Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Atlantic Dunes delivers a thoroughly modern take on Hilton Head’s classic coastal golf identity, pairing scenic Lowcountry vistas with risk-reward shot values and a deft balance of fun and challenge. Immaculate presentation and a complete 21st-century redesign make it a compelling choice for any trip to the Sea Pines Resort. Expect a round that rewards creative thinking and position play as much as power.
After your round, take a moment at the elevated dunes behind the 18th green for panoramic views—it's a favorite local photo spot seldom noticed by first-timers.
Atlantic Dunes by Davis Love III is a showpiece of contemporary resort design, marrying the DNA of classic Hilton Head golf with a bold, modern vision. The full-scale transformation delivered a Lowercountry landscape accented by undulating dunes, expansive coquina waste areas, and winding water hazards that frame multiple holes. The greens are generously sized yet intricately contoured, rewarding imaginative approaches and exacting distance control. Its blend of strategic demand, playability, and coastal visuals create a uniquely fresh take on the region’s golf scene.
Love Golf Design’s work at Atlantic Dunes was a deeply personal reinvention, with Davis Love III translating his tournament success into creative, player-friendly challenge and signature Lowcountry atmosphere.
A true birdie opportunity if you find the proper side off the tee, the 4th winds through waste areas and marshy framing with clear rewards for playing smart angles. The green site encourages an aggressive second for confident players, but recovering from an overzealous attempt is no guarantee.
Break the hole into segments and avoid forcing a second shot; attack with position for a good wedge look.
Erratic tee shots and overreaching second shots can find marshes or sand, quickly turning birdie chances into bogeys.
Immaculately maintained fairways, bold sand and marsh framing, and fast but consistent greens across the season.
Resort-course demand can mean moderate rounds; expect 4.5+ hour pace, especially in peak season.
Upscale, lively resort golf that combines attentive service with visual drama and relaxed vacation energy.
Standard golf attire required; collared shirts and no denim—typical upscale resort code.
Water and marsh come into play often, particularly on the demanding stretch from holes 15 through 18.
Prime times and cooler parts of day fill quickly thanks to Sea Pines' popularity.
Large, contoured greens mean proximity and touch are crucial for scoring.
Course opens as the Ocean Course, Hilton Head Island’s first golf course
Mark McCumber leads redesign of Ocean Course
Davis Love III and team begin complete reconstruction
Reopens as Atlantic Dunes by Davis Love III after total transformation
Hosts RBC Heritage pro-am and named South Carolina Course of the Year
Before Harbour Town, before the PGA Tour, the Ocean Course (now Atlantic Dunes) was where golf took root on Hilton Head Island. Its legacy as the island’s oldest course anchors its identity even after a total transformation.
Davis Love III’s five Heritage victories and deep family ties to Sea Pines added meaning—and scrutiny—to his 2015-16 reconstruction, blending Lowcountry heritage with a modern, strategic test.
The complete redo introduced bold dunes, coquina shell accents, and adventurous greens, turning a flat former Ocean Course into a visually charged, strategically nuanced modern resort destination.
Atlantic Dunes is a full rebuild of Hilton Head’s original Ocean Course, the island’s very first golf course.
Davis Love III has won five RBC Heritage tournaments at neighbouring Harbour Town.
Coquina shell-laced dunes and railroad-tie bunkers create a visual signature unique among Lowcountry layouts.
The course was South Carolina Course of the Year just months after its 2016 reopening.
Play the iconic PGA Tour venue with a world-class Pete Dye design.
A strategic, visually dynamic complement right inside Sea Pines.
Popular value round with Lowcountry marshland scenery in nearby Bluffton.
High-quality resort options mid-island, offering more variety for a multi-course itinerary.
Budget-friendly, player-friendly public course for an accessible round near the island.
Stay in Sea Pines for walkable golf access, or choose mid-island Hilton Head for beach and short drives.
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Why it matches: What links these two? A comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character — a familiar feeling, expressed in Fishers Island Club's own setting.
Why it matches: Country Club of Asheville is a natural next stop after Atlantic Dunes by Davis Love III: it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
Why it matches: Roaring Gap Club is a natural next stop after Atlantic Dunes by Davis Love III: it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
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