May River Golf Club

May River Golf Club opened in 2004 within the 20,000-acre Palmetto Bluff community in Bluffton, designed by Jack Nicklaus as a Signature Course (meaning Nicklaus personally oversaw every design aspect). Named South Carolina\'s "Best New Course" the year it opened.

The course winds through centuries-old live oaks and along the banks of the May River, routing through four distinct forest types: upland pine, maritime, live oaks, and hardwood — each stretch has a unique character. The setting is serene and feels immersed in nature rather than carved from it.

Palmetto Bluff is expanding its golf offerings with a Coore & Crenshaw course (expected to open in late 2025/early 2026). Access is available to guests staying at Montage Palmetto Bluff.

Wide, inviting fairways wind past 300-year-old live oaks and gently undulating Lowcountry terrain. The course uses Eco turf and feels immersed in nature. Despite the generous fairways, the greens provide the real defense — more complex than they first appear.

The routing through four forest types means each stretch of the course has a distinct character and visual identity. Wind off the May River affects exposed holes.

Access is available to Montage Palmetto Bluff resort guests, making it one of the few ultra-premium Nicklaus Signature courses accessible without a membership.

The generous fairways reward accuracy over power. Keep the ball in position for the best approach angles to the greens.

The greens are the real defense — they look simple but the undulations are more complex than they first appear. Read carefully.

Wind off the May River affects the river-adjacent holes. Factor it into every club choice on exposed holes.

Enjoy the setting. The 300-year-old live oaks and river views are why people travel here — don\'t rush the experience.