The Club at Savannah Harbor
For a lot of traveling golfers, Savannah, Ga., is simply the place you fly into on your way to Hilton Head Island, S.C., 45 minutes to the north. Yes, Hilton Head Island does have its own airport, but there are way more options into Savannah, plus it tends to be more economical.
If you’re only using Savannah as a waystation, however, you’re missing out. And if you’ve never considered Savannah for a golf vacation, you might want to reconsider. No, Savannah doesn’t compare to Hilton Head Island when it comes to overall quality and number of public golf course offerings, but what it does offer is good and a great value. Plus, you can always schedule a day trip up to Hilton Head while you’re there.
In addition, Savannah is, well, Savannah, an historic city full of culture and all kinds of things to do in addition to golf. Located on the Atlantic Coast of Georgia, it was founded more than four decades before the United States was founded, and it’s one of the most interesting little cities in America.
A bit about Savannah
Savannah boasts 22 historic squares that provide countless places to relax and people-watch. There are lots of old buildings and neighborhoods, one of the oldest synagogues in America, countless outstanding restaurants (shrimp and grits, fried green tomatoes, and She-crab soup are local favorites), and green space, including Forsyth Park, which is famous for its fountain. (For reference, the famous park bench scene of Forrest Gump was filmed in Savannah).
There’s also the Savannah River, which is parallel to River Street. It is lined with restaurants, shops, art galleries, and converted cotton warehouses. This is also where you can sit and watch some of the world’s largest container ships slowly move in and out of the Atlantic Ocean via the river. And on that river you’ll find several hotels, including the Thompson Hotel, which offers a wonderful rooftop bar and restaurant that affords incredible views of the river and city.
And finally, we’d be remiss to forget to mention the Savannah Bananas baseball team, which has taken the country by storm. These days, the Harlem Globetrotters-style baseball act doesn’t play too many games at historic Grayson Stadium in Savannah – and the tickets are very hard to come by (they sell out 100,000-seat stadiums around the country) — but we still had to mention them. And if you are lucky enough to see them play in Savannah, all the better.
As for golfers, don’t sell Savannah short on its links offerings. While there aren’t 20 great public courses, there are a few, plus some private courses that are outstanding if you can figure out a way to get on.
Savannah, Georgia
The Club at Savannah Harbor
Located on the banks of the Savannah River, The Club at Savannah Harbor is no doubt the best public golf in the area. Designed by Bob Cupp and Sam Snead, this is the former home of a PGA Tour Champions event, the Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf Championship. But more than that, the course and club, with its 22,000-square-foot clubhouse, are just beautiful, with all the amenities you’d expect from a first-class resort.
The 7,288-yard championship layout, nestled between the Savannah and Back rivers, affords incredible views of the city and tidal marshlands. It’s always in great shape and provides a wide variety of interesting holes. Practice facilities are superb – you can get individual golf lessons or attend clinics – and there’s a terrific restaurant overlooking the river.
It’s also a great spot to base your golf vacation since you can book stay-and-play packages at the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, which offers unlimited golf packages based on availability, at surprisingly affordable rates given the quality of the golf and accommodations. Some of the packages even offer complimentary Callaway rental clubs.
The Club at Savannah Harbor
More public offerings
Crosswinds Golf Club is the most convenient if you’re looking to play right off the plane or before a flight out, since it’s close to the airport. (The name and jet logo indicate such.) It features an 18-hole championship course with wide fairways, as well as a fun par-3 course. The regulation course has five par-3s and five par-5s, and there are no homes, but there is a good bit of water. One of the memorable holes is the par-3 12th, which has a lake running down the entire right side.
One of the other cool features about Crosswinds is the Toptracer range, which is covered and provides shot data and games for anyone looking to practice or even warm up before a round. And even if you don’t play golf there, Grille 19 is a great spot to grab a bite to eat, offering a lot of local Southern favorites and even a Thursday lunch buffet that features pulled pork, biscuits, and banana pudding.
A lot of the locals really love Henderson Golf Course, which is classic Savannah, lined with moss-covered live oaks and wetlands. The 6,600-yard layout, which opened in 1995 and was designed by Mike Young, is a tale of two nines, with the front playing more open and the back nine more tree-lined with narrower fairways.
Another golf option is the Reese Jones-designed Southbridge Savannah Golf Club. The course went through some challenging times, and it looked like it might close a few years ago, but new owners and the community rallied to save the course for locals and visitors.
And finally, there’s the municipal Bacon Park Golf Course, which was originally designed by Donald Ross. It’s historic and certainly the most affordable option, located close to downtown. If you’re looking for a good place to knock it around and a great value, Bacon Park is a great choice.
Bacon Park Golf Course
Discover The Landings
We’d also be remiss not to mention The Landings Golf & Athletic Club, even though it’s private. After all, this real estate development located on Skidaway Island has six 18-hole golf courses, designed by the likes of Arnold Palmer, Tom Fazio, Arthur Hills, and Willard Byrd.
Fazio crafted the Deer Creek Course, which plays host to the Korn Ferry Tour’s Club Car Championship. The Hills (Bill Bergin)-designed Palmetto Course might have the best marsh views, and it’s a great strategic test, requiring precision shot-making. Hills/Bergin also designed the Oakridge Course. Palmer did the scenic Magnolia Course and Marshwood Course. And Byrd was responsible for the Terrapan Point Course (formerly known as The Plantation).
If you know a member, that would be ideal. But if you’re interested in this terrific retirement spot or becoming a resident, you can arrange for a Discovery Visit, which can include overnight accommodations, golf, and access to everything this community has to offer, which also includes racquet sports and terrific dining at the various clubhouses (all of them have their own character and unique, high-quality menus).
How good is the cuisine at The Landings? The club’s senior executive chef, Sam Brod, was chosen to create dishes at the last Winter Olympics in Milan. A different clientele, for sure, but Brod knows how to cook, whether it’s for the world’s best athletes or golfers who just want a great dining experience.
Deer Creek Course