Heritage Tournament

In addition to being home to numerous highly acclaimed courses, designed by some of the most revered golf course architects in the world, Hilton Head Island is also the birthplace of the one of most popular and prestigious PGA TOUR events… The Heritage played at Harbour Town Golf Links in The Sea Pines Resort. This family-friendly golf tourney annually features some of the biggest names in golf and attracts thousands of spectators.

For the biggest social event on Hilton Head Island, high-powered golf action, postcard perfect sites and the best party of the year there is nothing like being at The Heritage. Tournament badges are now on sale for the 43rd annual event taking place April 18-24, 2011. New in 2011 are Daily Grounds Tickets.

History

When the first Heritage teed off in 1969, Harbour Town Golf Links was so new the famous candy cane striped lighthouse was still under construction and parts of the fairways needed to be spray-painted green.

Arnold Palmer won that first Heritage and brought an end to a 14-month losing streak and reclaimed his title of “King of Golf” of that era. With Palmer's career-extending win, the first Heritage gained great notoriety in the golf world. The national media followed the story closely making the Heritage and Hilton Head Island a golf destination.

Harbour Town is now recognized as one of the top 100 courses in the United States by Golf Digest Magazine, and The Heritage boasts a distinguished list of champions including: Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, Bernhard Langer, Greg Norman, Davis Love III and the late Payne Stewart. According to a 2005 Economic Impact study conducted by Clemson University, the tournament generates more than $80 million in sales each year.

Since its inception, the driving force of The Heritage, played each April, has been to improve lives, one tournament at a time. Every dollar of revenue generated by the Heritage Classic Foundation, general tournament sponsor, is distributed to charitable organizations across the state. Close to $21 million has been donated to those in need, since the Foundation was created in 1987. “Two hundred and seven high school seniors have gone to college thanks to our scholar program,” says Tournament Director Steve Wilmot, “that is in addition to the hundreds of groups who receive grants, work our concession stands and participate in our Birdies for Charity program each year.”

One of those groups is the Hilton Head Heroes, a non-profit organization that provides no- cost resort vacations for children with life-threatening illnesses. “It’s a fun-filled week, free of doctor’s visits and financial worries,” says Founder Gregg Russell. “The funding we receive from the Heritage Classic Foundation plays a major role in enabling us to give these families a vacation they will remember forever.”

In keeping with tradition, the real winners of South Carolina’s only PGA TOUR event are its residents.