Oak Marsh
Quiet beaches, an historic downtown, great restaurants, shops and bars, and communing with nature is what you get when you visit Amelia Island off the First Coast of Florida just east of Jacksonville.
This 14-mile long barrier island, which is only two miles wide, is the perfect spot to kick back, take a beach stroll, enjoy some good local grub and libations, and play a little golf.
This is also where you can experience the Amelia Islands Concours Week featuring more than 300 rare automobiles from around the world, ghost tours, and a huge shrimp festival each May. There’s also the 50-block National Historic District in downtown Fernandina Beach, which is full of old shops, and the Palace Saloon, the oldest bar in Florida.
The golf is a great mixture of high-end resort play, daily fee and muni golf. Visitors can basically access half a dozen golf championship courses on the island as well as a cool short course. They cover every budget and preference. Here’s a look at the choices:
The Golf Club of Amelia Island
Normally a private club, visitors can play The Golf Club if they are staying at the Ritz Carlton, Amelia Island. It’s a premium course with several holes located along the Atlantic Ocean. Designed by former PGA Tour player Mark McCumber and World Golf Hall of Famer Gene Littler, golfers can take in spectacular views of not only the ocean, but magnificent live oaks and palms as well. The front nine is routed through forested parkland, while the back nine has scenic marshes, wide fairways and ocean views. The wind, of course, is almost always in play. The finishing stretch of this 6,700-yard layout is breathtaking as the par-5 15th emerges to views of the Atlantic, followed by the par-3 16th, which can play up to 199 yards over a salt marsh. The course ends with a 441-yard par-4 that features a tee shot over a lake a green exposed by ocean breezes. As for the beachfront Ritz-Carlton, it’s everything you would expect in a Ritz — luxury rooms, fantastic dining at the AAA Five Diamond Salt restaurant, and a top notch spa.
The Golf Club of Amelia Island
Oak Marsh Golf Course
Located at the Omni Amelia Island Resort, Oak Marsh Golf Course, which was built in 1972, is a Pete Dye design that will test every part of your game. Don’t be fooled by the overall length of just under 6,600 yards; this is a championship layout with a lot of difficult holes, requiring players to be accurate and work the ball in different directions. There’s water on 14 holes as the routing makes its way around moss-covered oak tees and marshes. Having been listed among America’s best resort courses by more than one national publication, the course is open to the public as well as Omni resort guests (who get a discounted rate). Many of the greens feature Dye’s signature bulkheads, and there are plenty of difficult bunkers to navigate as well. The cart paths are made of coquina shells, which means you can certainly play shots from them.
As for the Omni Amelia Island Resort, it underwent an $85 million “re-imagination” renovation a decade ago and has never looked better. The lobby opens up to the Atlantic, and all 402 rooms and suites have ocean views. There’s also nine excellent restaurants and bars, and the Omni Amelia Island is home to the Cliff Drysdale Tennis Program with 23 har-tru courts and a pro shop.
Oak Marsh
Little Sandy Golf Club
Also open to the public and guests of the Omni Amelia Island, Little Sandy is a walking course that includes 10 par-3 holes and an 18-hole putting course. Designed by Beau Welling, the lead architect for Tiger Woods Design, the holes play along Red Maple Lake. The course essentially replaced the Omni Amelia Island’s Ocean Links Course, which closed in 2017 despite being a favorite among visitors and locals alike. Family-friendly Little Sandy, however, gives golfers a terrific alternative. The contoured greens will challenge experienced golfers, but are enjoyable for novices as well. One of the coolest features is that the 10th hole is an island green and even features a “hole-in-one” pin, meaning that the location is where balls often funnel to, increasing the odds for aces.
Little Sandy Golf Club
Long Point at Amelia Island Club
The primary course for members of The Amelia Island Club (which also includes Oak Marsh and Little Sandy) is fully private, but there is limited public access to this Tom Fazio-designed gem. Guests of the Omni Amelia Island Resort can book tee times one day out if there’s availability. Built in 1987, the course winds through three different settings: marshes, thick oak tees, and scenic oceanfront dunes. The Amelia River also comes into view while playing the course. Carries over water come into play at least eight times one the course, which is nearly 6,800 yards from the back tees. Named for the southern tip of the island where the course is located, Long Point has played host to several qualifiers and prestigious events, including the Florida Women’s Amateur.
Long Point
The Golf Club at North Hampton
Located less than 30 minutes from Jacksonville International Airport, The Golf Club of North Hampton in Fernandina Beach is a really good public option for anyone visiting the island or for residents, for that matter. The course, which is a little more than 7,000 yards from the tips, was designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay. With wild grasses, rolling dunes and difficult bunkers, it has sort of a Scottish links feel to it. Generous off the tee, water also comes into play on about half the holes, and the undulating greens can be challenging. The final hole plays into a beautiful clubhouse with a nice restaurant and full-service golf shop. The club also has excellent practice facilities.
Golf Club at North Hampton
Fernandina Beach Golf Course
The oldest golf course on the island is also the least expensive to play. Boasting 27 holes, Fernandina Beach Municipal Golf Course started out with just nine holes (the North Course) in 1956 with another nine (South) coming along three years later. The original 18 was actually designed by the head pro, Ed Matteson. The third nine, the West Course, was added in 1972, and was designed by head pro Tommy Birdsong. Today, you can play the nines in any combination, depending on the day, and they are all distinctive. In fact, the North is a par-35, the South is a par-36, and the West is a par 37 with three par-5s, including one that’s over 600 yards. What all the courses have in common is the topography that includes old live oak trees, covered with Spanish Moss, tricky greens and even a few quirky holes. Green fees start out around $40 in the afternoon, so it’s very affordable. And it has a great neighborhood feel with lots of regulars who tend to be welcoming to newcomers.
Fernandina Beach
Amelia River Club
Opened in 2000, Amelia River Club offers a Tom Jackson-designed golf course laid out right next to the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport. Playing a little more than 6,800 yards from the back set of five sets of tees, the course has a really nice mix of holes. Some are more wide open, while others are narrow and tree-lined with oak, palm, and pine trees. There are also creeks and ponds that come into play as well as bunkers, both in the fairway and around the well-groomed Tif-Eagle Bermuda greens. The signature hole is arguably the 17th, a par-3 with an island green. It’s followed by a terrific par-5 hole that finishes at the edge of a tidal marsh next to the Amelia River. The club also has a welcoming Cape Cod-style clubhouse with an excellent restaurant and a well-stocked golf shop.
Amelia River Club