Sea Island

I could try to describe how good the back nine of the Seaside course is, but I don’t think I can do it justice. Just like I could attempt to describe the experience at Sea Island, but it’s just a great hang that you kind of have to discover on your own. From the incredible practice area, to the best biscuit and gravy breakfast I’ve ever had, to one of the best locker rooms on the planet (do yourself a favor and have lunch in there; order the fried bologna sandwich and thank me later), and top-notch caddie loops, Sea Island is among the few places that I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to that soared past my expectations going in.

That is not to say that the front nine is not memorable. From the moment you stand on the first tee and see those giant classic clam shell bunkers that are sprawling down the right side of the fairway, you know you are in for a test. The marsh frames most holes. There are a few forced carries. For that reason, the Seaside course is very demanding off the tee.

Placing your ball in the fairway, however, is just the beginning. The wind on this exposed track makes judging yardage on approach shots very challenging and crucial to scoring. Getting a good caddie and trusting his experience is paramount.

Like the sister Plantation course, bunkers abide gratuitously. The classic green structures are pushed up, and are accompanied by deep, scalloped bunkers, creating the illusion that the greens themselves are super small. It is an intimidating visual. I firmly believe that battling the tricks the course plays on your mind that lead to indecision is tougher than the elements experienced or the challenge the course presents in and of itself.

If you successfully reach the putting surface in regulation, the fun begins. There is a ton of movement within them and the grain and wind complicates things further. Should you miss the green, getting up and down takes every bit of mettle and skill you can muster. Besides the sand, the closely-mown runoff areas repel balls well away from the pin, leaving some awkward pitches. My biggest takeaway was that there are no small misses on the Seaside course. If you miss the green, even narrowly, you miss big because balls do not stay put. They meander to collection areas.

No, Pete Dye is not the architect.

Turns out Davis Love III and Mark Love like railroad tie planks as well.

The Plantation course at Sea Island is a shotmaker’s delight. The green complexes and use of half-par holes allow this course to emerge from the shadow of its much-heralded sister course.

Don’t be fooled by the yardage on the scorecard. Though there are some short par 4s and all but one par 5 is reachable for some, peril awaits in the form of strategically-placed bunkers that place a premium on hitting your number, even when laying up.

Fantastic course. Have played the Seaside course many times. First time on Plantation. Conditions were great. Feel like the greens were running slower than normal. A lot of short par 4’s that challenge your club and shot selection. You absolutely can not go wrong with Sea Island. One of my favorites areas for first rate golf.

Can you say “WOW!” Where to begin. I stayed at The Lodge at Sea Island and the room, staff and amenities were top notch. The putting course behind the hotel is a great way to practice and make some money off your friends. The Seaside course is a great walk among and around St Simons Sound. The views are unbeatable. Water and old growth trees surround spectacularly laid out holes. Greens rolled true and beautiful grass everywhere. After the round make sure to grab a drink at the bar and check out the awesome views of the bay. A definite must play on the bucket list

As of fall 2018, Sea Island was a one-and-a-half course 54-hole resort, which is to say it had one stunner in the Seaside, one decent second option in the Retreat and a bit of a clunker in the Plantation, which had been tortured over the decades into a red-headed stepchild.

Now, thanks to local resident Davis Love III, that's all changed. The new Plantation is as fun a resort golf course as you could ask for, given the flat terrain. Love's appreciation for Golden Age architecture has made all the difference. Where the previous course demanded aerial attacks, its new self prides itself on diversity of challenge and playability. Where its previous iteration was shaped in a standard late-20th-century style, now it looks crisp and new while containing plenty of old-world touches, like chocolate-drop mounds, railroad ties and squared-off green edges. Plus, after your round, you get to drink golf's best sweet tea and take non-private golf's best shower.

There is a reason they call some of the best players in the world “The Sea Island Mafia.” Sea Island is in a class of its own when it comes to the course/practice amenities, course conditions, and it’s down home southern hospitality. There are several amazing courses but I would like to focus this review on the unique course, Sea Side. Driving out to the first tee I feel excitement as I am about to play the very course the best in the world play on every year. They always make this tour stop for a reason. The first three holes are certainly a warm welcome to the difficult course. The first being a rather moderate par 4 with a slightly elevated green, par here and you’re off to a great start. The next three holes I find challenging with intimidating tee shots to undulated greens. With the fourth hole being the most challenging thus far with a difficult tee shot leading to to an even more difficult approach shot on this long dog leg left. The front nine gets considerably easier with a fun eighth hole that’s very short and can lead to a nice birdie. As you make the turn the winds pick up and the real challenge begins with longer holes that usually play into the wind (every time I’ve played here it’s been into the wind). Thirteen-eighteen are my favorite holes on the course with doglegs, undulated greens, and wind gusts. The course is in excellent shape with perfectly mown fairways, and fast greens. The rough isn’t too severe, but watch out for the sandy rough areas and good luck ever finding that golf ball. This is a wonderful golf course and spectacular facility. Next golf trip y’all plan, Sea Side should be a must stop for all golf fanatics. It’s playable for all skill levels as well making it a fun family vacation.

