Port Royal’s Robber’s Row offers a quintessential Lowcountry experience, combining tree-lined corridors with strategic Dye-influenced design. While not a national pilgrimage, its strong pedigree and Hilton Head setting make it a smart addition to any resort golf trip.
Seek out the historical plaques on Robber’s Row honoring its Civil War heritage—they add a layer of depth to your round that few resort courses in the region can provide.
Robber’s Row is a marriage of classic Lowcountry corridor golf and Pete Dye’s modernist strategy, blending gentle doglegs, thoughtfully placed bunkers, and undulating greens shaped to reward clever placement. With fairways framed by live oaks and pines and a strategic emphasis on approach angles, the course moves players through an evocative landscape rich in both challenge and history. The elegant routing touches former Civil War grounds, while Dye’s trademark risk/reward decisions ensure the test is never one-dimensional. Contoured greens and artful bunkering require thoughtful navigation, making every round a blend of enjoyment and subtle puzzle-solving.
Pete Dye redeveloped Cobb and Byrd’s classic layout to strike a balance between resort playability and engaging shotmaking, resulting in a course that asks for intelligence over brute force.
This early par 5 tempts aggressive play with a reachable green if you nail your tee shot, but cunning players realize that the ideal layup spot opens the best angle. Stately oaks and bunkering set the tone for a risk-reward decision that can define the front nine.
Choose your layup yardage based on pin position—forced carries can make going for the green a tougher play than laying back for a wedge.
Overzealous second shots risk tangling with well-placed bunkers or getting blocked out by trees on the wrong side.
Well-kept fairways and smooth greens, with some seasonal variability due to resort play volume.
Average public resort round—expect four to four-and-a-half hours in peak season.
Relaxed, welcoming resort atmosphere with a club tradition and sense of history.
Standard collared golf attire; shorts or slacks are acceptable.
Peak mornings and late-morning slots fill fast in season—reserve well ahead to avoid mid-afternoon heat.
Coastal gusts can be a factor; pack your knockdown and trajectory-control clubs.
Walkable for athletic players, but cart rentals are popular if you prefer to take it easy in the humidity.
Spend extra time warming up on the practice green—the subtle slopes reward preparation.
Robber’s Row course opens, designed by Cobb and Byrd
New Planter’s Row course opens
Hosts Hilton Head Seniors International (Planter’s Row)
Pete Dye completes major Robber’s Row redesign
Planter’s Row closes after hurricane damage
Robber’s Row weaves through historic grounds that once saw actual Civil War encampments, giving each step down the fairway a connection to local lore—and a few ghosts of history in the oaks. The on-course plaques and subtle nods offer more than just a resort round: they invite you to play on storied soil.
In 1994, Pete Dye reimagined Robber’s Row, infusing the course with his signature green shaping and strategic bunkering without altering its relaxed resort soul. Today, you'll find Dye's imprint in bold angles and risk/reward options that add teeth to the Lowcountry setting.
The property played host to the Hilton Head Seniors International in the 1980s, momentarily putting its layouts on the professional golfing map. While those days are past, the championship DNA remains especially evident in Robber's Row’s stretch of demanding par 4s and 5s.
Robber’s Row proves that coastal wind can be as much a hazard as water—especially on par 3s hemmed by oaks and bunkers. The most skillful rounds here are those where controlling trajectory and finding the correct green quadrant make the difference between par and double.
Some fairways follow old Union encampments from the Civil War.
Robber’s Row’s plaque markers offer a self-guided history tour as you play.
The stretch from holes 11–13 is locally known as “The Gauntlet” for its challenge.
Pete Dye used signature railroad ties and mounding to redefine the course in the 1990s.
Planter’s Row, the club’s third course, was retired after a hurricane in 2016.
PGA Tour venue and Dye’s most famous Lowcountry test
Award-winning modern redesign with coastal flair
Another bold Dye design on the island
Best value mainland option with marsh views
Fun layout at a player-friendly price
Stay near the Shelter Cove or central Hilton Head corridor for easy access to both resort and public courses.
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Why it matches: There is real overlap here. Saltleaf Golf Preserve a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character, making it a compelling counterpart to Port Royal Golf & Racquet Club – Robber’s Row.
Why it matches: Friar's Head Golf Club is a natural next stop after Port Royal Golf & Racquet Club – Robber’s Row: it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
Why it matches: The Kittansett Club is a natural next stop after Port Royal Golf & Racquet Club – Robber’s Row: it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
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