The hardest golf courses in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
The hardest 18-hole golf courses within about 25 miles of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, ranked by USGA slope rating from each course's longest men's tees, with course rating as the tiebreaker. 45 courses have complete, verified tee data.
Also covers Bluffton, Okatie, Beaufort, Saint Helena Island, Ridgeland and 5 more nearby towns.
Pete Dye
Colleton River Plantation Club
Bluffton, SC, USASlope rating 150, 76.5 course rating, Championship tees, 7,403 yds
PrivatePete Dye
- 4.0Conditions
- 5.0Layout
- 5.0Scenery
- 4.8Facilities
- Must play
- Challenging
- Driving range
Harbour Town
Sea Pines Resort
Hilton Head Island, SC, USASlope rating 148, 75.6 course rating, Heritage tees, 7,099 yds
PublicPete Dye & Jack Nicklaus
- 4.6Conditions
- 4.2Layout
- 3.3Value
- 4.3Scenery
- 4.1Facilities
This place is unbelievable. From the moment you pull up to the bag drop, you know you’re somewhere special. The staff sets the tone immediately — friendly, professional, and genuinely proud of the place.
Written by
@TGUN312
- Must play
- Driving range
- Walkable
Wexford Golf Club
Hilton Head Island, SC, USASlope rating 147, 74.2 course rating, Palmer tees, 6,913 yds
PrivateWillard Byrd & Arnold Palmer
- 4.0Conditions
- NRLayout
- NRScenery
- NRFacilities
- Driving range
- Restaurant
- Bar
Old Tabby Golf Links
Spring Island, SC, USASlope rating 146, 75.0 course rating, Palmer tees, 7,070 yds
PrivateArnold Palmer & Ed Seay
- 3.0Conditions
- 5.0Layout
- 5.0Scenery
- 1.0Facilities
- Driving range
- Restaurant
- Bar
Secession Golf Club
Beaufort, SC, USASlope rating 146, 74.5 course rating, Devlin tees, 7,029 yds
PrivateBruce Devlin
- 5.0Conditions
- 3.5Layout
- 3.5Scenery
- 3.4Facilities
- Must play
- Pristine
- Walkable
(West) Belfair Plantation
Bluffton, SC, USA
Slope rating 144, 75.3 course rating, Champions tees, 7,129 yds
Crescent Pointe Golf Club
Bluffton, SC, USA
Slope rating 144, 73.8 course rating, Palmer tees, 6,773 yds
(Calibogue) Haig Point Club and Community Association
Hilton Head Island, SC, USA
Slope rating 143, 76.6 course rating, Red tees, 7,380 yds
Country Club of Hilton Head
Hilton Head Island, SC, USA
Slope rating 143, 75.2 course rating, Gold tees, 6,919 yds
Long Cove Club
Hilton Head Island, SC, USA
Slope rating 143, 74.9 course rating, Gold tees, 7,094 yds
(Atlantic Dunes) Sea Pines Resort
Hilton Head Island, SC, USA
Slope rating 143, 74.3 course rating, Love tees, 7,010 yds
(North) Berkeley Hall Golf Club
Bluffton, SC, USA
Slope rating 142, 75.1 course rating, Black tees, 7,148 yds
Golden Bear Golf Club at Indigo Run
Hilton Head Island, SC, USA
Slope rating 142, 74.9 course rating, Black tees, 7,014 yds
(East) Belfair Plantation
Bluffton, SC, USA
Slope rating 142, 74.4 course rating, Champions tees, 6,936 yds
Oldfield Club
Okatie, SC, USA
Slope rating 141, 75.4 course rating, Championship tees, 7,142 yds
(South) Berkeley Hall Golf Club
Bluffton, SC, USA
Slope rating 141, 75.2 course rating, Black tees, 7,254 yds
May River Golf Club
Bluffton, SC, USA
Slope rating 141, 74.8 course rating, Oak tees, 7,171 yds
(Heron Point) Sea Pines Resort
Hilton Head Island, SC, USA
Slope rating 140, 74.0 course rating, Dye tees, 7,035 yds
Island West Golf Club
Bluffton, SC, USA
Slope rating 140, 73.3 course rating, Blue tees, 6,803 yds
Dolphin Head Golf Course
Hilton Head, SC, USA
Slope rating 140, 72.7 course rating, Black tees, 6,606 yds
Pinecrest Golf Club
Bluffton, SC, USA
Slope rating 139, 74.7 course rating, Black tees, 7,089 yds
Bear Creek Golf Club
Hilton Head Island, SC, USA
Slope rating 139, 74.2 course rating, Black tees, 6,804 yds
Rose Hill Golf Club
Bluffton, SC, USA
Slope rating 139, 73.5 course rating, Gold tees, 6,961 yds
(Jack Nicklaus) Colleton River Plantation Club
Bluffton, SC, USA
Slope rating 138, 74.3 course rating, Championship tees, 7,085 yds
(George Fazio) Palmetto Dunes Golf Club
Hilton Head Island, SC, USA
Slope rating 138, 73.5 course rating, Gold tees, 6,873 yds
How we rank
This ranking uses published scorecard data from each course’s longest men’s tees, the same tee set for every course. Only 18-hole courses with a yardage for every hole, a total that matches the hole-by-hole sum, and a par between 54 and 80 are included, and the tees must carry a single slope rating (55–155) and course rating. Courses whose scorecard duplicates another course’s are left out until the data is fixed. Courses are ordered by slope rating, then course rating, then Course Vaults score. Only open courses with a published Course Vaults score (at least 5 explicit ratings) are eligible, and a page is published only when at least 5 courses qualify. City pages include courses within about 25 miles of Hilton Head Island, so nearby suburbs can appear. Rankings refresh about hourly.
FAQ
Pete Dye at Colleton River Plantation Club is #1 on Course Vaults in and around Hilton Head Island, South Carolina at Slope 150 (76.5 course rating · Championship tees · 7,403 yds). 45 courses qualify for this list.
This ranking uses published scorecard data from each course’s longest men’s tees, the same tee set for every course. Only 18-hole courses with a yardage for every hole, a total that matches the hole-by-hole sum, and a par between 54 and 80 are included, and the tees must carry a single slope rating (55–155) and course rating. Courses whose scorecard duplicates another course’s are left out until the data is fixed. Courses are ordered by slope rating, then course rating, then Course Vaults score. Only open courses with a published Course Vaults score (at least 5 explicit ratings) are eligible, and a page is published only when at least 5 courses qualify. City pages include courses within about 25 miles of Hilton Head Island, so nearby suburbs can appear. Rankings refresh about hourly.
Slope rating is the USGA measure of how much harder a course plays for a bogey golfer than for a scratch golfer, from 55 to 155 (113 is average). Course rating is the expected score for a scratch golfer from the same tees.
Yes. It includes qualifying courses within about 25 miles of Hilton Head Island, not only courses whose address is in the city.
This page was last generated Nov 12, 2026, 4:00 AM EST. Scores and eligibility are recomputed about every hour.
