What’s going in the former Truffles’ Grille? Hint: It involves a pro golfer and a touch of Ireland

What do a former restaurant on Hilton Head Island and a pro golfer have in common? They’re both involved in the same new project: Darren Clarke’s Tavern.

Darren Clarke, a professional golfer from Northern Ireland, is opening his first restaurant venture in the former Truffles’ Grille on Pope Avenue on the island, according to James Atkins, a partner with the project’s architect Court Atkins Group.

Few details were shared when Clarke tweeted a rendering of his future establishment in February other than the restaurant would open sometime this summer. The 2011 Open champion and 2016 European Ryder Cup captain didn’t mention a location with the unofficial announcement.

But Atkins said Friday the project is already underway in collaboration with Atlanta-based Irish Pub Company and a team has started to rip out the inside of Truffles’ Grille.

“We’re not tearing the building down but we’re gutting the interiors,” he said. “Everything but the kitchen.”

The exterior of the former restaurant will remain much of the same, Atkins said, with new windows, doors and possibly an entryway.

The tavern’s owner, Michael Doyle, recently relocated to Hilton Head Island from Manhattan and began the project after meeting Clarke in New York City, Atkins said. Menu items for the steakhouse will include Irish beer, diverse selections and lighter island fare, according to a news release.

In the news release, Doyle mentioned the project was delayed by Hurricane Matthew but said his team would begin promoting the tavern at this year’s RBC Heritage Tournament. Plans are to open the restaurant in May.

The social center of the restaurant will be the bar, as in most Irish taverns, Atkins said, but there would also be a variety of seating options, including an outdoor patio. He said nearly all the fixtures and bar materials are being shipped in from Ireland.

“It’s certainly going to have an authentic Irish feel in the inside,” he said.

This story was originally published March 3, 2017 at 12:48 PM with the headline "What’s going in the former Truffles’ Grille? Hint: It involves a pro golfer and a touch of Ireland."