Harbour Town Golf Links: A Complete Guide to Hilton Head's Iconic Course
The lighthouse at the 18th hole of Harbour Town Golf Links is one of the most recognized images in golf. Red and white striped, sitting at the edge of the marina at Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island, it has been the backdrop for the final holes of the RBC Heritage tournament every April since 1969. Pete Dye designed the course in 1969 with input from Jack Nicklaus, and it remains one of his signature works — a tight, demanding, strategic masterpiece that prioritizes shot placement over raw distance.
The Course
Harbour Town plays to a par 71 at approximately 7,100 yards from the tips. The yardage is modest by modern standards — a full 700 yards shorter than Kiawah Island's Ocean Course — but Harbour Town is not about length. It is about angles.
The fairways are narrow, lined with live oaks and Carolina pines that severely punish errant tee shots. The greens are small — some of the smallest on the PGA Tour — and heavily contoured. Missing the green in the wrong place leaves awkward chips and pitches that make pars feel like birdies. The course rewards golfers who think backward from the hole: identifying the correct approach angle first, then working back to the tee shot that sets it up.
Wind off the Calibogue Sound affects play significantly on the back nine, where several holes run along the water. The 17th and 18th holes — the approach to the green framed by the lighthouse — are among the most memorable finishing holes in American resort golf.
The RBC Heritage
The RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing has been played at Harbour Town every year since 1969, making it one of the longest-running events on the PGA Tour at a single venue. Arnold Palmer won the inaugural event; the list of subsequent winners includes Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, Hale Irwin, Greg Norman, Davis Love III, Jim Furyk, and Rory McIlroy.
The tournament follows the Masters by one week, which historically gave it a field full of Augusta participants still in their rhythm. The tight, strategic nature of Harbour Town produces results that often surprise — big hitters are penalized and short-game specialists thrive.
Sea Pines Resort
Harbour Town is one of three golf courses at Sea Pines Resort, alongside Heron Point (also a Pete Dye design) and Atlantic Dunes. The resort occupies a 5,000-acre plantation at the south end of Hilton Head Island, with the golf courses, marina, hotels, rental villas, and restaurants all within the gated community.
Hilton Head Island itself is one of the great American beach destinations — a 12-mile barrier island with wide beaches, a thriving restaurant scene, and the distinctive Sea Pines forest that gives the whole island its character. A golf trip to Harbour Town can easily be extended into a multi-day island visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed Harbour Town Golf Links?
Pete Dye designed Harbour Town Golf Links in 1969, with significant input from Jack Nicklaus. It was one of Dye's early major works and established many of the design principles he would apply throughout his career.
What tournament is played at Harbour Town?
The RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing is played at Harbour Town Golf Links every April, the week after the Masters Tournament. It has been held at the same venue every year since 1969.
Is Harbour Town Golf Links public?
Harbour Town is open to the public as part of Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island. Tee times can be booked through the Sea Pines Resort website. Resort guests receive priority access.
What is the famous hole at Harbour Town?
The 18th hole, played along the marina with the Harbour Town lighthouse as the backdrop, is the most famous hole on the course. The par-4 finishing hole requires a precise approach to a small green guarded by water on the left and the lighthouse complex on the right.