Seaside at Sea Island Golf Club

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Tee boxes and greens were in great shape. Course plays tough on a windy day but docile in perfect conditions. Seaside is one of my favorite courses that I have played to include Ocean Forest, Frederica and TPC Sawgrass.

The seaside course at Sea Island resort is the premier course of the 3 Sea Island courses and also host to the RSM classic. This course runs along the ocean and gives way to some stunning views. However, due to the exposure of the course to the ocean, the wind plays a major factor here. There is nothing easy about the Seaside course but it is a fantastic layout with tons of options off the tee and around the greens. The greens crew does an incredible job of overseeding throughout the winter so you get dark green grass and beautiful lush fairways, tees, and tightly mowed greens in every season of year. This is easily in my top 5 courses of all time but what really makes Seaside and Sea Island so special is the additional off-course amenities. The driving range sits right on the water which has gorgeous views, the practice area is extensive and well manicured where you could hone in your game for hours on end (which we did), and the bagpiper who plays outside the clubhouse near the practice green every night during sunset is such a unique touch. My favorite area to hang out once we finished our round was the men's locker room inside the very large but classically designed clubhouse. The locker room is not just lockers but hosts a cigar room, couches, bar and dining area with numerous TV's for relaxing after a steam and shower in the oversized mens room. The walls are decorated with old Davis Love III golf memorabilia in a subtle but elegant way. The waiters/bartenders are incredible here and tend to your every need. Sea Island is a special place but its not all about the golf. Davis Love has really made this into an experience unlike any other.

Sea Island is without a doubt one of the top courses in the state of Georgia. The Sea Side Course is the annual host to the RSM Classic. The conditions you see on TV during the tournament are exactly as you will find them if you play the course. The greens are fast and smooth. The fairways are green and lush,. The tee boxes are well maintained. The course while challenging is also fair. The views from the course are incredible as well.

As far as the clubhouse goes, the men's locker room in amazing!! Probably one of the best in the country. Big comfy chairs and sofas with TV viewing. The locker room has it own bar as well. There are several dining options on the property. Sea Island also boasts on of the top rated learning centers in the country. Oh and the view from the extremely large practice area is amazing.

I recommend everyone that loves great course, amazing views and luxurious amenities check out the courses Sea Island.

As with nearly everything at Sea Island, this is a first class experience. Conditions were perfect with Georgia Amateur being played immediately after. Greens were best bermuda I have ever played. Good forecaddie (Max) read greens well and did a good job. This is a challenging layout through the marsh. Some visually stunning holes and demanding off the tee. Approaches afford a bailout on every hole. Wind plays a big factor year round. Pace of play was great for a resort course (less than 4 hours!). Only negatives were lack of range balls on the practice area (even after we told them), and 3 empty water coolers on course in July heat. But overall, a very very good experience and one of my 3 favorite courses in Georgia. To finish the round, go to the Oak Room bar in the lodge and have a drink and enjoy the view.

I caught the best and worst of the weather on Seaside, the host of the PGA Tour's McGladrey Classic. My first round ended after 12 holes when rain and ferocious wind blew my foursome off the course. The following day was picture perfect, so we gave the back nine another try. This time, Mother Nature was so kind. It was late in the day when the shadows make the marshes on the Saint Simons Sound even more beautiful than usual. The wind was calm, more like a whisper than the roar from the day before off the Atlantic Ocean. The holes closest to the water are special. Nos. 13-16 are all spectacular doglegs that require course knowledge to get the right angles of attack. I misjudged the distance over the fairway bunker at the corner of the dogleg on the par-5 15th hole and the distance to the fairway bunker across the water hazard on the par-4 16th hole, forcing escapes just to secure bogey each time. Those who want the timeless experience of walking the course with his/her mandatory caddie might enjoy the day even more. Walking or riding, in good weather or bad, you'll cherish every round on Seaside.

Sea Island is as enjoyable to play is the city is to visit. The town reminds me of the way life was intended to be, and perhaps the way it was a generation or two ago. A slow paced, unpretentious, and welcoming spirit is on display from the moment you drive over the bridge, and more than one time I wished I didn't ever have to make the return trip back over the bridge. I would love to call this place home, and a growing number of PGA Tour players do just that.

The Fazio design is demanding. Designed to play primarily without rough, the generous play much tighter than they actually are due to the fact that if you miss them, you're likely reaching into your pocket for another pellet. Part of the beauty of the design is that the prevailing wind produces primarily a cross wind on the majority of the holes. The greens aren't all that demanding to putt in terms of undulation and slope, but the are small and they all have those shaved runoff areas that drive me mad when I miss a green and then never manage to save par...or worse if an extra pellet has been utilized.

On paper, it doesn't look all that challenging, but trust me, it's no cupcake. Part of what Fazio does so well is design championship courses that are capable of challenging the world's best, yet player-friendly enough for the resort and recreational golfer to enjoy. I could name a few designers who could learn from that.

The driving range might be the prettiest you've ever seen. So pretty in fact, that you wonder how they ever convinced the owners to use that tract of prime land for a practice tee.

The staff is southern, which means that you'll feel welcome from the moment you walk on property. I once asked a food server if they ever say the word no. She said, "I can't answer that...because I'd have to say that word." Everyone makes you feel special whether you're a captain of industry, or a free-loading golf commentator.