The Sea Pines Resort Adds Pete Dye Exhibit at Harbour Town

The Pete Dye Room in the Harbour Town Clubhouse at The Sea Pines Resort opened Monday, Feb. 26 with a multi-media exhibit that explores the close relationship between Dye-the preeminent course designer of the modern era-and his celebrated creation, Harbour Town Golf Links.

Harbour Town was cited by Brad Klein, former architecture editor of Golfweek, as “one of the most innovative and revolutionary designs in the history of golf architecture.” The resort features a second Dye course, the acclaimed Heron Point.

The Pete Dye Room celebrates the life and work of the World Golf Hall of Fame member, showcasing some of his other influential designs as well as how his brilliant career inspired and changed the game. In one of the most comprehensive golf course architecture museum in the world, three videos offer insight into Dye’s philosophy and work ethic: In one, professional golfers and friends discuss their favorite Dye holes and courses; another relives the magic of the most famous shots on his courses; and a mini-documentary looks deeply into the creation of Harbour Town Golf Links and how Dye’s process as a builder revolutionized course design and play.

“Harbour Town made my career,” Dye said recently. The course opened to great fanfare 50 years ago just in time to boost a nascent PGA TOUR tournament called the Heritage Classic. Arnold Palmer staged one of his patented swashbuckling final-round charges for the inaugural victory in 1969, christening the Lowcountry destination as a “must visit” for all golfers. Harbour Town Golf Links still hosts the PGA TOUR’s RBC Heritage presented by Boeing, which will be played this year from April 9-15.

Two large-scale exhibits expose the machinery integral to plying his trade: a Smithco bunker rake, which he used for shaping greens, and a life-size image of Dye using a transit – a surveying device used to measure and create angles.

Also on display in the Dye Room are an exceptional sand-table interactive exhibit that shows how Dye designed and built holes; an interactive transit that looks at a course under construction; a cross section model of a putting green; and dozens of iconic images and tales of Dye and the people he has influenced in his storied six-decade career. There are also numerous trophies and awards that provide further testament to Dye’s place in golf and golf course design.

“We’re thrilled to honor the life and work of the great Pete Dye in our Harbour Town Clubhouse,” says Cary Corbitt, Vice President of Sports & Operations. “The stewardship of Pete Dye’s seminal design is important to us and his longtime contributions to Sea Pines, Hilton Head, and the golf world at large are immeasurable.”

For more information: seapines.com/golf or 866/561-8802.