OHIO FEATURES
They're baack:
Every year, you can
count on Ohio golfers
heading to Hilton Head
in droves
By Jason Stahl,
Staff Writer
BAY VILLAGE, Ohio (Nov. 29, 2002) -- Natives of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, can spot them from a mile away. Their complexions are pasty white from many sunless months, and their knuckles are scabbed over from a winter spent scraping ice off their cars. In addition, they may be wearing an ensemble of scarlet and gray, or orange and brown.
"They" are Ohioans, and every year they flock to the tennis shoe-shaped island for the same reasons millions of other tourists do. They frolick on crystalline beaches, gorge on fresh seafood, and, oh yeah, play golf on some of the finest courses in the United States.
According to a Hilton Head Chamber of Commerce visitor profile study, Cleveland represents the sixth highest visitor origin market behind New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Greenville-Spartanburg-Asheville, and Atlanta.
"In summer, that's all you see are Ohio plates," says Sam Hersh, president of Business Travel Group of Mayfield Heights, Ohio. "And in winter, the only reason you won't see the same number of them is that the second homers have South Carolina plates."
The
same study showed that golf was the top motivating factor among
all visitors who inquire about vacationing in Hilton Head. In
addition, one or more people in nearly 50 percent of all travel
parties play golf on their visits. So it's just as easy to spot
an Ohioan on one of the island's 22 golf courses as it is to see
them shark fishing or driving around town in search of the homes
of known island celebrities such as Michael Jordan, Patricia Cornwell,
and John Mellencamp.
"Hilton Head golf vacations are among the top five bookings I make," says Bonnie Leitch, president/owner of Fairview Travel Center in Fairview Park, Ohio. "The golf is top-notch, plus the accommodations are wonderful and the lifestyle is upscale and nice."
Hersh of Business Travel Group also ranks Hilton Head as one of the top destinations his golf clients ask about. "The Hilton Head golf bookings have been very steady over the years. They're very popular."
Both Leitch and Hersh admitted that Myrtle Beach, South Carolina offers Hilton Head stiff competition in the battle for Ohio golfers. The general assumption is that Myrtle Beach golf vacations are more economical than ones offered by Hilton Head, and while this might be true, it turns out that most times you get what you pay for.
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You know Hilton Head golf has got to be great simply because of most Ohioans' choice of travel to the island is driving. They are willing to drive up to 13 hours to stand on a fairway and taste the Atlantic in the air and maybe see a majestic heron. It's known as one of the fastest 13-hour drives around, if you can survive the "death march" known as I-71 through the dull flatlands of Ohio to end up feasting on the beauty of the West Virginia mountains and the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia and North Carolina. When you're up that high, just hold your breath and don't think "Deliverance."
"Driving has always been the deal," says Jeannette Yanuzzi, manager of Bay Travel in Bay Village, Ohio. "You can fly to Hilton Head via U.S. Airways through Charlotte, but the connections in Charlotte are usually limited, and you're looking at a two- to three-hour layover."
Mike Dominek of Strongsville, Ohio has been traveling to Hilton Head annually to play golf and relax with his family for the past 26 years. He knows exactly why so many Ohioans choose the island as their golf vacation place.
"Golf
there has grown so big and so great that you can find any type
of course you want," Dominek says. "I go in the summer,
and you find the courses are very family friendly. In most cases,
kids can play for free when accompanied by adults. So you don't
have to spend an arm and a leg, and it allows for a great bonding
experience."
Over the 26 years he has traveled there, Dominek has seen Hilton Head develop steadily, and he says this development has only increased the value and variety of golf.
"They've built so many golf courses now across the bridge to the island that they've had to keep greens fees inexpensive to get people to play golf off the island. You can get everything from the country-club experience to the average public course experience, but the public courses there are so much better."
"I never get bored with the golf at Hilton Head," Dominek says. "I never thought I'd end up going to the same place for vacation every year, but I have."
Like every year, Dominek will be leading a congo line of Ohio golfers down to Hilton Head Island next summer. Rumor has it they will be sporting signs that say, "Yes, I'm from Ohio too!"
A sampling of Hilton Head Island golf courses:
|
Course Location
|
Yards
|
Par
|
Rating
|
Phone number
|
|
6,162
|
72
|
70.0
|
(843) 681-4653
|
|
|
6,071
|
72
|
70.5
|
(843) 686-6389
|
|
|
6,184
|
72
|
69.4
|
(800) 925-4653
|
|
|
6,148
|
72
|
69.6
|
(843) 785-1138
|
|
|
6,239
|
70
|
70.2
|
(843) 785-1138
|
|
|
6,122
|
72
|
69.9
|
(843) 785-1138
|
|
|
6,257
|
72
|
70.6
|
(843) 689-4100
|
|
|
6,042
|
72
|
69.2
|
(843) 689-4100
|
|
|
5,920
|
72
|
67.9
|
(843) 686-8801
|
|
|
6,017
|
72
|
68.7
|
(843) 686-8801
|
|
|
5,962
|
72
|
68.2
|
(843) 686-8801
|
|
|
6,916
|
71
|
69.9
|
(800) 925-4653
|
|
|
6,172
|
72
|
69.7
|
(800) 955-8337
|
|
|
6,169
|
72
|
69.0
|
(800) 925-4653
|
|
|
5,972
|
72
|
69.5
|
(843) 686-8802
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