Golf’s Open Championship taking place in Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England in 2023
For golf-loving families, there’s not much more satisfying than the week of golf’s oldest major championship, the Open Championship (or the “British Open” as we Yanks often call it). Here in the States, there’s something uniquely enjoyable about being able to wake up at the crack of dawn to watch major championship action on TV.
Royal Liverpool Golf Club - Photo Credit by UK Golf Guy
This year’s Open Championship will be contested for the 13th time at Royal Liverpool Golf Club links at Hoylake, England — not far from downtown Liverpool where, 60 years ago, the Beatles began changing the face of rock and roll. Not surprisingly, it is a venue that tends to coronate rock star champions. Tiger Woods captured the 2006 Open Championship there and Rory McIlroy won at Liverpool in 2014.
The Old Course at St. Andrews - Photo Credit from UK Golf Guy
Since the famous Merseyside course hosted its most recent international event, the 2019 Walker Cup, work has been going on to make the layout a bit more challenging and aesthetically pleasing for viewers both on site and at home. Royal Liverpool can now accommodate more spectators than any Open venue other than last year’s host site, the Old Course at St. Andrews.
Royal Liverpool Golf Club - Photo Credit by Your Golf Travel
Much of the renovation work at Royal Liverpool has been performed by Martin Ebert, currently the R&A’s favored architect for renovating Open courses. Of the changes that have been made, Ebert’s design of a new 17th, a short hole replacing the old 15th, is likely to cause the most discussion.
The hole has been built for TV — similar to the 17th at TPC Sawgrass and the 16th at TPC Scottsdale, site of the recent WM Phoenix Open — to generate excitement for spectators and to break up the run of flat holes that precede it, strengthening what famed golf writer Bernard Darwin called “Hoylake’s doughty finish.” If this year’s Open competitors survive the 17th without calamity, there is still the 18th, which has been lengthened to more than 600 yards.
Experience World Famous Virtual Golf Courses and Golf Games for the Whole Family at Palmetto Dunes Toptracer Range
During “Family Golf Month,” guests at Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort on Hilton Head Island can enjoy the experience of playing links-style courses such as last years Old Course at St. Andrews without having to book a long flight overseas. The Toptracer Range at Palmetto Dunes offers The Old Course, along with numerous others of the world’s most famous virtual layouts for golfers to experience.
Palmetto Dunes became the first resort in the entire southeast to open a Toptracer Range. At the resort’s Robert Trent Jones practice range, the high-tech driving range allows guests to compete against friends and receive instant shot feedback, or simply warm up for their rounds at one of Palmetto Dunes’ trio of award-winning golf courses.
Toptracer Range uses the same technology that tracks and displays ball flight in real-time during the television broadcasts of tournaments on the PGA and LPGA Tours, the most advanced in golf. At Palmetto Dunes, golfers can hit shots from underneath a sun- and rain-blocking awning. The configuration includes 14 hitting bays, plus a VIP area. Be sure to check out our 10.0 release of the free Palmetto Dunes Golf App. Features include interactive score cards, GPS, quick and easy tee time bookings, hole descriptions and playing tips, live tournaments and more.
Making the Toptracer Range even more fun for the entire family during Family Golf Month, Palmetto Dunes offers a range menu featuring handheld options including nachos, chips & guac with a side of salsa, chicken strips with fries, wings, pizzas, pretzels bites with cheese sauce, fried pickles, spinach & artichoke dip, and a bacon cheeseburger.
Soft drinks, beer, wine and mixed drinks are also available on the range. Try our new refreshing PDR Oceanfront Beer, crafted with a light, crisp, refreshing taste with hints of Orange Zest. Or dine after at Big Jim’s BBQ, Burgers, Pizza & Catering while overlooking the Robert Trent Jones golf course.
Take a Hilton Head Vacation to Palmetto Dunes and Enjoy Golfing, Biking, Pickleball, Boat Rentals, Events, General Store Ice Cream and More
The Toptracer Range is one of countless fun, family amenities to enjoy at Palmetto Dunes. There are 2,000-acres of activities along three miles of Atlantic Ocean beach on one side and an Intracoastal Waterway marina on the other. At the resort’s iconic Palmetto Dunes General Store, parents can purchase gift cards for their children to use during their stay.
Pickleball is one of the world’s fastest growing sports for all ages and Palmetto Dunes boasts one of the best tennis and pickleball complexes in the United States, including 24 lighted pickleball courts and 17 clay tennis courts. The Palmetto Dunes Tennis & Pickleball Center received the “2020 Pickleball Resort of the Year” designation from Racquet Sports Industry Magazine.
Regularly named in the top 25 “World’s Best Family Getaways” by Travel + Leisure — along with the “Best Resort in the South” by Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers' Choice Awards — Palmetto Dunes features an 11-mile inland salt-water lagoon system for kayaking, fishing and much more. Hilton Head Outfitters boasts the island’s largest fleet of bike rentals. The network of bike trails at Palmetto Dunes conveniently connects with nearly 50 miles of paved public pathways and nature trails.
And, of course, neighboring Shelter Cove Harbour and Marina is a Mediterranean-style marina featuring shopping and dining, and also home to a wide variety of charters including nature cruises, dolphin tours, sport crabbing and fishing. During the season, Palmetto Dunes offers a free on-call Dunes Buggy shuttle to transport guests back and forth. Harbourfest is a legendary festival held at Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina select Tuesdays from June into August (visit ShelterCoveHarbourFest.com for the full schedule), and consisting of live entertainment by Shannon Tanner, kids’ activities with Cappy the Clown, vendors, and fireworks that are especially impressive over the water.
During Family Golf Month and beyond, what more could you want than a round at the birthplace of golf, followed by more family activities than you could possibly imagine? Pack up the family, come to Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort and experience it all for yourself.
