Their approach to planning was unprecedented for its time. Their primary focus was to preserve the natural beauty of our Island. As a result, our seaside resort now defines the environmental standards for providing a quality community lifestyle in a natural setting. Sea Pines has since been recognized worldwide as a premier residential and resort community. As time went on, the Sea Pines Company, Inc. continued to develop the Sea Pines Plantation. They constructed the Ocean Course in 1962 (now called Atlantic Dunes), which was the first golf course to be developed in the Plantation. The Sea Marsh (now called Heron Course) and The Harbour Town Golf Links were constructed shortly thereafter. Harbour Town now hosts the RBC Heritage event on the PGA Tour circuit. In 1973, the eighteen-hole Club Course was developed to fill the community’s need for a private golf course. Only property owners of Sea Pines Plantation would have the opportunity to join the Club with exclusive access to all its facilities.

It was in 1987, when a group of twenty-five property owners developed a plan to acquire selected assets of the Sea Pines Company. They then formed an organization known as The Sea Pines Associates. Among the assets that would be part of this Plan were the four championship golf courses.

In August 1989, Sea Pines Associates introduced their Plan by offering equity memberships to the current members of the Club Course. This Plan also described new facilities that would be constructed on existing property to accommodate the requirements of a full-service country club. The limited facilities at our Club Course had simply become inadequate in terms of size and design to support the needs of an increasing number of residents that wanted to join.

The result of the equity offering was the establishment of the Sea Pines Country Club, as we know it today. The Sea Pines Country Club, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization. It acquired the golf course, its practice facilities, tennis courts, and the land upon which the remaining Club facilities were constructed. The main Clubhouse was opened in June 1991. In addition to golf and tennis facilities, the Club expanded its operations to offer its members both casual and fine dining services, private function rooms, an athletic and fitness center, a large outdoor pool, an indoor lap pool and spa.

In 1996 the members assumed full control over its business operations from the Sea Pines Company. Over the next two years, administrative departments were formed including human resources, and accounting. In 1997 a point-of service and member billing system was installed which allowed the staff to complete its transfer of administrative responsibilities to the Club.

Members approved a Master Plan Proposal during the summer of 1998 which called for upgrading our clubhouse and golf course facilities. Over the next two years this $5.9 million renovation project was completed in various stages. The project included the addition of the Blue Heron Pub, modernizing the kitchen, and renovating the dining facilities in the clubhouse, which expanded seating capacity from approximately 225 to 450 guests. The final phase of this Master Plan concluded on October 1, 2001 when the Club Course reopened after 9 months of construction. New tees, greens, irrigation and drainage systems were installed in accordance with the redesign work of architect Clyde Johnston.