Hilton Head Island built a Lowcountry golf destination around maritime forest, lagoons, and ocean-adjacent holes that feel distinctly Carolina coastal. Harbour Town Golf Links, with its candy-cane lighthouse finishing hole, remains the island's most recognizable stage and the longtime home of the PGA Tour's RBC Heritage—an event that pairs competitive golf with the island's slower, bike-path rhythm. Pete Dye's small greens and railroad-tie aesthetics there still demand precise iron play more than raw power.
Resort and plantation courses across the island offer a range of experiences: tree-lined corridors that punish sprays, lagoon carries that define risk-reward, and seasonal humidity that softens turf by late morning in summer. Spring's Heritage week and the shoulder seasons of fall and early spring bring the best combination of weather and available tee times. Golf here pairs naturally with beach vacation logistics—families split days between the ocean and 18 holes without leaving the island.