Harbour Town links is home to the Heritage Classic PGA tournament and designed by Pete Dye. I visited the course in August 2016 and played from the Dye Tees just over 6000 meters long. The weather was hot and humid as expected.
I started with a quick warmup on the driving range and had a tee time with a couple of other holiday guests.
driving range at Harbour Town Links
the course
The first hole is straight forward par 4, all though the landing area for your tee shot is narrow. My drive was good, but missed my second shot right of the green. No big issue, but still needed a good scramble for par which I managed.
The 2nd hole is a par 5 slightly dogleg right and important to keep the ball on the lefthand side of the fairway for the best approach to the green in two. I did the opposite and went right of the fairway in the fringe and had to play it as a 3 shot hole. It is pretty short for a par 5, but obviously the key is getting the approach shot.
3rd hole a straightforward par 4, where I missed my approach shot and didn’t manage to scramble, so a bogey. Already now I felt that the first holes were pretty similar. Treeline holes and similar setup with either dogleg or relatively straight. I consider a top golf course is where you remember a lot holes by the design and architecture. Harbour Town Links has a lot of similar holes on the course, but as I found out on the next hole – some great par 3s.
fantastic par 3 hole 4 at Harbour Town Links
The 4th is a really par 3, withe the water running from tee to green and putting pressure on hitting the right shot. I hit a 7iron and 2 putted for par.
5th hole is another relatively short par 5, but your drive needs to be precise to avoid the right hand trees and the bunkers left of the fairway. I hit a solid drive just over the left-hand bunker and left myself a really good second shot that ended up in the fringe of the green. 2 putts and a nice birdie.
Approach to the 6th hole par 4 dogleg right. Missed my drive left and the green on my second, but saved par. The course had been through maintenance 3 weeks before which was visible on fairways and greens. It was still in reasonable shape and the greens was fast, but wasn’t up to perfect standards as you can expect during maintenance periods.
good par 3 at Harbour Town Links
7th hole another good par 3 with water in front and well protected by bunkers and the trees that will take any shots left or right. The green looks small from the tee due to the design of the hole and shape of the green. I hit an 8 iron on the green and got a par.
8th is a dogleg left where your drive is important to get the right angle to the green. I went a little long and left into the waste area under a tree. Did get on the green and manage to get par.
9th hole is a good par 4. Short, but with focus on precision. I made a bad course management choice and ended up between the trees on the left-hand side with my driver. Should have taken a long iron or rescue club to play more safe and leave a longer shot, but with a bigger chance of getting on the green in two shots. I got the penalty with a double bogey and what could have been a front nine in par was instead a 38.
A quick thunderstorm and rain shower came across during a quick break at the halfway house and we were lucky not the get any other showers that day which was great.
the back nine at Harbour Town Links
10th a dogleg left where I decided to take a 4 wood from the tee to avoid the trees on the left hand side. Left myself a good approach shot and got a par.
Another par 4 which requires a good tee shot to give yourself this best approach. I went left from the tee and had no real shot to green. Ended up short left hand side, but made a great recovery for par.
Dogleg right and again your drive needs to be well placed to get the best approach. My drive was good, but second shot missed the green and a bogey.
well designed par 4 hole 13 at Harbour Town Links
13th is one of the better par 4s on the course and a real course management beauty. The tee shot is so important if you want to get on the green in two, otherwise you are blocked out. I had a blind second shot, so decided to hit in the bunker right of the green.
That did not turn out well as you can see from above I was to close to the edge being left handed and went into the bunker again on my 3rd and eventually a double bogey.
best par 3 hole 14 at Harbour Town Links
14th is the best par 3 on the course and we decided to play from the back tees at 192 yards. I remember this hole from watching the Heritage and the bailout is left of the green where you can a lot of pros end up. I had to take dead aim and hit a perfect 5 iron to 6 ft from the hole. Did not get my birdie which was annoying, but still a great hole.
On 15th we had some visitors in the lake.
wild life on 15th hole at Harbour Town Links
15th is a nice long par 5 and I got my par even after a pretty bad drive right of the fairway.
Dogleg right with a big tree obstruction shots going too much right which I experienced and as a result a bogey.
Good par 3 with nice views. The pin was placed in the left hand corner and I had to try and go for it, which resulted in below approach shot.
Nearly impossible with my golf skills and also resulted in a double bogey after missing the shot long and of the green.
and of course the famous 18th which most keen golfers know. It is a good hole and a really strong finish to the course. I hit a great drive into the wind but hit my second shot left for a penalty shot and a double bogey.
my experience
Harbour Town Links is a good cours. Like many others have experienced the last 4-6 holes is the best part of the course together with the par 3s. The rest of the course is nothing spectacular and like many other good courses around the world. I am happy to have played the course, but it is probably not a place I would visit again as there are many other courses that ranks higher in my mind.
I shot 81 with 4 double bogeys and the main mistakes where due to poor course management from my side and I should have listened more to the caddie. Otherwise a good round of golf with solid shots.
