Call us the frugal golfers of Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head Island was a regional golf destination in South Carolina until 1969. That year the first Heritage Classic was played at Sea Pines Plantation on the Harbour Town Golf Links, which was designed by Pete Dye (before he was uber-famous) in consultation with Jack Nicklaus.
In a lightning strike, Arnold Palmer won the inaugural event. No one could shine a brighter light than Palmer in his prime.
Instantly, the then-sleepy island emerged into the spotlight, becoming a national destination. (Sea Pines built the iconic lighthouse in 1970.)
Now it's 40-plus years later, and you want to play a lot of golf at Hilton Head Island and not empty your wallet faster than you deplete your supply of balls.
There are a couple of options: the Twilight Saga, or head off the island.
The highest greens fees are early in the morning. Rates usually drop after 11 a.m. Twilight rates -- they start at 3 or 4 p.m., depending on the course -- usually offer savings of $20, or in some cases far more, for 18 holes.
Said Brad Marra, the director of golf at Palmetto Dunes, "The Robert Trent Jones course will cost you $119 in prime time, but the twilight rate is $65. That's a significant savings."
You can head to the beach in the morning for a swim and avoid the dehydration-inducing, energy-sapping, skin-peeling heat of the afternoon sun, then tee it up at 4 with plenty of daylight left.
As a side benefit of teeing off in the late afternoon, it will only cool off as the round progresses.
Take the highest profile course on the island, Harbour Town. From May 17 through Sept. 19, the 18-hole rate is $200. The twilight rate is $145.
Some of the on-island options: Palmetto Dunes with three courses (with greens fees ranging, depending on course and time of day, from $119 to $46; these are summer rates), Port Royal Plantation (three courses, from $86.50 to $49.50), Oyster Reef ($95 to $66.77). All offer significant savings as the day goes on, with the lowest rates in the late afternoon.
"Harbour Town is the flagship, the course everyone knows about because of the tournament, but we're all part of the Hilton Head Island golf experience," said Scott Sinkich, general manager of Island West Golf Club, an off-island course along U.S. 278, the road to Hilton Head Island.
Years ago, the road from Bluffton to the island was woods and wildlife. Now it is populated by discount malls, Walmarts, golf shops, restaurants -- and excellent golf courses, designed by such luminaries as Nicklaus, Palmer, Dye, Tom Fazio, Gary Player and Davis Love III. And off the island you can save a few bucks to boot.
"We [the off-island courses] tend to be a little less expensive," Sinkich said.
There are numerous ways to help keep money in your pocket. Your best friend is the Internet.
"The No. 1 flag in the air is your website," Sinkich said. "You want to get people there. It's how you communicate. You can offer specials. We have a birthday program. We have loyalty programs.
"We have online specials that change all the time."
Log onto the various courses' websites, sign up for news and updates, and eventually they likely will make discount deals available. (Our foursome paid $37.50 per person with a discount coupon at Island West. The usual fee is $49 per round.)
Another course, Tradition National, is pretty far off the island, closer to I-95 than Hilton Head. (Maybe a good choice on the way in or on the way out.) It's a links-style Tom Fazio course, and it cost all of $26 for us to play.
Some of the other off-island courses closer to the island include, Eagle's Pointe and Crescent Pointe (prices for the two courses range from $79 to $49), Hilton Head National ($64-$45), Old South ($80-$65).
If you book tee times online in advance, you can save 10 to 15 percent.
Another vector for fiscal advantage is the use of print publications. Check out the numerous free magazines that offer tourist information -- parasailing, kayaking, water parks, dolphin watches and where to dine, along with menus. The freebies are everywhere, from restaurants to souvenir shops to grocery stores.
We found a buddy pass to play the George Fazio course at Palmetto Dunes. Instead of $80 per round, we paid $40.
Book more than one round at a single resort, and you can save money. Most resorts with multiple courses offer significant savings for booking three or five rounds.
And there's the seasonal penalty you pay for the typical American summer vacation. The best way to lower your condo/house rental, pay even less for golf and avoid the heat and humidity is to vacation at other times of the year.
"Going into fall months, fall and spring are the best times for golfers," Marra said. "We have unlimited golf packages in fall. We sell month-long memberships. Another big thing is to get a group of guys to play. The corporate world has become soft, but guys are still getting together and coming on a leisure-type basis."
With fewer golf-seekers on the island, there are no long waits at the deli counter. No crowded courses. The ocean temperature is still fine for swimming. And with the savings, you can play that extra round -- or buy more golf balls.
