecessary tax increase to keep the event alive.
But there is more to Hilton Head than Harbour Town, especially if you get out on the island's private courses. Dye's Long Cove battles his Harbour Town to a draw; throw in Chechessee Creek, Colleton River and the like, and it's a collection of private clubs that kowtows to no place. Long story short: Start cross-referencing your Rolodex with club membership guides.
As for the accessible courses, after a period of growth in the late 1980s, course construction on these forty-two square miles has waned a tad. Still, the public tracks are trying harder—several have recently been renovated or restored. Nor can their variety be faulted: From classic Low Country (Melrose) to quasi-links (Old South) to postmodern zany (Palmetto Hall's Robert Cupp), if you choose smartly from round to round, you might almost forget about a place called Harbour Town.
HARBOUR TOWN GOLF LINKS
11 Lighthouse Lane, Hilton Head Island; 800-955-8337, www.seapines.com. Yardage: 6,973. Par: 71. Slope: 146. Architect: Pete Dye with Jack Nicklaus, 1969. Greens Fees: $179-$250. T+L GOLF Rating: ****1/2
Playing Harbour Town is like downing eighteen straight espressos: Each tastes equally good and yet you become ever jumpier. The agony and the ecstasy of this masterwork is that there's absolutely no letdown, not a single "let it fly" shot. It's as exacting as a New Yorker copy editor. The par threes are justifiably renowned as one of golf's best collections, all as precise (like the "split the oak uprights to the faux island green" seventh) as the famous waterfront seventeenth is gorgeous. It's the two- and three-shot holes, however, that are for us the heart of the course: Placement, trajectory and curvature must always be controlled for any chance of finding and holding the wee greens in regulation. One minor caveat: The conditioning on our last visit was fine, but not quite worthy of the big ticket—a longstanding issue here.
DAUFUSKIE ISLAND RESORT & SPA, MELROSE
Avenue of the Oaks, Daufuskie Island; 888-909-4653, daufuskieresort.com. Yardage: 7,081. Par: 72. Slope: 138. Architect: Jack Nicklaus, 1987. Greens Fees: $76-$130 (nonresort); $70-$115 (resort). T+L GOLF Rating: ****
From the greenside bunkers deep and small as test tubes to bantam greens to bulkheads on the par threes, this early period Nicklaus design shows a lot of Pete Dye influence. Yes, play often favors Jack's patented high left-to-right shots, but there are some smart, refined par fours where the shorter route has an obscured view and requires a more delicate approach. Melrose's finishing threesome is unique to the area, all along the Atlantic and building to a crescendo at the last, an unforgettable split-fairway hole divided by a treacherous fairway bunker, with a green that necks out into the ocean. Indeed, it seems to be sticking its chin out at Harbour Town's lighthouse—visible from here—as if to say, "I can hold my own with your closer."
OLD SOUTH GOLF LINKS
50 Buckingham Plantation Drive, Bluffton; 800-257-8997, www.oldsouthgolf.com. Yardage: 6,772. Par: 72. Slope: 141. Architect: Clyde Johnston, 1991. Greens Fees: $69-$92. T+L GOLF Rating: ***1/2
The best-conditioned public track in the area and plenty of fun, Old South actually seems more New South for its polyglot nature. Its spine is a pasture-like rolling links, but sprinkled throughout the layout are holes that run through oak forests and traverse tidal marshes. The big greens have mostly unencumbered entrances but are well contoured, and thus like a celebrity prove less welcoming the closer you get to them. Number seven, a 370-yard dogleg-right par four, has a terrifying, awkward tee shot to a peninsula landing area, then an approach to a narrow, diagonal-set green with bunkers front and back. One of the prettiest holes on the trip, whether you think it's fair may depend on your score.
PALMETTO DUNES, ROBERT TRENT JONES OCEANFRONT
7 Trent Jones Lane, Hilton Head Island; 800-827-3006, www.palmettodunesresort.com. Yardage: 7,005. Par: 72. Slope: 138. Architect: Robert Trent Jones, 1969. Greens Fees: $85-$140. T+L GOLF Rating: ***1/2
The name is both awkward and misleading: The only thing "oceanfront" here is the back of the tenth green. But the hyperbole is unnecessary. After Roger Rulewich's $3.1 million overhaul in 2002, this strong resort layout is not just better conditioned but also fairer. Holes four through eight rather unfortunately parallel the busy William Hilton Parkway, marring a good, tough, tree-lined run of holes; more enjoyable is the blustery, links-like, water-laden stretch from eleven through fifteen.
PALMETTO HALL PLANTATION, ARTHUR HILLS COURSE
108 Fort Howell Drive, Hilton Head Island; 800-827-3006. Yardage: 6,918. Par: 72. Slope: 136. Architect: Arthur Hills, 1991. Greens Fees: $85-$140. T+L GOLF Rating: ***1/2
To start, the finish: Our foursome of single-digit handicappers hit eight straight shots into the alligator holding pen that escorts the entire left side of the fairway to the green on this brutal 434-yard dogleg-left closer. The trees right and out-of-bounds beyond appeared to be the other option, although in fact there was a narrow landing strip canted toward the water, too. Love it or hate it, it's a dramatic, tournament-quality eighteenth. Absent the strong but repetitive stretch from fourteen to sixteen, this is a varied, probing layout. It isn't the prettiest course around, but it's pretty darn enjoyable—if you can find the eighteenth fairway with your tee shot (and if you do, let us know).
