Several of the people we work with here around the lighthouse arrived in Sea Pines in time to know founder Charles Fraser personally, and a few had the privilege of working with him directly. As a result, we enjoy the advantage of reviewing and referring to those key factors for Sea Pines’ success that Charles put in place from the beginning. Envisioning Harbour Town, the Yacht Basin, and the lighthouse were among those success factors, certainly, and of course they were followed by many others.
Yet, it might be said with equal certainty that the most recent 15 years of life in Sea Pines have been a true golden age, maybe the best time ever to enjoy life in the fulfillment of the founder’s dream. Since 2005, the investment and confidence of the Goodwin family in the Sea Pines Resort has been called a rebirth, by no less an authority than Golf Magazine. A friend who’s done a lot of work with resorts and golf courses says, “You can always tell the difference that private investment makes. It shows in the details.”
Investing in Success
Still, you don’t have to look very closely to notice all the improvements and modernization measures that have been put in place in the 15 years that the Sea Pines Resort has been in the Goodwins’ hands. From the clubhouse to the conference center, from the golf courses to the beach club, a dedication to offering the highest levels of amenities and service is evident. We couldn’t have asked for finer neighbors.
The insight for knowing what to restore, what to renew, and what to begin again is seen in the decisions that gave the resort its new Harbour Town Clubhouse. Elegant and inviting, the clubhouse includes broad impressions such as the sweeping grace of its monumental staircase, as well as details such as custom millwork and a floor of reclaimed white oak. Decisions such as this come not from a spreadsheet, but from being invested personally.
The New Next Door
Expert renovations at The Quarterdeck, right next door to the lighthouse, have been progressing apace, and by springtime we anticipate this landmark to once again welcome folks to its unique blend of grownup fun and family-friendly enjoyment. If the Harbour Town Lighthouse is the legendary spot where the most couples were inspired to take their relationships to the next level, then The Quarterdeck next door might hold the title for the place where the most couples first met.
Time after time, as you grow to know the families who make Hilton Head Island their home place, and who make the community so warm for so many, you discover that the husband and wife first met on a Friday at the Quarterdeck. In this sense, the lighthouse and the Quarterdeck are not only neighbors, we are also partners, inspiring relationships that warm our island and the world.