I played and enjoyed The Dragon on 2 separate stay-and-play visits, probably 5 or 6 rounds in total, back a few years ago..maybe '03 and '05 is when I visited, if I had to guess. Wrote about it in a range of publications--here's the gist of the story as it pertains to the golf course only from the Hilton Head newspaper: (In other words, nothing on the clubhouse, lodging, FLW influence, etc.)
The Dragon, designed by Californian Robin Nelson, is an absolute stunner. The opening tee shot plunges a hundred feet to a bunker-menaced fairway. The final approach must climb through the sky, hopefully finding purchase on a well fortified green lodged dramatically uphill from where the approach was launched.
Most average players will add another hundred blows between this first and final salvo, and each strike takes place on an incredibly varied golf tapestry. The Dragon breathes fire from about 7,100 yards from the tips, with a course and slope rating of 74.2 and 147, respectively. The thinner air at altitude helps the ball travel a bit longer, but most players will have plenty to contend with at the penultimate box, 6,750 yards, rated and sloped at 72.5 and 139.
Nakoma offers an unusual feature on the driving range. On weekends, there are masseuses at the ready, offering chair massages to players whose tee times are looming. It’s a unique and welcome amenity, as any relaxation technique is welcome prior to the thrill ride in the offing. The course is a green grass roller coaster. It winds, bends, twists, climbs and plummets between imposing stands of hardwoods. The golf ball must fly over water and wasteland, avoiding ravines and lurking woods. Terrifying as this description may appear, this vagabond golfer has experienced few courses with such an unrelenting beauty, challenge and variety of holes. The Dragon is undeniably tough, but absolutely terrific in the same breath.
The one shot holes are gauntlets. They aren’t overly long, but trouble in every direction save one. It’s the overlying theme of the course in general, as spray shots are stray shots, and only lucky bounces after a mis-hit will keep penalty strokes off the card. If the ball stays in play then there are reasonable chances for pars and birdies to be found. To this end the Dragon is really a woman-friendly facility. Much of the bite and forced carries have been surgically excised from the forward tees, and landing areas and greens are mostly generous. Many women, at least those a notch above abject beginner, shouldn’t stagger off the final green in a daze. But long and consistently wrong is another matter. It’s not a good course to be having a bad day.