DAUFUSKIE ISLAND RESORT & SPA, BLOODY POINT
Avenue of the Oaks, Daufuskie Island; 888-909-4653, www.daufuskieresort.com. Yardage: 6,900. Par: 72. Slope: 135. Architects: Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish, 1991. Greens Fees: $68-$115 (nonresort); $68-$105 (resort). T+L GOLF Rating: ***
The friendlier of Daufuskie's pair (ignore the intimidating name, which references an Anglo-Indian skirmish here) and designed for walking (there are no cart paths), Bloody Point has water in play on fourteen holes, though it is relevant only a third of the time. It's a pleasant, rolling and unfairly overlooked course that doesn't demand the grinding of Melrose. Fun flourishes include a shared green and a bunker in the middle of the eighteenth green, à la Riviera's sixth.
COUNTRY CLUB OF HILTON HEAD
70 Skull Creek Drive, Hilton Head Island; 843-681-4653, www.hiltonheadclub.com. Yardage: 6,919. Par: 72. Slope: 132. Architect: Rees Jones, 1987. Greens Fees: $49-$105. T+L GOLF Rating: ***
This unusual course appears to have been dropped here from the Northeast; still, Rees Jones did some nice work given an uninspiring piece of land. It's perhaps the least Low Country of our sampling but compensates with some strong par fours. Despite a few quibbles—a lack of variety in the par threes, some fairway bunkering a touch too severe in spots—it's a good, testing loop at the right price.
PALMETTO HALL PLANTATION, ROBERT CUPP COURSE
108 Fort Howell Drive, Hilton Head Island; 800-827-3006. Yardage: 7,079. Par: 72. Slope: 149. Architect: Robert Cupp, 1993. Greens Fees: $85-$140. T+L GOLF Rating: ***
Had the Klingons conquered Earth and gone into course design, they would have built layouts like this. Notorious for its computer-designed, geometrically shaped mounds and bunkering that are best appreciated via helicopter, this is still one to play if only for bragging rights. Granted, there are a few awkward holes (like a semiblind layup drive on the par-five second), and many of the straight edges have been allowed to get ragged over the last decade, perhaps as an act of art criticism. But there are some excellent holes, too, especially the stretch from twelve to fourteen, which begins with a 231-yard par three as long, simple and flowing as a wedding dress.
BEST OF THE REST
Palmetto Dunes, George Fazio course ($85-$140; 800-827-3006) has a testing back nine and mean fairway bunkers; its sister course, Arthur Hills ($85-$140; 800-827-3006), is fun in spots, dopey in others, but mostly just adequate. Old Carolina ($65-$85; 888-785-7274) has a few ungainly forced carries but is considered a tougher (if not as pretty) test than its sister course, Old South. Oyster Reef ($72-$120; 800-234-6318) is a solid early Rees Jones design. Civil War remains are featured at Robber's Row, one of three layouts at Port Royal ($63-$99; 800-234-6318). The Ocean course at Sea Pines Resort ($66-$115; 800-955-8337) is a nice warm-up to nearby Harbour Town.
HILTON HEAD PLUS
ORIENTATION
You can fly into Hilton Head Island Airport from Charlotte, North Carolina, via U.S. Airways Express, but more likely you'll drive the forty-five minutes up I-95 from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport. The island itself is shaped like a foot, and it's an easy place to navigate during the day, with most everything connecting to two main roads, William Hilton Parkway (Highway 278) and the Cross Island Parkway. But at night the paucity of streetlights (a local ordinance to allow for better stargazing) can make road signs quite difficult to see.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS
The twelve miles of beaches are a lovely place to start, and boaters could hardly find a nicer spot to cast about. The Harbour Town Yacht Basin (843-671-2704) offers fishing charters, cruising and sailing.
Your credit card can get a nice workout at Hilton Head Factory Stores 1 & 2 (www.shophiltonhead.com), found just off the island and with a wide range of stores. Fans of golf art should seek either counseling or the Linda Hartough Gallery (843-671-6500) in Harbour Town, where you'll find "golf landscapes" from one of the game's preeminent artists.
There are plenty of loftier pursuits within an hour of Hilton Head. You can check out historic Beaufort and its antebellum homes, tour the unspoiled beauty of Daufuskie Island with Outside Hilton Head (800-686-6996; also the place for outdoor enthusiasts), or take in all the charms of America's charm capital, Savannah, Georgia. You can even get there by boat on the Spirit of Harbour Town (843-842-7179).
HILTON HEAD ACCOMMODATIONS
There's something on Hilton Head in every style and price range. Marriott alone has eleven properties on the island (talk about being all over it), with a strong supply of family-friendly suites, cottages and villas.
