Planning that RBC Heritage trip last year took way more brainpower than I expected. Here’s exactly how I tackled it step-by-step, hoping maybe it saves somebody some headaches next time.
The Starting Point: Realizing Time Flies
Okay, so it was late November 2021. I was cleaning out my phone pics, saw some shots from the 2019 tournament, and boom – hit me that 2022 wasn’t actually that far away. Started wondering, “Wait, when do tickets even go on sale? How do I even get in?” Felt totally clueless, so my first actual action was simple: I grabbed my laptop.
The Initial Dig: Getting Basic Intel
Jumped onto the official RBC Heritage site – probably spent a solid hour just poking around every menu. Found the little “Sign Up For Updates” button and plugged in my email like my life depended on it. Main takeaway? Dates: April 11-17, 2022. Harbour Town Golf Links. Hilton Head Island. Basics locked down. Figured I needed lodging info too, so clicked through to their “Travel & Accommodations” page. Overwhelmed immediately by all the “Official Hotel Packages” options. Felt pricey.
Moving Beyond Official Stuff: The Real Research
Decided official packages might bleed me dry. Opened a new tab and started searching “rental homes hilton head island golf tournament 2022.” Found a bunch of rental companies. Spent another evening filtering by location (had to be near Harbour Town), number of bedrooms, and price. Wow, prices were jacked up. Like, stupid high. Made me sweat a little. Emailed three different places asking about specific houses for that week – figured asking costs nothing. Meanwhile, dove into PGA site forums. Lurked silently, reading old threads about buying tickets. Key nugget: Tickets don’t usually drop until Jan/Feb, but people STRESSED buying ASAP because they sell. Made a mental note: Set January alert on phone.
Decision Time & Booking Chaos
By early December, two rental places got back to me. One was crazy expensive, one was kinda shabby looking, one was… actually decent and less insane price-wise. Did some frantic math: Flight points? Car rental cost? Groceries vs eating out? Thought about it. Went for it. Called the decent rental company directly, spent 25 minutes on hold (ugh), finally got a person, and booked the house. Felt a huge weight lift. Also terrified my credit card.
The Ticket Hunt: Waiting Game and Win
True to forum gossip, early January 2022 rolls around, and an email blast hits: “RBC Heritage 2022 Tickets On Sale NOW!” Panic clicked the link. Site was laggy – classic. Had my days picked already (knew I wanted Friday practice round and Saturday). Clicked, added to cart, checkout… Done. Got the confirmation email. Major victory dance in my kitchen happened. Told my partner we were officially going.
The Final Push: Nailing Down Logistics
Tickets and house booked felt like the big mountains, but the little hills were annoying. Next step: Flights. Searched Savannah vs. Charleston airports. Savannah was cheaper and slightly closer. Booked round trip. Then rental car – again, prices felt inflated, but booked something cheapish. Dug out my golf hat and comfy shoes. Packed some sunscreen I knew I’d forget to apply.
What Actually Worked & What Nearly Broke Me
So, lessons from the trenches?
- House Beat Hotel (For Me): Having a kitchen saved us a ton on food/drinks. Split costs with friends who joined.
- Ticket Timing is EVERYTHING: Buying literally the minute they went live was the right call. Heard later folks struggled for Saturday passes.
- Get Rental Locked EARLY: Inventory vanishes fast, prices get scary. Like, really scary.
- Sign Up For Updates: Saved my butt. Those emails were golden.
- Forums Hold Hidden Gems: Actual attendee advice trumped the shiny official site sometimes.
Honestly, planning felt like a second job for a couple of weeks. But sitting under those live oaks watching the pros? Hearing that distinctive CBS theme music? Worth every damn minute of planning stress. Already thinking about how to tackle it smarter next time.