The Seaside Course at Sea Island immediately became one of my favorites and put Colt and Allison on my list of favorite course designers. The conditions have been great in both December and in June. The many tees mean that it is playable both by me and by my wife. We generally go out in the mid-afternoon and don't see any other players. The practice facility, which is very important to me, has everything I could ask for. My driver broke on one trip so I got fitted for and bought a new one. When I asked the fitter to help me with my 3 wood, after hitting possible replacements he said that he had nothing that I was hitting better than my very old Orlimar Tri-Metal. It is just a perfect golf experience.

This is an excellent course in every aspect. The low country marshland setting is beautiful. The golf holes weave and twist through the property wonderfully. There are many memorable holes. Enormous round bunkers drive shot choices throughout. The greens are subtly challenging and not overly large. The fairways have good width and gentle undulation, and you can hit driver on most holes. There are a number of doglegs and angled greens, and some fun carries over water or marshes. The resort and service are top notch. The overall golf experience is high-level quality.

This is a nice course with many fine golf holes in a very pretty setting. The course has a good mix of hole types. There just isn't anything, other than the surrounds, that really stands out. There are some water holes and the fairway corridors are decently wide. A few holes are memorable in their set-up, such as an island green or greens perched by the water. I've read that they are going to completely make the course over next year so I hope to play again after it is re-done.

The Plantation course has always been second-fiddle to the Seaside at Sea Island. Rees Jones' 1998 renovation certainly installed a stern challenge at the course, but the straightforward demands of the course have fallen out of favor in recent years. When Scot Sherman and Love Golf Design renovate it, starting in December 2019, they will give it a much-needed refresh from a stylistic and strategic perspective. This will put it in much closer competition with the Seaside, which will nevertheless always have an advantage because of its superior land. But the new Plantation will close the gap considerably.

Some (let's be honest - most) PGA Tour-host courses are simply too difficult for most golfers. That is not the case at Seaside, where natural elements like the wind and firm turf help make the Colt/Alison classic, updated by Fazio in '99, one that all classes of golfer can play.

The greens are elevated but are not too small, often offering a way on via the bounce. Constant changes of direction make it a masterful routing that does not brutalize players with too many upwind holes in a row at any point. And its pre-cart history makes it a terrific walk, especially with the help of one of the expert caddies on staff. It's a pricy play, but if you can swing it, you'll love it.

Had the chance to spend sometime at the Lodge at Sea Island and played golf at this special place.
Perfect weather, spectacular course conditions, great caddie and ideal pace of play made for an ideal day on this wonderful course.
In the same league as the Ocean Course at Kiawah; much less crowded.

It was a great experience...I am with PGA so don't let the rate I paid influence you. My timing was perfect-there had been cold weather and this was one of the first good days so the course was empty on a perfect day. It was a beautiful day-no wind-sunny. The staff was warm and friendly as one would expect. I purchased a yardage book and promptly lost it before I got to 1st tee but the starters replaced it at no charge! There was only a 2some ahead of us..my wife was my non-playing cart caddy! This was a exceptional experience of course conditions. The greens were perfect and overall the best conditioned greens I have ever played on in my life. The warm up area is another wonderful asset to the Sea Island experience with it giving you a memorable view of the waterway. I can see why the PGA Tour plays here every year. If you need a lesson-see Daniel Gray-he is tremendous.

Played here on my coastal Georgia golf trip in early December and the course was very pure. Played two of the courses at the resort and just unreal experience. The practice facilities where great for me to practice before and after my rounds and get used to the fast greens.

The clubhouse facilities where very respectable and the course itself was amazing hole six was the closest to the ocean but 8 was a good par 5 and I like 17. The course can get windy but bring your A game to this beast.

Wow! Played this course right after New Years and it’s no suprise the PGA tour comes here year after year. The course was so pure right on the ocean and boy where the views amazing. The clubhouse was so perfect and I’ve never seen a practice range next to an ocean. The people there where amazing and the resort amenities where incredible. Overall best course in the Georgia coast for sure.

This is an amazing golf course. It is a privilege to get to play this golf course. Thank you Davis Love Foundation for offering this deal. There is not a blade of grass out of place on this golf course. The Men's locker room is a special treat. It was great to be treated like the best of the best.

Plantation is the sister course to Seaside and it very enjoyable. Not a memorable course like Seaside but challenging. Hole #10 and #18 are great holes.