DAUFUSKIE ISLAND RESORT & SPA Avenue of the Oaks, Daufuskie Island; 800-648-6778, www.daufuskieresort.com. Rooms: $89-$255. Cottages: $199-$499.
One nautical mile by private passenger ferry from Hilton Head and the setting for Pat Conroy's The Water Is Wide, Daufuskie Island Resort is the getaway from the getaway. The elegant antebellum inn has fifty-two rooms, all overlooking the Atlantic, as well as the brand-new Breathe Spa, with eight treatment rooms and so many spa services to choose from you may get stressed out trying to decide.
DISNEY'S HILTON HEAD ISLAND RESORT 22 Harbourside Lane; 407-934-7639, www.disneyvacationclub.com. Studios: $105-$275. Villas: $150-$710.
No, there are no Mickey Mouse courses to be found on this property, a rustic compound of Goofy fun set on a fifteen-acre island. What you will find are the three Palmetto Dunes courses just down the street, as well as a healthy dollop of family-oriented amusements centered around the 13,000-square-foot beach house.
HILTON OCEANFRONT RESORT 23 Ocean Lane; 800-845-8001, www.hiltonheadhilton.com. Studios: $99-$275; One-Bedrooms: $199-$499.
Located in Palmetto Dunes, this beachfront resort offers 303 studio suites and twenty oceanfront one-bedroom suites, all of which have minikitchens and balconies. Two pools are available for those who can't drag themselves the additional few feet to the private beach access. There's live entertainment five nights a week in the Regatta Lounge, which a fifty-something playing partner swore to me was "hopping with ladies, mostly my age, but still."
THE INN AT HARBOUR TOWN One Lighthouse Lane; 800-732-7463, www.seapines.com. Rooms: $146-$295.
The rather bland cream exterior of this sixty-room inn set adjacent to the golf links quickly gives way to an intimate, comfortable interior. There is a butler on call at all times whose duties range from recommendations to reservations; activities include tennis at the Sea Pines Racquet Club, whose twenty-three clay courts helped the resort garner the status of Tennis Magazine's number-two American tennis resort.
MARRIOTT'S HERITAGE CLUB AT HARBOUR TOWN & MARRIOTT'S HARBOUR CLUB 1044 William Hilton Parkway; 800-228-9290, www.vacationclub.com. Villas: $190-$330 (Heritage); $140-$280 (Harbour).
These get the nod among the island's copious Marriotts for their intimacy (there are only seventy villas) and proximity to the Calibogue Sound and Harbour Town (obviating the need for on-site restaurants). Each of their big two-bedroom-two-bath villas has all the goodies and gizmos you could want, from whirlpool tubs to balcony patios.
HILTON HEAD DINING
More than 200 eateries offer enough seafood to remind you you're on vacation, but there's ample cuisine for those who like meals to have legs.
CHARLEY'S CRAB (Seafood) Two Hudson Road; 843-342-9066. $$$
Sophisticated dining in a relaxed waterfront setting where the voices rarely rise above a contented murmur. Follow the waiter's tip and focus on the house specialties: luscious she-crab soup, teeming seafood chowder and truly crabby crab cakes that make Tim "Lumpy" Herron seem merely chubby by comparison.
HAROLD'S DINER (Diner) 641 William Hilton Parkway; 843-842-9292. $
The kind of authentic greasy spoon every golf destination should be required by law to have. You order at the counter from a guy who tells a loudmouth, "If you want to talk, go eat at Barnes & Noble." Someone (okay, me) who forgot to write his name on the bottom of the paper menu on which you check off your selection was asked, "What am I, your mother?" By the way, said menu fails to indicate that the "Big 'H' Burger" is one entire heart-stopping pound of meat.
OLD FORT PUB (Southern) 65 Skull Creek Drive; 843-681-2386. $$$
Generally regarded as the best place in Hilton Head to take a date—even if that date happens to be your spouse—this romantic eatery serves up succulent Southern fare along with more than 250 wines. Panoramic windows afford each diner a view of the spectacular sunsets from the banks of Skull Creek.
SANTA FE CAFE (Southwestern) 700 Plantation Center; 843-785-3838. $$$
Weather permitting, eat on the upstairs patio, where a roaring fireplace cuts the evening chill. The high vaulted ceiling and dark wood inside help create a cozy, clubby atmosphere, and the menu does equally well with the common (the "Outrageous Chimichanga") and the uncommon (wood-roasted quail).
TRUFFLES CAFE (Café) 71 Lighthouse Road; 843-671-6136. $$
There's a pleasant buzz here; Truffles serves the kind of food, including gourmet pizza, pasta and steaks, that you can enjoy and talk through at the same time—it's a nice spot for a postround lunch in particular. The "Chicken New Orleans" is a standout; if eaten for dinner, its thick, spicy cream sauce should preclude the need for breakfast the next morning. More than thirty wines are available by the glass.
