Golf Hilton Head
Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront Course fairway

Palmetto Dunes · Resort / Public

Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront Course

Robert Trent Jones Sr. opened this course in 1969 as one of Hilton Head's first resort layouts, and its wide fairways, generous greens, and forgiving design philosophy have made it the island's most welcoming introduction to resort golf ever since. The course plays through classic Lowcountry terrain — lagoons, palmettos, and live oaks — before finishing with a par-5 18th that offers genuine Atlantic Ocean views, one of the most memorable closing holes on the island. Jones's design rewards consistent ball-striking without punishing the occasional wayward shot, making it the best choice for first-time Hilton Head visitors, higher handicappers, and families playing together. The oceanfront finishing stretch alone justifies the round.

Moderate7 Trent Jones Lane, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928Get directions

Designer

Robert Trent Jones Sr.

Holes / Par

18 holes · Par 72

Yardage

6,810 (championship) / 5,328 (forward)

Opened

1969

View hole-by-hole scorecard

Before you play

Everything you need to book

Practical details confirmed for this course. Where information is unavailable, we say so — always verify current rates and policies directly with the course.

Who can book

Open to all visitors. Resort guests may receive priority booking windows or discounted rates — confirm when booking.

Booking window

Tee times available up to 30 days in advance online through the Palmetto Dunes booking portal or by phone.

Green fees

Rates vary seasonally — confirm with Palmetto Dunes.

Twilight rates available — confirm times and pricing with the course.

Cart & walking

Cart is optional and available at an additional fee. Walking is permitted and popular on this relatively flat layout. Walking is permitted.

Caddies

No caddie service offered at the RTJ Oceanfront Course.

Rental clubs

Rental sets available through the Palmetto Dunes pro shop — confirm current rates when booking.

Gate & access

No gate fee — Palmetto Dunes is open to the public with direct access from William Hilton Parkway.

Cancellation policy

Cancellation terms vary by course and season. Confirm the current policy on the official course website before booking.

Practice facility

Full practice facility at Palmetto Dunes.

Signature

What makes this course memorable

The par-5 18th hole with Atlantic Ocean views — one of the most scenic finishing holes on Hilton Head Island.

Difficulty

Who this course suits

Wide fairways and generous greens make this the most beginner-friendly resort course on the island, while still offering a satisfying test for experienced players.

Best for

  • First-time Hilton Head visitors
  • Beginners and high-handicappers
  • Families
  • Players wanting ocean views

Not ideal for

  • Low-handicappers seeking a serious test

Course details

Rates, facilities & policies

Green fees

Rates vary seasonally — confirm with Palmetto Dunes.

Dress code

Collared shirts required.

Cart

Cart is optional and available at an additional fee. Walking is permitted and popular on this relatively flat layout.

Rental clubs

Rental sets available through the Palmetto Dunes pro shop — confirm current rates when booking.

Walking

Permitted

Twilight rates

Available — confirm with course

Caddies

No caddie service offered at the RTJ Oceanfront Course.

Practice area

Full practice facility at Palmetto Dunes.

Booking & access

Gate access & tee-time windows

Gate access

No gate fee — Palmetto Dunes is open to the public with direct access from William Hilton Parkway.

Booking window(up to 30 days out)

Tee times available up to 30 days in advance online through the Palmetto Dunes booking portal or by phone.

Planning

Seasonal notes & aerification

Seasonal timing

Peak season March through May; summer rates are often lower.

Aerification

Greens typically aerified in late summer.

On-course report

Conditions, pace & value

Editorial reviews from Golf Hilton Head staff. We play these courses and report what we find — no sponsored content, no affiliate ratings.

Editorial assessment — Golf Hilton Head staff

Published

4.3out of 5.0

Conditions

Fairways & greens

4/5

Pace of play

Round time

4/5

Value

Fee vs. experience

5/5

Service

Staff & facilities

4/5

The Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront Course at Palmetto Dunes is the best value in the resort corridor. The layout is classic RTJ — wide fairways, large greens, and a routing that uses the lagoon system and ocean exposure to create memorable holes without punishing the average golfer. Reported conditions are typically very good: fairways firm and consistent, greens smooth and at a medium pace that suits all skill levels. Pace of play is typically efficient at just under four hours on a Saturday, which is impressive for a resort course. Staff are typically friendly and the cart is typically well-stocked. For visitors who want a scenic, playable round at a fair price, this is the first course we'd recommend in Palmetto Dunes.

These are editorial assessments based on published course information, player reports, and publicly available data — not firsthand round reports by Golf Hilton Head staff. Conditions change seasonally. Ratings are independent editorial judgments — Golf Hilton Head has no commercial relationship with any course reviewed here. Always confirm current conditions directly with the course before booking.

Hole-by-hole

Scorecard

Rating: 73.5Slope: 136Yardage: 6,810Par: 72
Hole123456789Out101112131415161718InTot
Par543445344364534434543672
Yards5303901854154005201754103703,3953955401804053851654205453803,4156,810
Hdcp711173951511348162101861214

More in Palmetto Dunes

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Palmetto Dunes

Arthur Hills Course

Arthur Hills's 1986 design at Palmetto Dunes is the most demanding of the three courses in the resort, routing through a more secluded interior landscape of lagoons, mature trees, and tighter fairway corridors than the RTJ Oceanfront layout next door. Water comes into play on a significant number of holes, and the back nine in particular presents a sustained sequence of lagoon-flanked approaches that require confident club selection and precise execution. It suits mid-handicap players who have already played the RTJ course and want a step up in challenge, and it rewards repeat visitors who learn the specific angles and carry distances the layout demands. The quieter, more enclosed setting also gives it a different atmosphere from the resort's other two courses.

View course guide

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George Fazio Course

The George Fazio Course is the only par-70 public layout on Hilton Head Island, and that format fundamentally changes the scoring dynamic — with just two par 5s, there are fewer opportunities to recover from a bad hole, and every par-4 demands full attention. Fazio's bold, sweeping bunker complexes frame nearly every approach, creating a visually striking and strategically demanding round that plays longer than its yardage suggests. It is consistently the most affordable of the three Palmetto Dunes courses, making it the best value for experienced golfers who want a genuine test without the resort premium. Players who rely on par-5 birdie opportunities to post a good score will find the format unforgiving; players who enjoy grinding out pars will find it deeply satisfying.

View course guide

Course information, rates, dress codes, and policies are subject to change. Always confirm current details directly with the course before booking. Golf Hilton Head is an independent planning guide and is not affiliated with any course or resort.