SOUTH CAROLINA GOLF TRAVEL
Palmetto Dunes Stays Ahead Of The Curve By Brad King, Contributing Writer
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almetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort on Hilton Head Island celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2018. Equally feted were the resort’s trio of outstanding golf courses designed by architectural legends: the Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront Course, the Arthur Hills Course and the George Fazio Course. All three of Palmetto Dunes’ magnificent layouts have been named South Carolina’s “Golf Course of the Year.” Palmetto Dunes is a 2,000-acre resort destination located in the middle of Hilton Head Island, S.C., bounded by 3 miles of Atlantic Ocean beach on one side and a sheltered Intracoastal Waterway marina on the other. Named No. 3 “Best Resort in the South” in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards and to the top 25 World’s Best Family Getaways by Travel + Leisure, the resort features vacation home and villa rentals, three world-class golf courses, an award-winning tennis and pickleball center, an 11-mile inland salt-water lagoon system for kayaking and fishing, and Hilton Head Outfitters for bike rentals, canoes, kayaks, fishing and much more. In the Condé Nast poll, Palmetto Dunes catapulted nine spots. The big move places the iconic Hilton Head resort ahead of popular southern enclaves such as Montage Palmetto Bluff (No. 5), The Sanctuary Hotel at Kiawah Island (No. 6), Wild Dunes Resort (No. 10) and The Cloister (No. 19). The Mediterranean-style Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina — Hilton Head Island’s largest deep-water marina, located right across from Palmetto Dunes — features waterfront shopping and dining and a wide variety of charters, including nature cruises, dolphin tours, sport crabbing and fishing. Remaining on the cusp of resort innovation, this year Palmetto Dunes introduced a fleet of autonomous golf cad-
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die units. The “Tempo Walk” by Club Car provides golfers with the enjoyment of walking the course, enhancing play, and fostering health and wellness. State-of-the-art wireless technology including GPS yardage and hands-free remote allows golfers the control to maneuver easily around the course. Additional technology features include a USB port and touchscreen tablet along with tra-
Jones Hole #10
GOLF RESORT & DESTINATION MAGAZINE | 2020
ditional golf car offerings such as a cup holder, cooler, divot repair and sand bottle. Palmetto Dunes has eight units that are available for use at the Jones and Fazio courses. “We are delighted to introduce this enhancement to the Palmetto Dunes golf experience,” said Palmetto Dunes Director of Golf Clark Sinclair. “It’s already generating quite a buzz from our
