Davis Love III and his brother Mark, principles of Love Golf Design, has been hired to redesign the Ocean Course at the Sea Pines Resort at Hilton Head Island, S.C.
Love Golf has completed many previous course designs and renovations, including the Love Course at Barefoot Resort in Myrtle Beach, Laurel Island Golf Club in Kingsland and the Retreat Course at Sea Island.
The Ocean Course was the first course built on Hilton Head in 1962 by George Cobb. It was remodeled in 1995 under the watchful eye of PGA Tour winner Mark McCumber.
The course will close for play in October 2015 and reopen in Sept. 2016.
“Sea Pines is one of my all-time favorite places to play so we’re excited to redesign the Ocean Course to be in line with the great golf offered by Harbour Town Golf Links and Heron Point,” says Love, a five-time winner of the RBC Heritage held at Harbour Town. “It’s an honor for us to work with one of the world’s premier golf destinations.”
The project follows completed enhancements by Pete Dye to his Heron Point design, which reopened for play on Sept. 22. Dye’s team softened the green surrounds and contours, enlarged several greens, and added ornamental landscape beds throughout the layout. The putting surfaces were transitioned to Tif-Eagle Bermuda grass.
Next May, after the 2015 RBC Heritage, Harbour Town Golf Links will close for the summer as its fairways will be changed to cutting-edge Celebration Bermuda grass. Harbour Town’s greens will additionally be reseeded with Tif-Eagle Bermuda, the same grass on the putting surfaces since 2001, and the irrigation system will be replaced.
“We’re thrilled to have a great champion like Davis Love III and his exceptional design team working on the Ocean Course,” says Cary Corbitt, Vice President of Sports and Operations. “Our continual goal at The Sea Pines Resort is to offer world-class golf.”
Earlier this year, the legendary Lowcountry destination opened its new Plantation Golf Club clubhouse and golf learning center serving Heron Point and the Ocean Course. The amenities of the 23,000-square-foot clubhouse include an expansive pro shop; Live Oak, Lowcountry-inspired cuisine; 2,000 square feet of event space; and spacious men’s and women’s locker rooms.
