In Volume 2 of The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses, Tom Doak published that:

“Nicklaus’ latest [and probably last] venture into the Hilton Head market has been another success. Wide fairways and native roughs cut a pleasing swath through the open landscape, with plenty of live oaks for punctuation. The greens contouring is a cut above most of Jack’s other designs, highlighted by the 13^th green which nestles in an attractive saddle. I did find the series of fairway bunkers 285 yards off the tee in the left-center of the fairway to be too much of a good thing – there were five or six of them!"

The Palmetto Bluff course at May River Club received a score of 6 out of 10 from Toak Doak, and a score of 7 out of 10 from one of Tom Doak’s co-authors.