RBC Heritage Course Preview

Harbour Town Golf Links

Harbour Town Golf Links, home to the RBC Heritage golf tournament, is a 7191-yard, par-71 course located in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Known for its incredibly small greens, diverse 9’s, and emphasis on ballstriking, Harbour Town is a unique test of a golfer’s game. In order to select the right players for your DFS lineups, it’s crucial to understand the key statistics and course features that can impact player performance, and I will break all that down for you below, but first a little history lesson on one of the most well known courses in the world!

The Course:

History

Harbour Town Golf Links is located in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and has been a mainstay on the PGA Tour since it first hosted the inaugural Heritage Classic in 1969. The course is part of the beautiful Sea Pines Resort and has been a favorite among players and fans alike for its unique challenges and breathtaking setting.

Design

The course was designed by the legendary architect Pete Dye, with input from golf icon Jack Nicklaus, who collaborated on the design. This was actually Nicklaus’ first foray into golf course design, which makes Harbour Town Golf Links even more special. The course is known for its small greens, tight fairways, and strategic bunkering, as well as the iconic red and white-striped lighthouse that overlooks the 18th green.

With a par of 71 and playing at around 7,100 yards, Harbour Town may not be the longest course on the PGA Tour, but it certainly demands precision and strategy. Players must be accurate off the tee and have a solid short game to score well on this course.

Routing

Harbour Town’s routing is unique and memorable, taking players on a journey through the maritime forests, alongside the Calibogue Sound, and right up to the famous lighthouse. The front nine is heavily tree-lined and demands accuracy, while the back nine opens up to more stunning water views and winds that can greatly impact play.

Some of the standout holes at Harbour Town Golf Links include:

• Hole 14: A challenging par-3 that plays along the Calibogue Sound, requiring a precise tee shot to a narrow green guarded by water and sand.
• Hole 17: Another demanding par-3, where players must navigate a large water hazard and a treacherous green.
• Hole 18: The iconic finishing hole, a dogleg-right par-4 with the lighthouse in the background. Players must avoid water along the right side of the fairway and strategically place their approach shots to the well-guarded green.

Understanding the history, design, and routing of Harbour Town Golf Links is essential when selecting players for your PGA DFS lineup. We want to look for golfers with strong course management, ball-striking, and short game skills to excel on this beautiful and challenging layout.

Tournament Set-up: 

Par: 36-35—71
Yardage: 7,191
Stimpmeter: 11.5

Course Statistics

Average Green Size: 3,700 sq. ft.
Acres of Fairway: 22 Acres of Rough: 47
Number of Sand Bunkers: 54
Number of Holes Water is in Play: 18

Greens: Poa trivialis overseed .115”
Collars: Poa trivialis overseed .325”
Approaches: Perennial rye overseed .325”
Tees: Perennial ryegrass overseed .325”
Fairways: Perennial rye overseed .375”
Rough: Perennial ryegrass overseed 2.5”

Additional Notes

• A new pro tee was added on No 7.

• Changes before last year’s event included new tees on No. 2, 5 and 17 and a palm tree to No. 10 greenside bunker (replaced an old pine tree that was lost several years ago).

• A wet winter was followed by a warmer than normal February and a cooler than normal March.

Links to DFS Army Tools

• PGA Research Station – Every single stat you could want for this week’s event!
• PGA Cheatsheets – Notes on all the viable players in the field
• PGA Domination Station – One-click Optimized Lineups in Seconds

Keys to Success 

Strokes Gained

In DFS golf, strokes gained is one of the most important metrics for evaluating player performance. At Harbour Town, with its narrow fairways and small greens, accuracy is key. Look for players with strong strokes gained in the following categories:

1. Strokes Gained: Approach (SG:APP) – Hitting the tiny greens at Harbour Town is crucial, so target golfers with a solid iron game, particularly recent form (check the PGA Research Station for this!)
2. Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green (SG:T2G) – With a premium on accuracy, golfers who excel from tee to green will have a significant advantage here.
3. Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green (SG:ARG) – Missing the green is a common occurrence here, so a strong short game will be important for recovery and saving par. It’s tricky though, because elite iron players don’t always have great around the green stats because they rarely miss the green. Scrambling, which we will talk about in a second, might be a better indicator.

Key Stats

When analyzing players for the RBC Heritage, keep an eye on these stats:

1. Greens in Regulation (GIR) – A higher GIR percentage indicates that a golfer is better at hitting greens in the right number of strokes.
2. Driving Accuracy – As mentioned earlier, accuracy off the tee is vital at Harbour Town. Look for players with a high percentage of fairways hit.
3. Scrambling – With tight fairways and small greens, golfers will need to get creative with their short game. Scrambling measures a player’s ability to recover from missed greens.

