Two distinct design voices on a single routing, with time-of-day pricing that rewards flexible scheduling.
Hilton Head National sits just off US-278 in Bluffton, on the mainland side of the bridge. Its location outside the island's gated plantation communities means no gate fee, no resort markup, and no need to navigate the island's internal road network. For golfers staying off-island or passing through on a multi-destination trip, the logistical simplicity is an advantage.
The course carries an unusual pedigree: Gary Player designed the back nine and Bobby Weed designed the front nine, with Weed's holes featuring larger, more contoured greens than Player's. The stylistic difference between the two nines is noticeable without being jarring. The front nine plays with a more expansive feel, while the back nine tightens through native terrain and demands more precise positioning. Together, they produce a round with genuine variety.
At par 71 and 6,580 yards from the tips, the course is not long, and the emphasis falls on course management rather than raw distance. The layout moves through natural Lowcountry terrain without the manicured resort aesthetic of the island courses, which gives the round a different character.
Green fees follow a time-of-day model: before 11 a.m. commands the highest rate at $160, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. drops to $135, and after 2 p.m. falls to $110. For golfers with flexibility in their schedule, an afternoon round at Hilton Head National delivers quality public-course golf at a rate that sits well below the island resort courses. The pricing structure rewards the same flexibility that experienced golf travelers tend to have built into their itineraries.
Booking is available directly through the club's website or through GolfNow. The course accommodates walk-ups more readily than the resort courses, though advance booking remains advisable during peak season.
Hilton Head National does not carry the name recognition of Harbour Town or the resort packaging of Palmetto Dunes. What it provides is straightforward: a well-maintained public course with two respected designer names, honest pricing, and a playing experience that competes comfortably with layouts charging significantly more. For golfers who have crossed the bridge for Old South or Crescent Pointe, adding Hilton Head National to the mainland day makes practical sense.
A complete reconstruction of Hilton Head's first golf course, with water on nearly every hole and Spanish moss overhead.
The only Arnold Palmer design in the area, with six sets of tees and green fees that start at $34.
The lighthouse, the tournament, and a Pete Dye design that has not stopped being relevant for more than fifty years.
Pete Dye returned to Sea Pines nearly four decades after Harbour Town and built a course that plays like a conversation between two eras.
Lowcountry marsh golf at mainland prices, with a slope of 141 that keeps the design honest.
The thinking player's course at Palmetto Dunes, where lagoons wind through ten holes and accuracy matters more than distance.
The only par 70 on the island, built around long par 4s and Diamond Zoysia greens that separate the Palmetto Dunes trio by temperament.
The first course at Palmetto Dunes, and the one that best represents the Jones Sr. philosophy of bold bunkering and strategic risk-reward.
A wooded corridor through towering pines and moss-draped oaks, away from the plantation resort atmosphere.
One of the first courses on the island, where small greens and thick rough reward accuracy over ambition.
Twenty-seven holes across three nines, with a green fee range wide enough to accommodate nearly any budget.