Anson Point

Palmetto Bluff, the magnificent 20,000-acre private community set at the confluence of the May, Cooper and New Rivers in South Carolina's Lowcountry, has long been one of America's most captivating golf destinations. Its existing Jack Nicklaus Signature course at May River has earned consistently strong rankings, and the reversible nine-hole Crossroads layout from King-Collins added a fresh dimension to the offering. But the opening of Anson Point in 2026 represents something altogether more significant — a genuine landmark moment for golf in the Lowcountry.

The private 18-hole, par-71 layout lies within a 500-acre landscape west of Hilton Head Island, managed by the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy, a non-profit established to protect the land and wetlands throughout the property. Of those 500 acres, only 80 are used as fairways, greens and bunkers — the remainder left entirely undisturbed. It is a remarkably restrained and ecologically minded approach, and one that permeates every aspect of the design.

The course takes its name from Admiral George Anson, the mid-18th-century British naval officer and explorer, and that spirit of discovery is very much alive on the course. Designed by the celebrated partnership of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw — the duo responsible for some of the most revered layouts in the modern game — the holes were shaped to fit the land's natural contours, with each bunker mound and green complex reflecting the site's existing features. Rather than drawing a hard line between play and wilderness, the design uses native grasses, sandy edges and unmanicured buffers to blend golf seamlessly into the landscape.

The par-71 course stretches from 6,859 to 7,000 yards and delivers an immersive, walking-friendly experience grounded in strategy, subtlety and respect for the land. The greens are slightly smaller than average, with natural slopes and subtle undulations that reward accuracy and imagination. Bunkering is minimal but intentional, using native sand found on site and focused on strategic placement rather than visual drama. The result is a course that feels fair but never simple, and one that will richly reward repeat visits.

Where the existing May River course offers bold visuals and elevated shotmaking, Anson Point leans into subtlety, texture and restraint — the two layouts complementing rather than competing with one another. Bill Coore himself captured the ethos perfectly: "As we studied the site that would become Anson Point, we came to believe it had the potential to yield a golf course of strong individual character, one that would provide highly interesting golf while showcasing the natural beauty of the Carolina Lowcountry."

With no homes lining its fairways and the Conservancy actively managing the surrounding land through prescribed burns to promote wildflower and native plant species, Anson Point offers a rare purity of experience. Each hole is framed solely by forest, marsh and wildlife — wild, quiet and utterly alive. It is, without question, one of the most thoughtfully conceived new courses in America, and an absolute must for any serious golfer visiting the Hilton Head area.