Safe Harbor

  Hilton Head, South Carolina, United States
Thursday, October 16, 2008

Next stop...Hilton Head Island.  Mike and I timed our departure perfectly and arrived at the golf course 30 minutes prior to our 2:25 tee time.  Today, we are playing Harbour Town Golf Links at the Sea Pines Resort.  Harbour Town has hosted the PGA tour Verizon Heritage golf tournament since it opened in 1969.  Among its credentials is a ranking of 70th in Golf.com "Top 100 courses in the World" and 40th in "Top 100 courses in the US".  Also the course is listed in the book "50 places to play golf before you die" and there are 3 holes in the book "1001 golf holes you must play before you die".  The course was designed by Pete Dye with Jack Nicklaus as a player consultant.  At its inception in 1969, this course was a departure from the traditional design school and contains many of Pete Dye's trademarks including large railroad tie lined bunkers, small postage-stamp greens and hole layouts which places a premium on accuracy.  There are many holes where landing the ball on the fairway does not guarantee a shot at the green.

The green fees are steep with weekday twilight costing $190.  In my opinion it was worth every penny to walk the same course as golfing greats: Arnold Palmer '69 winner, Johnny Miller '72 '74 winner, Jack Nicklaus '75 winner, Tom Watson '79 '82 winner, Fuzzy Zoeller '83 '86 winner, Davis Love III '87 '91 '92 '98 '03 winner, Greg Norman '88 winner and Payne Stewart '89 '90 winner.  Included in your fee, you get a forecaddie to help you navigate the course.

Mike and I were paired with Andrew and Amanda, newlyweds from Iowa.  After watching them hit, I doubted that we will finish 18 holes before the sun sets.  Fortunately, Amanda did not hesitate to pick up her ball when things are not going her way, so we played to course pace.  I was struggling with a hook for most of the front nine.  Although it seemed I was constantly in the woods on the left, I managed to play the front nine in 51.  This included a par on hole #7, 148 yard par 3.  Somehow I managed to avoid the numerous trees surrounding this bunker lined green and two putted.  I could/should have made my 4 foot birdie putt...oh well.  #9 was an interesting hole.  Measuring 298 yard from the white tees, one would think this would be an easy par 4; however a large tree guarded the left side of a heart shaped green.  Unfortunately, I drove the ball on the fairway but on the left-side; therefore I had no shot to the green.  I had to pitch to a spot in front of the bunker guarding the front of the green.  My third shot rolled through the green and almost into the pot bunker at the "V" of the heart...somehow it managed not to roll in.  I wished it did roll in because the awkward stance I was left to deal with resulted in me mishitting my fourth shot which did roll into the pot bunker.  A sand out, chip and one putt ended the only hole in which I posted an "other" for the front nine.

Me hacking up Harbour Town #15

The 10th hole posed a challenge since there was a lagoon along most of the left side.  Somehow I managed not to hook the ball into the water and posted a par 4 for the hole.  Everything was going fine until hole #15, 511 yard par #5 with the green tucked within the trees on the left.  #15 was one of the holes in the books, so I wanted to do well.  The extra pressure resulted in a horrible tee shot which did not make it pass the ladies tees.  Since I did not want to scare Amanda, I did not drop my pants as required for such a poor shot.  Nine strokes later, I carded a big 10 for the hole.  That was a FUN (F**kin Ugly Number) hole!  I managed to regain my composure for the next hole 333 yard par 4 with a sharp dogleg to the left.  Again I landed on the fairway but was faced with a blocked shot to the green.  This time the tree was planted in the middle of the fairway!!  I managed to hook the ball around the tree and landed on the small green but the ball rolled off to the left side.  A chip and two putts later and I carded a 5 for the hole.

Harbour Town #17

Mike, who golfs maybe 2-3 times a year, struggled for most of the holes, but he did have one shining moment.  On the 152 yard, par 3 #17, Mike made the green in regulation and two putted for a par.  This was also one of the 1001 hole...probably for the amazing view of the harbor and the daunting shot over water and sand.  Funny thing...for a course named Harbour Town, this was one of only two holes where you can actually see the harbor or in this case Calibogue Sound.  Most of the holes I would classify as a parkland layout vice the sea links I was expecting.  On this hole I chickened out and avoided the water on the left by blocking my tee shot to the right.  Of course I almost went into the water on the next shot when I sailed my ball over the green on the pitch back.  Fortunately there was a huge bunker between the green and water.  After a brilliant sand shot and an easy one putt, I posted a 4 for the hole.

Harbour Town #18

The 18th green is located near the red and white lighthouse, which is the famous backdrop normally seem in photos of this course.  The sun has set below the horizon and we are quickly running out of light.  You can barely see the lighthouse from the tee box.  Although the tee shot was scary with sea marsh and water along the left side, Steve our forecaddie reassured me that the fairway was the widest on the course and that I can safely hit my driver.  Trusting his judgment, I landed on the fairway but again I had no shot at the green.  This time it was not because any barrier erected in the path but I was not confident enough in my 3 iron to carry the sea marsh to the green.  I aimed well right of the green and connected.  Of course if I went for the green, I, probably, would have hooked it into the water.  I finished the spectacular hole with a 6 and the round with an even 100.  I should/could have ended in double digits but my first putt from 4 feet, lipped out of the cup.  Again Steve came in handy guiding us back to the clubhouse in the dark.  What a wonderful but long day!