Davis Love III remembers the first time he saw Pete Dye’s classic Harbour Town Golf Links at The Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island, S.C..
“My dad (Davis Love, Jr.) played in (the Heritage Classic) in 1969,’’ Love said as he sat inside the Harbour Town clubhouse. “I clearly remember being here for the tournament because I went in the marsh looking for golf balls.
“I don’t remember anything about my dad playing – or anything else about my first trip to Hilton Head – except for marsh and mud. It was very sticky.’’
Love, Jr., who died in a 1988 plane crash, tied for 40th in that inaugural Heritage Classic won by Arnold Palmer.
Love III went on to win the event’s plaid jacket five times during his PGA Tour career. So when it came time to renovate Harbour Town following the 2025 Heritage Classic this past April, Love III and his Love Golf Design team was the obvious choice, although Sea Pines Director of Sports Operations John Farrell did get some advice from legendary architect Tom Doak.
Unbeknownst to only but a few people, Doak walked Harbour Town alone (no doubt followed by the spirits of Dye and Sea Pines Founder Charles Fraser) early one morning to get a feel for the course that opened in1969 and helped started Dye on road to becoming the pre-eminent architect of his time. Ol’ Pete, by the way, got some help at Harbour Town from his wife, Alice, and a young Jack Nicklaus, who was just getting started in the design business.
“Tom said, ‘You got a Pete Dye masterpiece that revolutionized American golf course architecture,’’’ said Farrell, who has been involved in golf at every level at Sea Pines for the past 38 years. “The worst thing you could do is is make a wholesale change to the integrity of the golf course, so theTour players could come back and say, ‘You know, I liked it more before you messed it up.’’’
Let’s get this straight. Love III, and a team led by architect Scot Sherman and course builder Allan MacCurrach – a longtime Dye collaborator – didn’t “mess it up.’’ Not even close. Harbour Town Golf Links now is as close to Dye’s original vision as it likely ever will be – from its stacked sod bunkers to new bulkheads to renovated greens and tee boxes and a new irrigation system.
The par-five, fifth hole received the most attention, including the removal of an eyesore cart path in the middle of the fairway and expanded the left lagoon 10 feet closer to the fairway where the cart path was; the green complex was lowered 16 and restored closer to its original shape; and a live oak on the right side of the green was moved 18 feet closer to the fairway, with the canopy reaching out to the right third of the green complex.
On the par-three, 14th hole, the existing green-side bunker changed to stacked sod, and an additional stacked sod bunker was added.
Pot bunkers on the 14th hole at Harbour Town Golf Links
“I’ve been coming here for a long, long time,’’ said Love III, who grew up on Sea Island, GA., about two hours south of Hilton Head Island. “It was an honor to be a small part of a big team.
“My job with this great team was to say, “This is what Pete would like for us to do now.’ But I was just, again, a small part of the team. Scot Sherman came up under Pete and Alice in the golf course, design and architecture side of the business.’’
Love reiterated what Farrell heard from PGA Tour players – from Tom Watson to Scottie Scheffler: Don’t mess it up.
“We all had our goals and desires and we all had to come to the conclusion, “This is what Pete would do.’’’ Love said. “Because we all made a list of things that we felt like we needed to do and protect, the team came up with a great plan.
“One of the great things that Allan says is, ‘Plan your work and work your plan.’ I think we planned it very well.’’
And delivered on Dye’s vision.
https://www.seapines.com/golf/courses/harbour-town-golf-links
Feature Photo: 17th hole at Harbour Town Golf Links (Bill Hornstein)