TWO ELEVEN PARK WINE BAR & BISTRO (Fusion) 211 Park Plaza; 843-686-5212. $$$
This rollicking upscale bistro has perhaps the island's most bustling bar scene (excluding the nearby "Barmuda Triangle," located outside the gates of Sea Pines). Once you've made it to your table, you'll enjoy a convergence of American, Southern and international influences in dishes like "Rasta Pasta" and "Smothered Shrimp." The sprawling wine list spans 100 by the glass and 300 by the bottle.
For better value Hilton Head:
Per Golf Digest's Travellin' Joe, 12/08: My value pick is Hilton Head National ($58-$64; 843-842-5900, www.golfhiltonheadnational.com), an engaging 27-holer that successfully merges mounds and marshland. For a more dramatic Lowcountry romp, try Old South ($55-$70; 843-785-5353, www.oldsouthgolf.com), but expect to surrender a few extra spheres to this salt marsh -- and lagoon -- laced track.
Nightlife on Hilton Head Island: Classy martini and cigar bars, to jazz clubs, more
By Tim McDonald, TravelGolf.com Contributor, 1/08
In addition to great golf courses, Hilton Head Island has a varied nightlife, from upscale nightclubs and martini bars and cigar bars, to cozy cafes and jazz clubs.
HILTON HEAD, S.C. - You may not know it when you first drive around Hilton Head Island, with all those stately oaks, dignified homes and perfect, well-groomed American families riding around the well-manicured bicycle trails, but Hilton Head does have a nightlife.
True, Hilton Head nightlife doesn't exactly offer golfers the raucous strip clubs or drink-all-night dollar specials of rowdy neighbor Myrtle Beach to the north.
Quite the opposite, my good man. Hilton Head nightlife, for the most part, reflects its more uptown upbringing, such as being the home of the $1,000 martini. Still, you may be surprised to know it has two topless joints, Club Paradise and Thee Diamond Club.
After many visits by our dedicated staff, and with input from frequent patrons, here is a recommended sampler:
• Twist the Bistro is probably the only place on Hilton Head that has the nerve to say it's "gay friendly." This is the home of the $1,000 martini, the "Diamondtini, served with a real diamond bracelet. It also has 28 varieties of martinis, costing from $7-$12, as well as a full bar and wine selection, appetizers and sandwiches. It's a smallish, laid-back club, with different, nightly themes. 32 Palmetto Bay Road, tel. (843) 341-6933.
• The Salty Dog Café is your classic waterfront café, serving drinks and food inside or outside on the deck. As a bonus, you can get a t-shirt emblazoned with Jake the Dog. 232 South Sea Pines Dr., tel. (843) 671-2233.
• The Jazz Corner is a low-down, cool and sophisticated place that has jazz acts, local, regional and national. It focuses on jazz from the 1950s-'60s and serves dinner Tuesday through Sunday. The club books acts like Bobby Ryder, the Lavon Stevens Project - which plays Broadway and the blues - Deas Guys - R&B, blues and Motown - and the Dixieland Jazz band from Atlanta. The Village at Wexford, C-1, tel. (843) 842-8620.
• The Lodge is for the lords of the manor. It's a cigar and martini bar with stone fireplaces, fancy chandeliers and billiard tables. This is one of the bars that tried hard to fight the smoking ban but lost. 7C Greenwood Dr., tel. (843) 842-8966.
• Frankie Bones has "steaks, chops, seafood and wiseguys." The décor is what the name and motto suggests. It's a Sinatra-themed restaurant and lounge with high-back, burgundy leather booths, serving mainly Italian food, like the "Godfather sandwich." Still, I doubt Sinatra would have been a member of the Hilton Head Chamber of Commerce. 1301 Main St., tel. (843) 682-4455.
• Aunt Chilada's Easy Street Café has 18 flat-screen TVs for sports fans. It serves Mexican food but may have the best burgers in town. There is also the Giant Easy Street Margarita and all-you-can-eat Alaskan crab legs. Beware, it can get very busy after 6 p.m. 69 Pope Ave., tel. (843) 785-7700.
• Big Bamboo Café has live music nightly and a 1940s theme straight out of South Pacific, though some customers have complained it's a little too dingy for their tastes. It has good hummus appetizers and barbecue ribs and a lively happy hour. Coligny Plaza, tel. (843) 686-3443.
• Hilton Head Brewing Company was the first micro-brewery on the island, and some say it has gone downhill in the last couple of years. My own experience has been it's hit or miss, and the quality of the beer varies. It attracts a younger crowd that likes to "hang out." It's a little difficult to find, so call ahead. 7 Greenwood Dr., tel. (843) 785-3900.
• Riders Lounge may be the best place on the island to see good, live music, like The Fresh Hots. 6 Target Rd., tel. (843) 842-7433.
Hilton Head for less:
There's good-value golf on and off the island
By Tim McDonald,
National Golf Editor,
Golf Publisher Syndications, TravelGolf.com
HILTON HEAD, S.C. (May 1, 2006) - Let's assume for the moment that you've driven your gas-guzzling SUV to Hilton Head Island, dropped the kids off at the beach and let the wife out at the Coligny Plaza to shop 'til she drops.
