Sea Marsh Golf Course Renovation Project
 The Sea Pines Company goes for quality - very high quality - in its renovation of the Sea Marsh Golf course, according to the Director of Sports and Retail, Cary Corbett.
Originally the plan was to renovate, similar to that of the Ocean Course a few years ago at a cost of four to five million dollars, but the project has turned from a course renovation to a complete reconstruction, that will cost close to nine million.
Nothing will be left untouched.
 The architect of the reconstruction project, Pete Dye, well known golf course architect, has designed several of the Golf Digest best 100 courses including Long Cove and Harbortown. Pete Dye specializes in designing courses that are championship quality and user-friendly at the same time. For example, the new Sea Marsh course will have five sets of tees that range from tournament length to a very short set made specifically for junior golfers.
The project which started in September of 2006 should be completed in about one year.
The reconstruction plans call for new tees which will be square in shape, completely redesigned fairways that will call for “target” golf, and will have major elevation changes as well as lots of mounding. Corbett says there will be more than 600,000 cubic yards of soil added to the fairways to create a sense of movement on the course. The greens will be larger than they are now and will feature a new hybrid grass called Mini-Verde which will have all the advantages of the greens of Harbortown without the difficulty of maintenance. Bunkers will be redesigned with the addition of several very large waste bunkers typical of Dye courses. Even the lagoons and water hazards will be redone to enhance the overall look and playability of the course. With new drainage, irrigation and pumping system, the only thing that will be recognizable will be the overall routing plan of the existing course.
Although everyone is looking forward to the many improvements at the Sea Marsh, the project has not been without controversy. When Dye originally applied to remove several large oak trees to allow for more light and air movement on the course, the Town of Hilton Head withheld approval. However, a compromise was reached and the reconstruction is moving along as planned.
According to Corbett, the new Sea Marsh course will bring a new standard of quality golf to Hilton Head Island and, hopefully, this idea will catch on as other Island courses are due for renovation.
Hats off to The Sea Pines Company. We are all looking forward to playing the new and improved Sea Marsh Golf Course.
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Start Date 9/06
Expected Finish 9/07
Cost +- $9MM
Architect: Pete Dye
Complete renovation: tees, fairways, bunkers, many water hazards and greens.
New drainage
New irrigation and pump house
Focus on high quality
Square tees
Lots of movement and mounding in the fairways
Greens – mini verde new hybrid
Greens fees presently $125-130 peak expect to increase when Sea marsh complete
Possible name change
Large waste bunkers
Fairways reduced in size
New water hazards
Took out 900+ trees
John Richardson Head Professional
Rick Barry Teaching Professional
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