Course Features:

1. Small Greens: One of the most prominent features of Harbour Town Golf Links is its small greens. These small, well-protected putting surfaces demand precision and accuracy on approach shots. Golfers who excel in greens in regulation (GIR) and have a strong iron game will likely perform well here.
2. Tight Fairways: The course is known for its narrow, tree-lined fairways, which put a premium on accuracy off the tee. Players who can consistently hit fairways will be at a significant advantage, as they’ll have better angles into the small greens.
3. Strategic Bunkering: Pete Dye, the course’s designer, is famous for his clever use of bunkers, and Harbour Town is no exception. Players will encounter a variety of sand traps throughout the course, requiring smart decision-making and accurate shot-making to avoid trouble.
4. Water Hazards: The course features numerous water hazards, particularly on the back nine, where holes run alongside the Calibogue Sound. Golfers will need to manage their risk and choose the right shots to avoid finding the water.
5. Wind: The coastal location of Harbour Town Golf Links means that wind can play a significant role, especially on the more exposed back nine. Players who can control their ball flight and adjust to changing conditions will have a better chance of success.
6. Doglegs and Course Management: The course features several doglegs that force players to think strategically about their tee shots and approach angles. Golfers who excel in course management and can shape their shots around corners will be better positioned to score well.

Player Selection Factors:

1. Accuracy off the Tee: With tight fairways and tree-lined corridors, players who excel in driving accuracy will have a significant advantage at Harbour Town. Prioritize golfers who consistently hit fairways and can shape their shots around doglegs.
2. Strong Iron Game: Given the small greens at Harbour Town, targeting players with a strong iron game is crucial. Focus on golfers with high Strokes Gained: Approach (SG:APP) and Greens in Regulation (GIR) stats.
3. Short Game and Scrambling: It’s inevitable that even the most accurate players will miss greens at this course. Golfers with a strong short game and high scrambling percentages will be better equipped to recover from missed greens and save par.
4. Wind Play: Harbour Town’s coastal location means that wind can be a significant factor. Look for players with a proven ability to control their ball flight and perform well in windy conditions.
5. Course History: Past success at Harbour Town can be a good indicator of a player’s comfort level and ability to navigate the course. Consider golfers with strong finishes in previous RBC Heritage events or similar Pete Dye-designed courses.
6. Recent Form: Golfers coming into the RBC Heritage with strong recent performances may carry that momentum into the tournament. Check recent stats and finishes to identify players in good form.
7. Value and Ownership: In DFS, finding value and low-owned players can help set your lineup apart from the competition. Look for golfers who may be underpriced or overlooked based on their skill set and course fit.

Quotes about the Course:

• Luke Donald: “Harbour Town is a course that requires a lot of strategy and precision. You can’t just overpower it. You have to pick your spots and hit it in the right areas on the greens. It’s a thinking man’s course.”
• Jim Furyk: “At Harbour Town, you really have to be in control of your ball. The greens are small, so you have to be really precise with your approach shots. The wind can also be a factor, so you need to be able to control your trajectory and shape your shots.”
• Matt Kuchar: “The key to playing well at Harbour Town is positioning off the tee. You have to hit fairways to give yourself the best chance to hit the small greens. The greens are really small and fast, so the approach shots are critical.”
• Graeme McDowell: “Harbour Town is all about strategy and placement. You have to be very disciplined off the tee, and it’s important to leave yourself the right angles into the greens. Your short game has to be sharp, as you’re going to miss some greens, and getting up and down can be the difference between a good round and a bad one.”
• Brandt Snedeker: “At Harbour Town, it’s important to have a solid game plan and stick to it. There are certain holes where you have to take your medicine and play conservatively, and others where you can be more aggressive. Patience is key, as the course will challenge you, but if you stay patient and execute your shots, you can score well.”

 

Past Results:

• 2022: Jordan Spieth -13
• 2021: Stewart Cink -19
• 2020: Webb Simpson -22
• 2019: C.T. Pan -12
• 2018: Satoshi Kodaira -12
• 2017: Wesley Bryan -13

The average winning score at the RBC Heritage really varies depending on the course conditions, weather, and other factors that may impact scoring. The year that Satoshi Kodaira won, he posted a score early in the day (along with Si Woo Kim) and then waited for everyone else to collapse with the wind and rain in the afternoon.

 

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Weather:

Weather typically always plays a role here, and while it can change quickly right now it appears to be fairly benign.

Potentially a delay Friday morning that could soften up the course a touch, but we will wait and see if there is any sort of wave advantage. We will be breaking that down for our VIPs in the discord!

Final Thoughts:

The field this week is STACKED and it’s going to be intriguing to see how some of the world’s best play at a course/event that has traditionally emphasized a different skill set than most of those guys have. I will break it all down for our VIPs with my weekly PGA Cheatsheets! Good luck this week!!

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