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BRUNSWICK, Ga. - Looking for a spicy-good undiscovered golf getaway?
I recently experienced a fun stay-and-play most golfers drive right by without realizing it. When snowbirds or golfers are flying down Interstate 95 south, most of them keep driving to Florida or turn toward the coast to visit Jekyll Island (home to the 54 holes at the Jekyll Island Golf Golf Club) or St. Simons Island (home to the 54-hole Sea Island Golf Club, among others). Those choices make perfect sense, but turning west off the highway reveals two really good affordable sister courses: Heritage Oaks Golf Club in Brunswick and The Sanctuary Golf Club in Waverly.
Both semi-private clubs are owned by Steve Dawson, who in 1987 founded the Hatch Chile Co., which sells a variety of products from green and jalapeno peppers to enchilada sauces and salsas in supermarkets and grocery stores across the United States. Dawson has invested wisely to spice up his golf facilities in recent years, helping this twosome in the Golden Isles move closer to reaching their full potential.
Staying at The Sanctuary
Dawson's smartest investment was building five two-bedroom cottages within walking distance of the Sanctuary Golf Club. They're so nice that some visitors rent them for weeks or months to escape winter and enjoy the laid-back lifestyle of coastal Georgia. I felt small staying in one of them for two nights all by myself. Each bedroom offers two queen beds and its own bathroom. A screened-in back porch overlooks an impressive practice facility, including a large putting green, chipping green, driving range and indoor simulator and learning center. Simulator tee times are free for cottage guests.
The 7,500-yard course will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year after being designed by Fred Couples and Davis Love III's Love Design Group in 2006. Its GolfPass rating (4.8) reflects its gorgeous setting and wonderful conditioning. Only a few homes interrupt the natural solitude.
"This course was super pure, true greens and crisp fairways," wrote reviewer 'PatrickGooge904', about his five-star round in August 2025. "(It's an) all around great track. Staff was super friendly and helpful. Won’t lie if there is wind out there this is a mean course, lots of intercoastal influence."
Water comes into play throughout the round, but the day really goes next level at holes 13 through 16 where those intercoastal marshes come to life. The par 3s at nos. 13 and 16 bookend that scenic stretch. They look intimidating playing over the wetlands, although they're plenty playable from the proper tees. The 14th, a really long par 4, and the 15th, a really short one, complement each other well.
The convenience of drinking and dining in the clubhouse and then walking back to your cottage can't be beat.
Playing at Heritage Oaks
Located about 20 minutes north, Heritage Oaks is much older than the Sanctuary, a 1992 design from Mike Young. It winds through a more established neighborhood featuring more homes on the course, although that doesn't detract too much from its solid GolfPass review ratings (4.4 stars overall).
"Excellent service. All staff went above and beyond," wrote reviewer 'cmcelwee78' about his five-star experience in September. "They were so kind and welcoming. Course was absolutely gorgeous."
Like Sanctuary, the 6,897-yard Heritage Oaks visits the Intracoastal Waterway for a nice signature stretch, the 385-yard fourth and 213-yard fifth. There are plenty of other noteworthy holes - most laden with water. The ones I'll remember most include made-man features some purists might hate.
It's no secret that Lowcountry courses tend to be flat. Dawson came up with the idea to build several new artificial elevated tee boxes to give golfers a better view of certain holes. When I saw the first one on the second hole, a cart path ramp 20 feet high leading to a second tee box complex in front of the tips, it was a jarring sight. But when I teed off up there, its purpose made complete sense. Hitting driver from that vantage point turned out to be a nice change of pace from all those flatter perspectives.
There are two more of these perched tee pads during the round, at the 435-yard 14th and 490-yard 18th. Rounds at Heritage Oaks end at an island green on a bonus 19th hole.
What's better than an affordable, surprisingly good golf vacation with 36 holes? One with 37 holes, of course.
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