Davis Love III 'didn't mess up' Harbour Town, pros say

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – Don’t mess it up!

Those were the instructions that World Golf Hall of Fame member Davis Love III was given by PGA Tour pros before he began a restoration of Harbour Town Golf Links, the Pete Dye design with consultation from Jack Nicklaus, which has hosted the pros since 1969 at what is known as the RBC Heritage these days.

“It’s a different process and pressure, because, you know, it’s a Mona Lisa, so we needed to just restore it and make sure we don’t mess it up,” said Love, who is a five-time Tour winner at Harbour Town alone.

Jordan Spieth said he hit into one of the pot bunkers at Harbour Town, situated on the southernmost tip of the island, and was cursing Love under his breath until he saw his lie. Spieth offered the highest compliment of Love’s handiwork, saying, “To make a course more playable for the average player but just as difficult for us is really hard. I’ve not seen it done yet and I think he did it.”

Golfweek’s architecture director Jason Lusk highlighted the changes made to the Dye classic in an article here and PGATour.com listed out changes hole by hole here.

Well, the early returns are in from the pros at this week’s RBC Heritage, who usually can’t even agree if the sun is out, and Love appears to have delivered the goods.

“It’s one of the rare nothing-has-gotten-worse, which is awesome,” said Max Homa. “They didn’t change too much, which is even better, because everybody loves this place.”

Veteran pro Harris English bumped into Love on Tuesday and told him, “I like what you did. I love the bunkering. I love some of those links-style bunkers that they did with the sod in there.”

The 17th green at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, for the q.

Here’s what more players had to say:

Ludvig Aberg

They made some subtle changes, not a lot. I feel like the only place where the golf course actually played different would be the second shot on 5. That bank used to be a little bit steeper down to the right, whereas now it’s a little bit flatter and you can be a little bit more aggressive on that right side.

Viktor Hovland

The great thing about this course is that it’s all what we like to say, it’s all right there in front of you. It’s very tricky and it’s very visually demanding. I think that’s one of the geniuses of Pete Dye is he really makes a hole, even though it doesn’t need to be the longest one or it looks relatively straightforward, but you know you’ve got to hit some great shots.

This golf course already was great and he didn’t need to do much and I’m glad to see he didn’t do a whole lot.

Gary Woodland

He softened some of the greens in some of the spots that probably over time had gotten a little small. The front of 13, I think he did a great job of. That front pin is always fun. Now I think it’s probably a little more fair than it was before, the last couple years.

No. 5, I think was a great change there, the way he did that green. The right side there, at least you have a little bit more of a miss over there, which is nice. But you’ve still got to hit — I think it’s a great par-5. You’ve still got to hit great shots.

Jordan Spieth

I don’t think anyone wanted it to be different. The trees on 10 were a great move. He did a phenomenal job on five of making it more playable.

To make a course more playable for the average player but just as difficult for us is really hard. I’ve not seen it done yet and I think he did it.

Harris English

I think it’s awesome. Normally, when we go to places that have been renovated, they change too much. This place didn’t need a whole lot of changing. The only thing I would say, No. 5, the par-5, that tree is just too much in the way on the second shot. I’m two feet in the left rough, and I either have to go below it or above it. It’s such a hard shot, and it brings too much luck involved to me, of having a tree literally guarding 75 percent of the green on a par-5.

But it’s going to make you think, and Pete Dye does a good job of all his courses make you really think. It’s going to make that hole a lot tougher.

Adam Schupak is a senior writer for Golfweek, covering the PGA Tour.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: PGA Tour pros react to Harbour Town golf course changes

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