You've got the golf clubs in the trunk and you head straight to Harbor Town Golf Links, shelling out more than $300 by the time you've bought golf balls and a hat with a logo and paid green fees for 18. You all meet back at the resort and, in your head, you tally up the damage: new outfits for the wife, gas bill, golf fees.
Whoa! Time to go looking for some bargains.
Wilton Head ain't cheap. Green fees of $100 on the area's golf courses, particularly on the island itself, are standard. But there are courses that give you both excellent play and true value.
Let's say you want to get settled in and not leave the island for at least a few days. Hilton Head has more than 20 courses and you can play some of them and get your money's worth.
• Heritage Golf Group recently bought three properties totaling 99 holes, including Port Royal Golf and Racquet Club, Shipyard Golf Club and Oyster Reef Golf Club. They are all good bargains, even considering the comparatively high Hilton Head prices.
• Located on the north end of the island in the Hilton Head Plantation, the Country Club of Hilton Head can be as tough as it is picturesque, particularly from the back tees. It was a qualifying site for both the 1999 and 2005 U.S. Open, so you know it's not all that leisurely. But it is a terrific experience, and should get even better when they complete a planned $3.1 million renovation. (As of this writing some holes must be skipped due to ongoing bunker work; they're also redoing some greenside irrigation.) Green fees are $89 mornings and $112 for advance tee times. In the summer, advance tee time rates drop to $99.
• When the Golden Bear Golf Club opened in 1992, it was generally considered one of the better courses on Hilton Head. Golden Bear has had its share of conditioning problems over the years; in 2004, for example, temporary greens had to be installed, prompting complaints from some golfers who expect Hilton Head courses to be in immaculate condition. But by last year Golden Bear's greens had come in and the course was in good shape. These days it has a leaner and more open look to it, though the fairways are still tree-lined and relatively tight, uncharacteristic for a Jack Nicklaus course (even if it was Nicklaus' firm and not the man himself who designed it). Green fees are $109 mornings and $89 afternoons. Summer rates drop to $95.
So now you've experienced some good deals in Hilton Head proper. You're getting a little claustrophobic and want to explore. Take 278 to the mainland, where you'll find some very nice, affordable courses. Unfortunately, one of them Rose Hill, has shut down indefinitely. But several courses in Bluffton offer off-island value.
• Crescent Pointe Golf Club is one of those courses that's as fun to play as it is challenging. "Just in terms of pure fun, I'd put Crescent Pointe in the top three in Hilton Head," said Glynn Payne, a local who plays a lot of area tracks. "There are harder courses around, but they aren't as much fun to play." True, there are harder courses around, like Harbor Town Golf Links, Secession Golf Club and Long Cove Club. But for the average Joe who can't always get on those tracks, Crescent Pointe may be the best alternative. Besides, those courses can get your boxer shorts in a wad with their difficulty. Green fees are $89 mornings, $72 after 11 a.m. and $62 after 1 p.m. After May 15 rates drop to $72, $58 and $48.
• Davis Love III, a son of the Lowcountry, probably didn't have the wind in mind when he designed Eagle's Pointe Golf Club - the towering pines and oaks around the perimeter should block most of what comes sweeping in from the nearby Atlantic. Love clearly had more of a classic, traditional theme in mind, and that's what you get here. That, plus playability. The fairways are wide and generous (though not as forgiving as those at nearby Hampton Hall). The Bermuda greens are above average in size, with some good slope and undulation. The result is a course where you can thump it off the tee and, while walking to your distant ball, take time to think about that tricky approach you're facing. Green fees are $72, $62 after noon. Summer rates, after May 15, are $62.
• Hampton Hall, one of the Hilton Head area's newer courses, is already gaining a well-earned reputation as one of the better ones. It's a Pete Dye design, but you wouldn't know it from the subtle shaping. It's as if the Salvador Dali of course architects had a rare moment of self-restraint. Hampton Hall has few of the wild characteristics Dye is known for - the railroad-tie bunkers, spectator mounds, island greens, etc. This is an understated, links-like layout with wide and generous fairways, artful bunkering and traditional, though challenging, green complexes. Dye forsook his wild side and stripped down his vision to lean and clean - the master magician going back to his roots. Hampton Hall is a private course that is allowing outside play until its membership fills out. Green fees are $105 peak season and $75 in summer. Call ahead to book advance tee times.
• Island West Golf Club designers Clyde Johnston and Fuzzy Zoeller aimed to create a course that was as fun as possible (imagine that: Fuzzy Zoeller wanting to have fun), and Island West was just that when it opened in 1990. If you played the course a few years back, you might not be a big fan. It was considered by some to be too easy, and there were occasional complaints about the conditioning. Now under new ownership and management, Island West is on the rebound, better conditioned and more challenging (the South Carolina Golf Association has upped its slope rating from 129 to 140). Green fees are $57 until noon, $47 afterward. Summer rates after June 1 are $47 and $37.
