Sea Island: The definition of southern luxury

Class.  It’s the first word that comes to mind when you think about the experience that you will receive every single time you vacation at the world famous Sea Island Resort.  

Located on the coast of Georgia, Sea Island is a bucket list golf vacation that every golfer should experience.

There’s a reason why this resort is home to so many PGA Tour players including the likes of Davis Love III, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Keith Mitchell and Harris English just to name a few.  

These players will tell you that the facilities here are second to none, and that every day at their home course they have access to all of the world-class amenities that you could want all while still maintaining that classic southern charm and feel that exudes throughout the property.  You’d hear the same sentiments from the rest of the players on the PGA Tour who play in the RSM Classic in November as part of the fall swing.

Every time you go to Sea Island it feels like there is something new on the property as the ownership team is dedicated to providing a first-class experience and is constantly evaluating what they can do to enhance that for their guests.

Recently, the golf assets have been one of the largest recipients of those investments.

The golf: Plantation Course

In 2019, Davis Love III and his brother, Mark Love, completed their redesign of the Plantation Course. This has taken the golf experience to another level.  The Seaside Course has long been the crown jewel of the golf portfolio at Sea Island and rightfully so, but with the Plantation Course’s renovation it now gives golfers a stellar 1-2 punch.

The Plantation Course is not overly long at just more than 6,671 yards from the Blue tees, but you’ll quickly see that that course plays longer than that as you’ll be faced with many risk-reward scenarios, such as the par-4 10th hole that plays 283 yards.  

Most golfers will be tempted to pull driver and give it a rip to drive the green, but with water looming all the way up the left side of the hole you’ll quickly see what you thought would be an easy 3 can turn into a 6 in the blink of an eye.  Davis and Mark focused on creating an experience that would be enjoyable for members to play every day, while also creating a memorable experience for guests of the resort, and they have achieved just that with this stunning redesign.

The golf: Seaside Course

As we referenced before, the Seaside Course is the star of the show at Sea Island.  Redesigned by Tom Fazio, the Seaside Course is an oceanside links course that naturally fits into the land and provides a challenging and rewarding experience for golfers of all skill levels.  If it’s your first time to the property, do yourself a favor and schedule at least two rounds on this course. You’ll be surprised how much better you play the second time around as the course often rewards accuracy over distance, and it is often worth laying back some in order to find the wider part of the fairways versus having your tee shot end up in a hazard. Also, we recommend utilizing the first-rate caddies available at Sea Island as they know their stuff and can help you navigate your way around this epic track.

The golf: Retreat Course

The third course of the Sea Island family is the Retreat Course.  We recommend the Retreat Course for an arrival day warm-up of your Sea Island Golf experience.  It’s a tree-lined classic design that was redesigned by the Love brothers in 2001, giving golfers plenty to handle throughout the round.  It is certainly worth including in your trip as it has a completely different feel than the Seaside and Plantation courses, and it’s the perfect way to set up the rest of your Sea Island golf getaway.

Sea Island insider tips

These courses are at the heart and soul of the golf experience at Sea Island, but there are 3 other experiences that we highly recommend during your visit:

  • Speedway Putting Course: Located on the back side of The Lodge, this 18-hole putting course is an absolute blast to finish your day on, especially if you enjoy a Transfusion or two from the nearby bar.  At sunset, be sure to enjoy the sound of the bagpipes from the local piper.
  • Golf Performance Center: Sea Island recently made a major investment into this center, and the result is a high-tech, 170,000-square-foot sanctuary with amazing instruction that is designed to give you every technical advantage to improve your game, no matter your skill level.  
  • Men’s locker room: This is one of the best locker rooms in golf, as it  includes a full-service bar with dining options, a multitude of oversized leather chairs to lounge in and recap the day’s events, a cigar room, and an exercise room.

Sea Island accomodations

The great thing about Sea Island is that there are many ways for you to enjoy your stay, and the room product here offers a great variety for all guests depending on what the vibe is that you are looking to enjoy during your stay.  

These options include:

  • The Lodge: The Lodge is our favorite accommodations to enjoy during a golf vacation to Sea Island.  Located conveniently adjacent to the Seaside and Plantation courses, the Forbes Five-Star Lodge offers seaside views, butler service, first-class amenities, and so much more for guests to enjoy during your golf getaway.  A recent addition includes seven oceanfront golf-in, golf-out cottages, including the aptly named King Cottage, which is perfect for golf buddy groups and offers its own hitting bay. 
  • The Cloister: Another Forbes Five-Star hotel, The Cloister is the very definition of southern elegance in the resort space.  With rooms that have been recently updated while still maintaining the Lowcountry feel, The Cloister provides an experience that you won’t soon forget. The Cloister also provides options near the ocean with The Cloister Beach Club and The Cloister Ocean Residences that are available for rental.
  • The Cottages: The Cottages at Sea Island are private homes which provide you with a myriad of options for larger groups to enjoy spacious accommodations with sizes ranging from 3 to 7 bedrooms.

The Inn at Sea Island: The Inn is one of our favorite additions that Sea Island has made over the years, as it provides an opportunity for guests to enjoy the epic golf that the resort provides at a lower price point from a lodging perspective since it’s a select-service hotel. That said, the rooms at The Inn are still extremely well appointed and can be the perfect hub for a golf outing if you are looking to save a few dollars.

Recommendation

Sea Island is one of the truly special destinations that our great game has to offer.  The golf is all-world here, and the thing we love so much about Sea Island is how every member of the staff never misses a detail and will do whatever they can to enhance your experience.  Not many resorts can say that, and once you go here it will make its way into your golf trip rotation for the rest of your life.  If you need any advice on how to maximize your group’s trip to Sea Island, feel free to email us at groups@golfstayandplays.com, as we would be happy to help guide you in creating the perfect trip to this wonderful resort.