Prime-time players shoot for the end of March and April.
Harbour Town Golf Links is by far the best course to play on a Hilton Head golf vacation, but many people are surprised to find that the course conditions are sometimes, frankly, poor.
It’s a classic case of being a victim of one’s own success. As one of the few PGA Tour venues playable by the public, Harbour Town is busy year-round and all the cart and foot traffic, divots and ball marks sometimes take a serious toll on the turf.
In my experience, the best time to play the course from a conditioning standpoint is (big surprise) just prior to and following the PGA Tour event, which is usually held during the second week in April. The course closes completely for one week prior to the event and opens back up the day after.
That makes prime time the end of March and April. Granted, securing a tee time during these periods can be tough and you may be forced to expand your window. Just don’t expand it to the few days after Memorial Day or the first week in August when the course is usually aerified. You may also want to avoid the first two weeks in October, when overseeding takes place.
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Cary Corbitt, director of sports at Sea Pines Resort (which includes Harbour Town), wrote in saying: “I cant believe you have said that conditions on Harbour Town Golf links are ever questionable. The course was totally restored in 2001 and is continually in wonderful condition. We do aerify in June but other than that we pride ourselves with the conditions of the course. We receive wonderful comments every day.”
Just returned from HH and the Harbour Town was in very good shape. I have played the course over 50 times and the conditions were as good as I have seen them. I have played the course four times on the Sunday prior to the tournament and the current conditions were just as good. I was pleasantly suprised!