Contributed by www.HiltonHeadGolfIsland.com
The Weather Channel recently released its long-awaited “Late-Fall, Winter Temperature Outlook.” The short version: the Northeastern U.S. is forecast to be well below average through February, while the Southeast could enjoy record warmth.
Of course, here on Hilton Head Golf Island, golf season never ends, regardless of the forecast.
Home to a seemingly endless supply of “beers and sunshine,” to borrow a chorus from our native son and diehard golfer, Darius Rucker, Golf Island is also brimming with the deep-green grass of our tee boxes, fairways and greens.
As you put away the clubs for the year and start making travel plans for 2022, here are six reasons that Hilton Head Golf Island is the Perfect Year-Round Golf Getaway.
Getting from the Bay State to South Carolina Lowcountry has never been easier. In April of 2021, American Airlines added non-stop seasonal service from Boston-Logan International Airport to Hilton Head Airport (HHH) on the island’s north side. Service was offered in April and May, and again during the peak fall season. One-stop service is available on several airlines year-round to HHH, as well as Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV), just a 35-minute drive from Bluffton and 45 minutes from the island.
With 33 courses spread over Beaufort, Bluffton and Jasper counties, Mass Golfers have plenty of championship-caliber layouts to choose from. There are multi-course properties right on the island – like The Sea Pines Resort, Palmetto Dunes and the Port Royal Golf and Racquet Club – that are optimal for a 36-hole-a-day diet. And single course venues like Dolphin Head and Bear Creek Golf Clubs are ideal for 18-hole jaunts. Or venture off-island to sample local favorites such as Old South Golf Links and Hilton Head National.
The region’s breathtaking natural beauty attracted many of golf’s greatest architects over the past 60 years: Robert Trent Jones Sr., Rees Jones, Davis Love III, Gary Player, Arthur Hills, Arnold Palmer, Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus and George Fazio just to name a few. Courses like Harbour Town Golf Links at The Sea Pines Resort and the Robert Trent Jones Course at Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort are ranked among the best in country and state.
Golf is played 365 days a year here on Golf Island among the palmettos and live oaks. The Lowcountry boasts glorious spring and fall weather, mild winters and balmy summers. When venturing off the course, the region is home to world-class beaches, award-winning restaurants and local eateries, and myriad activities ranging from deep-sea fishing, tennis, pickleball and biking along 50-plus miles of public pathways. With more than 215 sunny days a year, there’s plenty of warm sunshine for days spent on, or off, the golf course. And with its location on South Carolina’s southern tip, Hilton Head Island is five to 10 degrees warmer than other parts of the state.
Hilton Head Island and the surrounding areas of Bluffton and Beaufort are home to more than 300 restaurants running the gamut from local mainstays to chef-driven eateries with farm-to-table and fish-to-fork menus. There are a handful of restaurant “epicenters” on the island, including Shelter Cove Towne Center, Main Street Village and the “Bar-muda” Triangle.
Off-island Old Town Bluffton extends north along Calhoun St. from the May River, featuring a variety of restaurants and bars set amid Antebellum homes, historic churches and unique shops. For golfers on the go, there are plenty of pitstops along U.S. Highway 278 running from I-75 to Hilton Head Island for breakfast, lunch, dinner and groceries.
Hilton Head Golf Island offers a wide array of accommodations to suit every golf group’s lifestyle, budget and length of stay. Several of the region’s renowned resort hotels have undergone major renovations in recent years. Many of these properties, long considered among the country’s finest, are even more inviting following a combined $155 million investment in upgrades in recent years. For groups that prefer the privacy and convenience of a golf villa, or the spacious layout of a vacation rental home, there are endless options for groups of all sizes.
For more information on the courses and resorts of Hilton Head Golf Island, visit or www.hiltonheadgolfisland.com or call (800) 523-3373.
*Mass Golf has been fortunate over the years to be associated with some of the most powerful and influential companies in golf. Through the generosity of these businesses, Mass Golf has been able to serve golfers and member clubs across the state.
