Where Is the RBC Golf Tournament Played?

The RBC golf tournament, better known as The RBC Heritage, is a PGA Tour event that has been played since 1969. It is one of the most popular and anticipated tournaments in the world of golf. The RBC Heritage is one of only five tournaments that have an ”invitational” status. Prospective golfers generally ask – where is the RBC golf tournament played?

The RBC golf tournament is held annually at Harbour Town Golf Links golf course at the Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. The golf course is praised as being one of the best in the world and was designed by the architect Pete Dye.

Golfer getting ready to hit the ball

Where Is the RBC Golf Tournament Played?

Golfers arrive every year at the Harbout Town Golf Links course at the Sea Pines Resort to participate in the competition. The South Carolina course is one of the best on the PGA Tour and in the Carolinas. It is popular for its overhanging trees and narrow fairways.

What is more, it is open to the public and booking a round at the course is not complicated. The best way to do it is to secure a stay at Sea Pines Resort. One can opt for the Villa Golf Package and have the opportunity to play at Harbour Town, Atlantic Dunes and Heron Point. If you don’t want to stay at the resort, playing at Harbour Town is available as well. Depending on the season, green fees range between $185 and $360.

A landscape picture of a golf course

What Makes the RBC Heritage Special?

Charles E. Fraser, Sea Pines founder, established the tournament in 1969. Through the decades, it has raised a lot of money for charities and is also responsible for placing the Sea Pines Resort and the Hilton Head Island on the world map.

The highly anticipated competition is held the week after the Masters. It has grown from a small tournament to a well-known and respected event that has an extensive fan base. Every year more than 100,000 spectators arrive from all over the world and the USA, and many more tune in and watch the players on CBS and the Golf Channel. Some of the most talented players and brightest stars in the sport come to display their unique skills.

The start of the RBC Heritage is like no other on the PGA Tour as the Heritage Classic Foundation Board members, the past winner, state dignitaries, and volunteers parade around the Harbour Town Yacht Basin. The winner is given his Captain of Gentlemen Golfers plaque, and he uses an authentic hickory club to hit a ball into the Calibogue Sound simultaneously with the cannon shot. This event marks the official beginning of the tournament week.

Golfer taking a shot

What Is the Most Important Information About the RBC Heritage?

Here is a table of all the necessary information prospective golfers should know about the most important event in the sport.

AttendanceIn 2022 100,000 people attended the RBC Heritage
WhenApril 10-16
Volunteer EffortAs many as 1,200 volunteers work during the Tournament week
Purse$8.3M
Economic ImpactThe event brings more than $102 million into the economy of South Carolina
ContributionsEvery year the tournament donates to charitable organizations, medical institutions and the arts approximately $1.6 million.
Television and RadioThe Golf Channel, CBS Sports, and PGA TOUR Radio
Champion of 2022Jordan Spieth

It Is One of Five Tournaments to Have the Invitational Status

The PGA Tour only gave invitational status to five tournaments, and the RBC Heritage is one of them. Other tournaments of the same kind include the Charles Schwab Challenge, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Memorial Tournament, and the Genesis Invitational.

The RBC Heritage has a reduced field with only 132 players. Other full-field tournaments have as many as 156 golfers. The benefit of the invitational status is that with smaller fields, there is more freedom than on full-field open tournaments when it comes to determining who is eligible to participate. They don’t need to fill the fields with the PGA Tour Priority System. Additionally, they don’t offer open qualifying.

A ball on the course

Why Is the Tournament Held in the Sea Pines Resort?

Every year the players gather at the Sea Pines Resort that is located on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. It is a private residential gated community of 5,200 acres that is home to four renowned golf courses – the Sea Pines Country Club Course, the Heron Point golf course, Atlantic Dunes, and Harbour Town Golf Links.

The resort offers an array of activities for families and individuals, from natural beaches to biking trails, tennis, and golf. The nature and the area that is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and Calibogue Sound make the resort the ideal place for a golf competition.

Golfers Play at the Harbour Town Golf Links Course

In the context of the RBC Heritage, and the Harbour Town Golf Links course is simply referred to as ”Hilton Head”. It is ranked among the best courses in the USA by Golf Magazine and Golf Digest. Pete Dye designed the course in 1967. Key characteristics of the course are narrow fairways, pines, dark lagoons, palmettos, and overhanging oaks.

It is designed to be uniquely challenging and different from other golf courses on the tour for professional golfers. It is a par 71 courses and 7,099 yards from the back tees. They have to manage the short yardage and tight fairways. There are instances when the player doesn’t have a direct shot to the green. In order to win the tournament, tee shots have to be placed on the best sides of the fairways. Also, coastal waterways and lagoons force the golfers to take more conservative shots with their set of irons.

A golfer taking a shot on the course

Fans Cherish the Authentic Atmosphere of the RBC Tournament

The RBC Heritage is considered one of the favorites among the players as well as the fans. The Sea Pines Resort attract an overwhelming number of spectators who come with their families to enjoy different activities and the game. One of the best aspects of the event is that the fans can get up close and personal with the golfers, see them driving their golf carts and enjoy great views of the competition. Some of the biggest stars in the history of the sport participated, such as

  • Arnold Palmer,
  • Tom Watson,
  • Jack Nicklaus,
  • Greg Norman, and
  • Davis Love III.

Purchase a Ticket and Get Ready for the Upcoming RBC Heritage

The highly esteemed competition is organized annually at the most luxurious and beautiful Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island. Players have the opportunity to play on the challenging golf course, The Harbour Town Golf Links, and spectators witness the sport’s biggest players achieve ideal shots on par-4 holes. The next competition will be organized in April, and the tickets will go on sale this fall. Don’t miss out on an opportunity to experience this spectacular event.