Captain William Hilton of England, explored the South Carolina coast in a region that included the island now known as Hilton Head in the 1600s.

Spoiling for a fight, he encountered more than a few Indians. Some were welcoming, crying out "bonny, bonny" from the shore, but some weren't so accommodating. In one episode, after trading with a group of natives and disembarking by ship, one Indian followed on shore and peevishly fired an arrow at the departing English that narrowly missing a deck hand and was left vibrating in a wood plank. A few days afterward, Hilton and his crew found the Indian's camp.

"We went to his Hut and pulled it down," Hilton wrote in his log. "We broke his pots, platters and spoons, tore his Deer-skins and mats in pieces and took away a basket of Akorns."

Hilton also heard wolves and saw great flocks of parakeets. There are no more wolves, parakeets or Indians at Hilton Head and only a few English tourists, but the Akorns have survived. And the violent games the Indians played have been replaced by a genteel sport borne of Scotland, played here mostly by Americans.

The barrier island of Hilton Head is almost always named as one of the top golf destinations when various publications print such lists. It got a late start, since the island didn't have electricity until 1951 and the second golf course didn't appear until 1967.

Developers Charles Fraser and Fred Hack bought 19,000 acres of the islands' 25,000 acres and made a prophetic move when they invited a relatively unknown architect and his famous pro golfer apprentice to design a golf course.

Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus came up with Harbour Town, hurtling Dye into the most-wanted list of top architects and sealing Nicklaus' fledgling reputation as a designer.

Beware: Hilton Head is not for the weak of wallet, unlike its northern neighbor, Myrtle Beach, which has courses that run the gamut of green fees. Hilton Head is not really the place for kamikazee golf trips by college frat brothers aching for golf, fried fish and girlie shows. Green fees of $100 and more are commonplace at Hilton Head, topped by Harbour Town's hefty rates at $250.

Still, there is affordable play during the off-seasons, especially at off-island courses like Rose Hill, Island West and Eagles Point. A little higher on the scale are Old South Golf Links, Old Carolina Golf Club and Crescent Pointe.