Golf Magazine's Travellin' Joe's Guide To Hilton Head
By Joe Passov, Senior Editor (Courses/Rankings)
Published: August 08, 2009
When most golfers think of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, they hone in on the red-and-white striped lighthouse that backdrops the 18th green at Harbour Town. Yet regulars know that green, not red or white, is the dominant color here. Thanks to acres of pines, moss-draped live oaks, sturdy cabbage palmettos and dense shrubbery, not to mention more than 400 golf holes scattered across the breeze-fueled island, you have one pretty — and one pretty green — picture.
Late March and early April are the perfect weeks to tee it up in Hilton Head, when temperatures are ideal and the azaleas are bursting with activity. Understandably, that's when courses are most crowded — and most expensive. October/November doesn't offer much fall foliage, but it ushers a return to pleasant daytime highs, as well as the onset of shrimp and oyster season. Don't miss an opportunity to shuck and slurp some tasty May River oysters. Summer golf is doable — I've certainly done it — but high heat and humidity, late afternoon thunderstorms and a plethora of bugs can be problematic. Course access is no problem, but getting into restaurants and onto prime beach spots is more challenging, as summer is family vacation time. Hilton Head is playable in winter, too, but pack a sweater and windshirt. The good news is that green fees plummet and tee times are plentiful.
Many of the region's top tracks are actually off-island, in Bluffton, but the Cross-Island Expressway, the speedier alternative to Highway 278, will have you on the first tee of any area course within 30 minutes. Hilton Head Island is shaped like a foot and its major resort developments are comprised of "plantations." Sea Pines Plantation, for instance, home of Harbour Town, is located at the "toe" of the island, while Palmetto Dunes Plantation with its Robert Trent Jones, George Fazio and Arthur Hills courses, is located in the "heel." At first glance, you wouldn't even know that Hilton Head has beaches, because they're nearly totally obscured by the trees. They're worth finding, however. So are the golf courses.
What's New in Town
For years, my top value pick in the region was Hilton Head National in Bluffton, an engaging 27-holer that successfully merged mounds and marshland. The 20-year-old National and Player nines, both designed by Gary Player, formed the original 18 and they were compelling — no homes, plenty of nature and a pair of memorable, all-or-nothing closing holes on the Player nine. In 1999, the Weed nine debuted, crafted by Bobby Weed and it was a dandy: different, and equally fun, with more run-up and shotmaking options.
There's change afoot, however. Following Beaufort County approval, a new road extension is slated to bisect the layout, likely bringing an end to a trio of holes on the Player nine, including the par-3 8th, the pond-graced hole that passers-by can see from the road no matter what speed they're traveling. The National nine is currently closed for green reconstruction. The expectation is that the original Player holes will last until spring 2010. Play them soon — they're worth it.
Hilton Head-area visitors who warmed to the 35-minute ferry ride to Daufuskie Island Resort were greeted with glum news in March when the property laid off its remaining employees and shuttered its doors indefinitely. I was a huge fan of the closing holes at the Melrose course, designed by Jack Nicklaus, which featured unobstructed views of the Atlantic Ocean. The other 15 holes were a mixed bag of handsome Lowcountry scenery and quirky design, but the day trip was memorable and the resort a relaxing treat. The second course, Bloody Point, a Tom Weiskopf/Jay Morrish product, lacked the drama and ocean vistas that Melrose enjoyed, but was certainly an attractive, quality test. In late May, the resort took out a $1 million loan to help pay some debts and bills and perhaps to keep the golf courses going. Progress is day to day, so you'll have to call ahead if you're contemplating a visit. As of early August, the resort was still closed, the golf courses were still open.
The most recent high-profile opening is Heron Point by Pete Dye, a sibling layout to Harbour Town that debuted in the fall of 2007. Heron Point is an extreme makeover of the island's second oldest track, a 1966 George Cobb effort called Sea Marsh. Dye retained most of the corridors and most of the trees, but he transformed everything else, turning marshmallow into monster, but one that's fun to play, provided you've got some game. Modestly sized greens are now dished out in sections, putting an emphasis on precise approaches, but the real trouble starts long before you reach the putting surfaces, thanks to Dye's reliance on a multitude of water and sand hazards, many bulkheaded by wide wood planks and grass walls. You might lose a sphere or two — or more — but you won't encounter a dull hole from start to finish.
On the private side, look for Dataw Island Club on nearby Saint Helena Island to close its Cotton Dike course in March 2010 in order to re-grass the entire course. The 1985 Tom Fazio design will undergo a top-to-bottom facelift by designer Billy Fuller, former superintendent at Augusta National.
The Trophy Collection
Hilton Head Island has beckoned vacationers since 1960 or so, but it wasn't until 1969 that it took its exalted place among golf destinations. It was all due to Harbour Town Golf Links. Jack Nicklaus' first foray into big-time architecture was here, while serving as a co-designer with Pete Dye. The PGA Tour staged a November event in 1969 and both tournament and course were judged roaring successes. It didn't hurt that another future designer, Arnold Palmer, won that first event, breaking out of a minor slump, and that his winning score was a hard-fought 1-under par. Harbour Town has beguiled the pros — and the tourist trade — ever since.
