Hilton Head Island is a golf lover's paradise, offering 24 courses of nothing but fabulous golf. Hilton Head is the destination spot for scratch golfers and those who are "itching" to be scratch golfers.
10. Country Club of Hilton Head - Golfers will enjoy the salt marshes and lagoons on this Rees Jones course. The famous 12th hole overlooks the Intercoastal Waterway.
9. Oyster Reef Golf Course - This course was designed by famed course designer Rees Jones, and the rates are a bargain at $50-80, if you generally have trouble parting with your money.
8. Golden Bear Course at Indigo Run - Designed by the Golden Bear himself, Jack Nicklaus, the course is considered one of the "top 100 courses in America" by Travel + Leisure magazine. Each golf cart is outfitted with a GPS system that acts as your personal, albeit electronic, caddy.
7. Bear Creek Golf Club - This private club is available only to its 250 members, seeking to maintain exclusivity and perfection in every detail. There are no cart fees, no tee times, no reservations and no way of getting past the padlocked front gate (unless you're one of the lucky 250, that is).
6. George Fazio Course at Palmetto Dunes - The Fazio Course is regarded by some golfers as the toughest course on Hilton Head Island, though the members of People United by the Tendency to Thumb Suck (PUTTS) cannot always be trusted.
5. Harbour Town Golf Links - Pete Dye's course and the surrounding resort are considered the heartbeat of Hilton Head Island. The fees reflect the pretentious nature of Harbour Town, running upward of $200. Harbour Town is also home to the MCI Classic, a PGA favorite.
4. Golf Club at Indigo Run - This is the first collaboration of Jack Nicklaus and his son, Little Jack, and was voted as one of the "Top Ten New Private Courses" in 1996 by Golf Digest.
3. Long Cove Club - Long Cove is the recipient of numerous golf awards and is considered to be Pete Dye's finest design. Its views of marshes and moss-covered oak trees give the golfer a true Low Country experience.
2. The Calibouge Course at Haig Point - The Calibouge is a Rees Jones Course, offering golfers 29 holes of golf. The course's layout provides the possibility of various 18-hole combinations in conjunction with two other courses.
1. Robert Cupp Course - The top spot at Hilton Head Island goes to the Robert Cupp Course. With a USGA rating of 75.6, the course's difficulty may lead to your early demise. Lush fairways are lined with moss-draped trees, leading to the course's notoriously tough 18th hole, the final nail in your coffin.
You'll want to take your time on each course to soak in the gorgeous views as each hole silently mocks you. You may plan to stay a week, but you'll never want to leave.
This tidbit of real travel advice was contributed by Sara Stone.