Port Royal Plantation holds many of Hilton Head’s finest landmarks, including the old hunting and gathering grounds for Native Americans, the1663 landing point of Captain William Hilton, the site where Union troops first came ashore in 1861, and both the Confederacy’s Ft. Walker and the Union’s Ft. Sherman.

    This 1,250-acre private, oceanfront community has access to over four miles of beach on both the Atlantic Ocean and Port Royal Sound, swimming pools, miles of leisure paths, an arboretum, fresh and salt water lagoons for fishing, 16 tennis courts, one six-wicket croquet lawn, and three 18-hole championship golf courses.  The plantation is home to over 800 residences. It is also site of the Westin Resort.

    The award-winning Port Royal Golf and Racquet Club is just to the left of the plantation entrance.  The Club received Golf magazine’s “Silver Medal Resort Award” and was ranked one of the “Top 75 Golf Resorts” by Golf Digest.  The three public golf courses - Barony, Planter’s Row, and Robber’s Row - all begin and end at the antebellum-style clubhouse.

Robber’s Row

    Sitting on historic Civil War grounds, Robber’s Row was the plantation’s first golf course, opening in 1966.  The course was redesigned by Pete Dye in 1993.  The varied course requires finesse and every club in a player’s bag.  The fairways are lined with magnolia and oak trees as well as numerous historical markers describing events pertinent to the area.  The greens are generous but getting on is a challenge due to a multitude of bunkers.

Barony Course

    The 6,038-yard Barony Course was opened in the spring of 1969. It was designed by George Cobb.  The course is noted for the beauty and dynamic layout of its back nine.  Enjoyable for all skill levels, it demands accuracy, not length.  The fairways are generous, there are many doglegs and trees, but the greens are small and surrounded by bunkers.  This Bermuda grass course may be played entirely with medium and short irons. 

Planter’s Row

    The plantation’s third course, Planter’s Row, was designed by Willard Byrd and George Cobb, built in 1984, and served as host to the 1985 Hilton Head Seniors International Golf Tournament.
The course offers rolling tree-lined fairways in a park-like setting with several water holes and large undulating Bermuda greens.  The par-five 18th hole is 480 yards. 

    For more information and reservations for any one of these three courses, call the Club at 843-689-4653.

    Also see “Thing To Do” #63, #64, and #80.

Photo courtesy of Heritage Golf Group