Dye and Nicklaus hatched a short, tight, poker table-flat layout that ribbons through foliage and forest. Lagoons, waste bunkers and oddly shaped greens add further dimensions to the challenge. Then it all concludes along the salt marshes of Calibogue Sound. At the 18th, we arrive at one of the "must-play" holes in golf, a 460-yard par-4. To the left of the entire hole is Calibogue Sound. To the right lies trees, condos and out-of-bounds. In the distance looms Harbour Town's most enduring symbol, a candy cane-striped lighthouse, along with a marina filled with boats owned by the kind of people who can afford to play Harbour Town every day. No matter what you pay, it's one of those courses that's worth the dough at least one time in your life.
Thanks to the real estate slump, May River at Palmetto Bluff has managed to keep a low profile since its 2004 inception, but it deserves to be better known.
Ranked No. 52 in our 2008 Top 100 Courses You Can Play, this Jack Nicklaus design limits play to guests of the swank, if subtle, Inn at Palmetto Bluff, and it's worth the splurge. Unusually soft contouring (for a Nicklaus design), mandatory caddies and level terrain keep the pace of play brisk. Freshwater wetlands, dense live oaks stands, sand splashes that melt into their surroundings and a handful of holes edging the river keep things interesting throughout.
Some knowledgeable golfers rate the Robert Trent Jones course at Palmetto Dunes Resort as the third best of three. To be sure, the over-bunkered George Fazio course, with its abundance of tough par-4s and the short but drama-filled Arthur Hills course with its abundance of daunting wetlands carries are the tougher tracks. Nonetheless, the Jones is the choice here. It's the most flexible of the three and its par-5 10th green offers a magnificent view of the Atlantic Ocean, one of only two Hilton Head holes that afford that opportunity (the par-3 15th on Sea Pines' Ocean course is the other). Five consecutive holes that run alongside busy Highway 278 make for a monotonous front nine, but the back nine is filled with watery fun. Junior tees (2,625 yards) make this an ideal spot to take the kids and special junior rates make the whole experience appealing.
Best of the Rest
For a true Lowcountry test at a good bargain, set your compass to Old South Golf Links. This 1991 Clyde Johnston design sports outstanding variety, with some holes that skirt the broad waters of the May River and others that play through live oak forests and saltwater lagoons. The unremitting target golf and multiple forced carries might frustrate some, but for most, the excitement and eye-candy factors outweigh the lost-ball factor by a margin of 2 to 1.
For real savings, check out Eagle's Pointe Golf Club in Bluffton, a 1998 Davis Love III product that's tucked into a modest real estate development, but features a set of attractive holes bordered by oaks and pines, plus a collection of sprawling greens guarded by surprisingly large, deep bunkers. It's a good test at a good price.
Palmetto Hall Plantation's two courses, the Arthur Hills and the Robert Cupp, are open for public play on an alternating, every-other-day basis. Calibrate your calendar to get them both in. The Hills sports elevated, multi-tiered greens and a solid collection of strong, wetlands-influenced par-4s. The Cupp is unforgettable, for better or worse. This 1991 design was one of the earliest designed on computer, with the results replicated in the field. Thus was born the first geometric golf course, with square and rectangular tees and greens, trapezoidal bunkers and grass pyramids on the sides of many fairways. It may be the only course in golf where you need a protractor and compass to break par.
Despite its formidable name, the Country Club of Hilton Head actually welcomes public play. This 1986 Rees Jones creation is awash in serious 80s-style mounding, but in truth, there's plenty of variety to be found. Most memorable is the 575-yard, par-5 12th, where from the fairway landing area on this downhill, dogleg-left, you can drink in a view from atop the highest point in Hilton Head — 28 feet above sea level! What you'll see is a plethora of bunkers guarding both fairway and green, a marshy hazard blocking the left front of the green and stirring glimpses of the Intracoastal Waterway and Skull Creek behind the green.
By its name alone, the Golden Bear Golf Club at Indigo Run indicates it's the handiwork of Nicklaus Design — and in fact was crafted by Nicklaus associate Bruce Borland, who died tragically in the same plane crash that took the life of PGA Tour star Payne Stewart in 1999. This 17-year-old layout sits next to a private Nicklaus design, but in truth, this parklander is every bit the test as its next-door neighbor. Oyster Reef (or "The Reef," as locals call it) enjoys a gorgeous, secluded location deep in the heart of Hilton Head Plantation on the island's north end. This early 80s Rees Jones design is best known for its 6th hole, a 192-yard par-3. Overhanging oak limbs, a huge splash of sand fronting the green and an outstanding view of Port Royal Sound in the background combine to make this a great hole. Water, Live oaks, Carolina pines and a strong closing stretch make the Reef a solid favorite.
About Town: Hilton Head Island
Apr. 14, 2009
By Ceri Mobley, PGATOUR.COM Associate Site Producer
On the East Coast, Hilton Head Island is known not only as a classy vacation spot but also as a Mecca for golf. As far as TOUR stops go, this is one of the best you could plan on making if you want to indulge in the game as well as watch it. In the summertime, this little island is packed with honeymooners, families and golfers looking to make the most of what this jewel of South Carolina has to offer between its shores.
