The Best Golf Communities On Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Golf course living provides countless opportunities to participate in the sport, from scratch level players to beginners and everyone in between, all are welcome to get out on the course as frequently as they like.

 But living in a golf community hardly means that you must dedicate golfing as your leisure activity of choice. Golf communities attract individuals from all walks of life, from families with children, retirees, and active individuals who just enjoy spending time outside.

 A premier golf community comes with access to more than just picturesque greens and tee boxes. The best golf communities on Hilton Head Island offer striking club houses and community facilities featuring charming architecture, superb amenities for residents, and, of course, beautiful homes.

Why Do People Want To Live on a Golf Course?

Beautiful Views

Everyone appreciates a beautiful view, whether it’s a pond or water feature on the course, the rolling green hills, the impeccable landscaping, or the wooded lots. There is no doubt that having a golf course in your backyard provides peaceful and gorgeous scenery for you to admire while you relax.

Focus on Health and an Active Lifestyle

Golf is one way to stay fit and healthy. But there are other opportunities in a golf course community, such as tennis, swimming, biking, hiking, walking trails, pickleball, and more. Having easy access to activities and fitness options makes it a lot more likely that you and your family will be able to enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

Golfing Opportunities 

If you live on a golf course you have access to golf without worrying about travel time. Many golf courses sponsor tournaments, and you’ll have the ability to sign up without having to drive an hour or two.

You will probably have access to pro golf lessons for you and your family, and maybe tennis lessons and other sporting activities that could be right there in your neighborhood.

High ROI and Property Value

Golf communities tend to maintain or increase their property value more than other properties in the area.

Many golf course communities have HOAs (homeowners associations) that ensure everyone follows the rules which means that the neighborhood is always looking its best. A home in a golf community will have a better chance of giving you a great return on investment.

Privacy and Security

Gated golf communities generally provide a high degree of privacy in the sub-division. And having a gated community means that your home is not on a busy thoroughfare. There is reduced traffic and extra peace of mind for your family’s safety. Most golf club communities also have their own security as part of the amenities.

Potential Extra Income

Another perk of owning a luxury home on a beautiful golf course is that you may be able to earn money when you are away if you’d like to rent your property out as a vacation home (depending on community rules).

Resort Lifestyle

Most golf course communities have a resort lifestyle with many luxury amenities like a clubhouse, swimming pool, tennis courts, and other perks.

Sense of Community

Golf course communities are often tightly knit as residents tend to get to know each other on the golf course or as they enjoy the various activities and facilities in the neighborhood. Having common tennis courts, neighborhood events, and similar interests makes it easy for people to get to know each other. That doesn’t usually happen in other neighborhoods these days.

The Three Types of Golf Communities

Thinking of buying a residence in a golf community? Your first decision should be whether to buy in a Private Golf Club Community or a Private Residential Golf Community or a Private Residential/Resort Community. Not sure what all that means? Here is a brief description of each type.

Private Golf Club Communities

A private golf club community is a gated golf community where no tourists can come into the community to play the course(s) and every property member in the community must be a member of the golf club. The primary benefit of these communities is that the owners/members are very committed to the club and to associating with the other members.

Private Residential Golf Communities

A private residential golf community is a gated golf community where no tourists can come into the community to play the course(s), but the property owner may or may not join the golf club. The primary benefit of these communities is that the owners have a choice to join or not join the golf club.

Resort Golf Community

A resort golf community is a gated resort golf community where tourists can come into the community and play the course(s). The primary benefits of these communities is that they enjoy some of the finest resort amenities in the country and owners, if they want, can rent their homes or villas on the short term rental market.

The Best Hilton Head Island Golf Communities

Long Cove Club

Long Cove Club is a private golf club community located in the heart of Hilton Head Island. For over three decades, Long Cove Club has been one of the Island’s most private and elite communities. Small by design, with just over 600 acres of property along Broad Creek, the unparalleled natural beauty and unpretentious class of this community reflects a relaxed lifestyle. The magic of Long Cove is that it was built by people who love golf. Long Cove was originally developed in 1980 to seduce selective golfers seeking world class golf with a Pete Dye treasure as the raison d'etre.

The Long Cove Club world class amenities include a championship tennis facility, private marina (with access to the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway), beautiful pool complex, handsome clubhouse, and, of course, the nationally acclaimed golf course.

Real Estate in Long Cove Club

Today, the community has become not only a place for outstanding golf, but a very specific place to call home. Long Cove Club is a small community with 570 homesites, varying in style and falling within a price range of $600,000 to over $1 million, all approved by a strict architectural review board. Uncommon for Hilton Head, approximately 60% of the homeowners are year-round residents.

Homeowners in Long Cove Club enjoy golf, tennis, fishing, boating, and kayaking, all with Long Cove gates. The community is minutes from the beach, restaurants, and entertainment. The views from the homesites are hard to beat: waterfront, marshfront, lagoon, and golf fairway.

