One of our favorite trends in the game of golf right now is the addition of short courses at some of the top golf resorts around the country.
This welcomed addition to these elite properties provides a fun option that can serve as the perfect activity to cap off a day after 18 holes, serve as a quick and fun round on an arrival or departure day, and also provide guests with a comfortable option to include a round on the course during their visit opening up the golfing experience to more guests than ever before.
The latest resort to add this incredible amenity to their property is Omni Amelia Island Resort, and wow, did they knock this project out of the park.
Designed by Beau Welling, this 10-hole short course features holes that range from 70 to 125 yards and play around Red Maple Lake.
Even though this is a “short course,” don’t for one second think that the team hasn’t found a way to create a fun and challenging design.
As you’ll see in our exclusive video here, most holes are surrounded by water, and you’ll need to have your short game dialed in to score here.
This new area of the resort also features an 18-hole putting course serving as the perfect cherry on top of this great new addition to the resort.
Other Golf Options at Omni Amelia Island Resort
Oak Marsh Golf Course is a Pete Dye gem that weaves throughout the property and features spectacular views throughout the round along the marsh. Pete Dye completed this course not long after he designed Harbour Town Golf Links at The Sea Pines Resort, the design that essentially launched his career into a new stratosphere, and you’ll find a similar experience as there is a premium placed on course management and accuracy especially on your approaches into the extremely small green complexes. The gold tees tip out at just more than 6,600 yards, but the course plays much longer as many tee shots require long irons off the tee over driver as you’ll find a premium is placed on accuracy here.
The other course on property that many guests may not even be aware of is the Long Point Golf Course. The reason why is that it is the primary course for The Amelia Island Club members, and guests of the resort can only book tee times one day in advance based upon availability.
From what we’ve seen during our visits here, the course usually isn’t overly crowded so they’ll likely be able to accommodate your requests. Long Point is a Tom Fazio design that gives golfers a ton of variety including a couple of picturesque par 3s along the Atlantic Ocean, perfectly manicured holes throughout the marsh, as well as a several holes that weave in between the thick oak and pine forests.
The course is currently closed (set to reopen in November 2022) for a major renovation, so we are looking forward to seeing what the team does here to enhance this already great experience.
Oak Marsh
Accommodations
Omni Amelia Island Resort has continued to invest in creating an exceptional experience that can simultaneously feel like it’s perfect for everything from a couple’s getaway, to a guys’ trip or a family vacation. The resort features more than 10 dining outlets, a full-service spa, on-site recreation options and an incredible multi-level pool off the back of the main lobby that leads out to the beach and ocean views that create an incredible sense of place for your seaside delights.
In addition to the main tower hotel, Omni Amelia Island Resort also provides guests with a myriad of condo and home rentals through The Villas of Amelia Island and these can accommodate groups of any size with first-class amenities.
Recommendation
If you’re looking for a relaxing getaway, look no further than Omni Amelia Island. Guests will have plenty of great golf to enjoy onsite, and there are also plenty of other nearby courses on the island available to you, or if you feel up for a drive you are not too far away from TPC Sawgrass or the World Golf Village.
The resort is perfect for any type of golf trip, and after a visit here we wouldn’t be surprised if this epic locale became a regular part of your golf vacation rotation.