SOMETHING TO SNACK ON
What's nice about Hilton Head Island's location is that while it gives you the quaint South Carolina island feel, Georgia's first city of Savannah is only 45 minutes away. Restaurant options practically triple if you're willing to drive a little bit further to get your fill. It's a straight shot down I-95, but if you want something a little more scenic, you can head south on the coastal U.S. Highway 17 and enter Savannah via its towering Talmadge Bridge.
Consider some of these local joints for dinner:
• Vinnie Van Go Go's, Savannah: If you like New York style pizza, there's nowhere else in these parts to get it than Vinnie's. A local favorite that the tourists love, too, Vinnie Van Go Go's is located in City Market in the historic downtown area of the city. Order a whole pie or just eat by the slice; either way you're in for greasy goodness with any topping you can think of. The small pizzeria has indoor and outdoor seating and is within walking distance of an awesome ice cream shop -- "Café Gelatohhh!" -- just around the corner.
• Charlie's L'Etoile Verte, Hilton Head Island: This little French boutique comes highly recommended by both residents and visitors to the area. Inspired by the fabulous food at the original L'Etoile Verte in France, "Charlie" recreated his own back home, and he's clearly been successful: Wine Spectator magazine has given the restaurant its Award of Excellence for 10 consecutive years for its extensive and tasteful wine selection. And, no worries, the food's pretty good, too.
• Churchill's Pub, Savannah: This is one of my favorite restaurants -- ever. Sure, I might be a little biased (since I'm English), but beyond the menu, this restaurant has it all. A beautiful bar, with dozens of British and American beers, and restaurant area on the main floor welcome hungry wanderers in from busy Bay Street, one block from the Savannah River. Downstairs, you'll find another bar and pool tables for the 8-ball shark in you. Upstairs -- the best part -- is the rooftop bar. Overlooking historic Bay Street, the rooftop bar has plenty of tables where you can eat or just enjoy a cocktail surrounded by plant beds and growing trellises. It's a fun place to start out a Savannah evening.
• CQ's Restaurant, Hilton Head Island: Lobster? Lamb? Filet Mignon? If any of these entrees take your fancy, CQ's should suit you well. One of the island's finest restaurants, CQ's is in the Harbour Town complex and has the picturesque Low Country atmosphere and feel that this part of the state is famous for. The restaurant also has an impressive wine list. Just watch out for the Blue Lady though -- Harbour Town's famous ghostly haunting.
SOMETHING TO TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT
If you're visiting Hilton Head Island this week to enjoy the Verizon Heritage, my hunch is you like golf. So while you're in town, take advantage of the plethora of golf courses this little island has to offer. You can't swing a driver without hitting a course, and they're all challenging, enjoyable and beautiful layouts. Here are some suggestions to put on your list: Palmetto Dunes, Indigo Run Plantation and Port Royal Plantation.
More things to keep you busy:
• If you're looking for a way to spend an evening, then take a trip into Savannah for a night. Pick up a frozen drink at Wet Willies on River Street (more flavors than your mind can process) and enjoy it walking along the Savannah River at sunset. Then head on up to the aforementioned Churchill's Pub for dinner on the roof and an English beer. If you're not too tired, head on over to Jazz'd on Barnard Street (walkable). A tapas, martini and wine bar in a cellar location, Jazz'd is the perfect spot for an after-dinner drink or dessert, and there's usually live music to keep you entertained.
• Another thing Hilton Head Island is known for besides golf and beaches is its outlet shopping center. Off of Fording Island Road (Hwy 278) actually in Bluffton, S.C., which is just on the West Edge of Hilton Head Island, the Tanger Outlet mall has everything from Nike to Coach, and its outdoor setting makes the walk between the stores less crowded and gives you an opportunity to get some sun while shopping.
• Spring in South Carolina comes early, and the weather should be pretty summer-like this week, which means you'd be crazy not to pursue some outdoor activities (besides golf). The marshes, inlets and sounds of the Low Country make for perfect kayaking conditions. Or, if you're into wide open spaces, try your hand at ocean kayaking -- some companies have dolphin watching tours you can book.
STICKING AROUND?
If the weather stays fine, and the golf is as exciting as it was last year (Boo's successful title defense), you won't be ready to go home yet. If you have time for some more exploring, put these ideas on your itinerary.
• Charleston: Just over two hours up the interstate, South Carolina's most famous city and the belle of the Southern ball, Charleston waits for you -- always ready to please. From its harbors and marinas to its historic, plantation architecture, Charleston epitomizes the hospitable, traditional, charismatic South. Make the trip and find out what everyone's always talking about.
• Ghost Tour: Hilton Head Island's neighbor to the south -- with which you should be well acquainted by now -- has the reputation of America's most haunted city. Since the city was founded by settlers in 1733 and inhabited by American Indians long before that, who's to say it's not? Even if you don't believe in the spiritual world, a trip on one of the guided trolley ghost tours will show you the beautiful city -- with a twist -- and leave you with something to ponder on your way home.