Palmetto Dunes - Robert Trent Jones Course

Robert Trent Jones Sr. opened the first course at Palmetto Dunes in 1969, the same year Pete Dye built Harbour Town at the opposite end of the island. The two courses represent markedly different design philosophies, and playing both offers a compressed education in mid-century American golf architecture. Where Dye favored tight corridors and small targets, Jones preferred generous fairways with heavily guarded greens, strategic bunkering that penalizes the careless approach, and risk-reward decisions built into par 5s and driveable par 4s.

The Jones course plays 6,710 yards from the tips with a rating of 72.6 and a slope of 133. Those numbers are moderate by contemporary standards, and the course plays shorter than many of its peers on the island. The challenge lies not in length but in the approach game. Jones's greens are defended by deep, sculpted bunkers positioned to catch the shot that takes the wrong angle. Miss the green on the bunker side and recovery requires skill. Miss it on the safe side and the putt is longer but manageable. That calculus repeats across 18 holes and creates a rhythm that rewards thinking golfers.

The course was renovated by Roger Rulewich, a longtime Jones associate, and was named South Carolina Golf Course of the Year in 2003. The renovation modernized playing surfaces and drainage without altering the strategic bones of the original design. The routing takes advantage of Palmetto Dunes' Lowcountry setting, with lagoons, maritime forest, and ocean breezes all factoring into play at various points.

Green fees of $200 to $300 reflect dynamic pricing that fluctuates with season and demand. The Jones course commands the highest rates of the three Palmetto Dunes layouts, which corresponds to its design pedigree and conditioning priority within the resort. Booking is direct through the resort.

For golfers staying at Palmetto Dunes, the Jones course is the anchor of the three-course offering. It carries the most prominent designer name, the deepest history, and the most distinctive playing experience. It is also the most accessible of the three for mid-handicap players, as Jones's generous fairways provide breathing room off the tee that the Fazio course, in particular, does not. Pair it with the George Fazio layout for a day that contrasts two different eras of American course design.