Wexford

Located in the heart of Hilton Head Island, Wexford Plantation is a 525-acre private golf club community that offers yachting in its elaborate interior 37.5-acre harbor. Winding around the harbor is the exclusive 18-hole championship golf course (originally designed by William Byrd and opened in 1983, and renovated by the Arnold Palmer Design Group in 2011).

Unique to this golf community is the above mentioned harbor on Broad Creek, containing 130 slips for residents' use. Full time staff works around the clock at the marina to ensure that entry or exit from the lock system takes no more than 10 minutes. Some estate-sized homes in the harbor have private dockage at their back door.

Real Estate in Wexford

Homes in Wexford were designed to front either the harbor, the golf course, the marshes, or an interior lagoon. The architectural motif traces its roots back to the British West Indies, which is a reflection of the post revolutionary war history of Hilton Head Island. Wexford encompasses some of the most grand home designs in the Hilton Head area. No two homes in Wexford are the same. The average price of a home in Wexford is $2.5 million.

Wexford has it all, including 24 hour security, Arnold Palmer Signature Course, swimming pools, marina, leisure trails, and an elegant clubhouse.

Indigo Run

Indigo Run is a 1780-acre private residential golf community bordering Broad Creek marshes with 1400 homes and lots, located only two miles from beaches. There is a unique blend of captivating, gated neighborhoods that offer singular lifestyle opportunities for their homeowners. Residential options span from the ultra-private Golf Club at Indigo Run, to the waterfront River Club and Broad Pointe, to the luxury and convenience of The Garden Homes at Berwick Green.

As a private golf community, the crowning glory of Indigo Run is its two Nicklaus golf courses. The country’s first Jack Nicklaus II (his son) course, called the Golf Club Course, is the pride of the community. The second course, inspired by Nicklaus Design, is called the Golden Bear Course. This outstanding golf course has its own clubhouse and is used for regional tournaments. The Golf Club Course is a private, members-only golf course with a highly exclusive membership. It includes a fitness center and a clubhouse with casual and fine dining.

Members of both clubs have full access to the private Sunningdale Park Tennis and Swim Center centrally located within Indigo Run. The park features six Har-Tur tennis courts, two of which are lighted, an Olympic sized swimming pool, and a well shaded playground.

Real Estate in Indigo Run

Indigo Run encompasses many secluded communities such as The preserve at Indigo Run, which is a lock-and-leave villa neighborhood; Berwick Green, which is a collection of luxury villas and garden homes; and River Club, which features homes with boat docks.

Palmetto Dunes

Nestled along a pristine, three-mile beach, Palmetto Dunes is a resort golf community that offers one of Hilton Head’s most complete vacation experiences.

A true golfer’s destination, Palmetto Dunes Resort is home to three of Hilton Head Island’s top championship courses: The Robert Trent Jones Course, the Arthur Hills Course, and the George Fazio Course, all challenging, top notch courses.

For those who prefer a racket over a golf club, the Palmetto Dunes 23-court tennis center serves as an excellent choice. Tennis Resorts Online ranked the Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center number 8 in the world.

The family-friendly location features a 1-mile lagoon network perfect for kayaking, 25 miles of paved biking trails, ample fishing, and more.

Real Estate In Palmetto Dunes

Many attractive and appealing homes can be found throughout Palmetto Dunes with wondrous views of the Atlantic Ocean, the 1-mile long lagoon system, and the golf courses. Many owners rent out their homes and villas on the short term rental market. Homes in Palmetto Dunes range in price from $600,000 to over $7 million.

Sea Pines

The Sea Pines Resort, located in Sea Pines Plantation, is a 5,200-acre gated resort golf community. Sea Pines is Hilton Head Island’s first planned residential community. Originally conceived by Charles Fraser in 1956, this resort community is the model for many other communities not only on the island but throughout the world.

Sea Pines is home to four golf courses: Harbour Town Golf Links, Ocean Course, Heron Point, and the only private course in Sea Pines, the Sea Pines Country Club.

Enjoy award-winning tennis on one of Sea Pines Resort’s 23 tennis courts, Tennis Magazine has ranked the resort’s tennis facility No. 3 among the country’s top tennis facilities.

A large swimming pool in Sea Pines Resort provides a great place to swim laps or just to float around and enjoy the sun. There’s also a kiddie pool for toddlers. Many of the luxury home rentals have private pools.

Sea Pines is much more than just a vacation spot. Owners of homes in Sea Pines enjoy the best of the resort amenities while enveloped in the tranquil beauty of the Lowcountry. Private golf just for members is found at the Sea Pines Golf Club. Shopping and world class restaurants in Sea Pines are found in the charming South Beach Marina, the newly renovated Sea Pines Center, and the national favorite, Harbour Town.

Real Estate in Sea Pines

Many stunning architectural gems can be found in Sea Pines with incredible water or golf views. Homes in Sea Pines range in price from $800,000 to $10 million.

Long Cove Club, Wexford, Indigo Run, Palmetto Dunes, and Sea Pines gated communities hold some of South Carolina’s finest golf courses. If you’re looking to play golf year round, add some tennis, and live in one of the best golf communities in the nation, look no further than these five.