Good courses in the Hilton Head S.C. area

[N8kenzie]

I have enjoyed your site for a while now, but this is actually my first post.  

My brother is moving down to the Hilton Head area and he asked me for suggestions of good golf courses, public and private, in Hilton Head and the surrounding areas i.e. Blufton, Beaufort etc.  We have played Sea Pines and Harbortown and he is looking for good, strategic, well designed golf courses that are not just eye candy where he can play enjoyable strategic golf and be social.

I figured this is probably the place to go to get the low down and inside scoop.

Any suggestions?!

[Scott_Burroughs]

Haig Point, Chechessee Creek, and Secession are all private and probably recommended by many here (I've only played Chechessee and recommend it).

If you want a feast for the senses and headscratching fodder, try Palmetto Hall's Cupp course.  

[John_Conley]

One of America's hotbeds for real good golf.  Most are private.

Secession
Long Point
Haig Point
Melrose
Belfair (2)
Colleton (2)
Chechessee
Old Tabby Links
Harbor Town
and more.

[golfetc]

The best course on the island is Long Cove, but it is private and very hard to get on.  The courses at Palmetto Dunes are all very good in my opinion.  Also, there are a couple gems off the island which are a little less expensive....Island West is a Fuzzy Zeoller design, and Hilton Head National is a Gary Player design.  

[Stephen Brown]

The Low Country of South Carolina is chock full of wonderful golf courses. Most are very private.

Berkeley Hall North & South
Belfair East & West
Chechesse Creek
Secession
Old Tabby
Long Cove
Colleton River Dye & Nicklaus

This is just a short list, if anyone has some input, I would love to here some opinions on the best holes in the Hilton Head area.  My nominations include: #17 Belfair West, #14 Old Tabby, #7 Berkeley Hall North, #18 Secession, #7 Berkeley Hall South

Steve Brown

[John_Conley]

Of course I meant Long Cove.  Long Point is on Amelia.

[Jamie_Duffner]

Palmetto Hall Plantation - Art Hills course is a good, enjoyable course.  Skip the Cupp course unless as Scott suggests you want to scratch the head all day and get a bit dizzy!

[Robert Kimball]

If you do nothing else, make sure that you book a trip to Dafauskie Island.  Usually during the summer months, you can get on in the afternoon when it is too hot for everyone else.
  A ferry takes you and your clubs over to the island, and the Melrose Course by Nicklaus is awesome.  Some here might not like the 7th hole, which could be seen as quirky, but the 16th-18th holes are awesome.  18 plays right on the beach, and you can actually use the beach as part of the hole!!
  I liked it more than Harbour Town.  

[Dave]

The Arthur Hills Course at Plametto Dunes is also "strategic".  They play one of the larger NCAA tournaments there and even Tiger mad a big number on #17 - short dogleg, over water (2x) to a shallow green.

Colleton River is a gem, but as others have said - very private.  It's doable if you know a member, but the staff and other members treat you like s--t while you're there.  Just not worth it.  

Crescent Pointe is a new Plamer course, which needed one more year the last time I was there.  Good layout at a good price.

Secession is by far the best. I'll be there next week sweating like a pig and loving every minute of it.

[Nathan Cashwell]

Thank you for all of your advice.

I lived in Charleston for 4 years and heard of these courses, but never got to try most of them out for myself.  Now I have a good idea of where to play in the area.

I will pass the lists along to my bro.

Thanks again

[Markep]

While I have not played any of the other courses in the area that you mention, I am quite familiar with Secession and I have a different hole that I feel is the best on that course.

My candidate there is the par 4 14th, which plays about 380 from the back. The tee setting is gorgeous, set back in the marsh with the clubhouse your target, angled off in the distance. This dogleg  hole requires only a 220 yard shot to position yourself well for what I feel is one of the best 2nd shots in all of golf. The green is a redan style, with concrete revetements bordering the marsh on the left and a live oak looming over the right side of the green. With some wind and a back left pin, this can be one scary shot !

The Low Country of South Carolina is chock full of wonderful golf courses. Most are very private.

Berkeley Hall North & South
Belfair East & West
Chechesse Creek
Secession
Old Tabby
Long Cove
Colleton River Dye & Nicklaus

This is just a short list, if anyone has some input, I would love to here some opinions on the best holes in the Hilton Head area.  My nominations include: #17 Belfair West, #14 Old Tabby, #7 Berkeley Hall North, #18 Secession, #7 Berkeley Hall South

Steve Brown