Sea Island

Plantation is the sister course to Seaside and it very enjoyable. Not a memorable course like Seaside but challenging. Hole #10 and #18 are great holes.

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.

Round 2 was played on this course. The first was on the seaside course. This review can be for both.

The weather was not great (cold and windy) however everything else about the event was great. Well maybe not my score. lol. The staff was exceptional. The course conditions were great for this time of year in fact the greens rolled super fast and true. The accommodations are first class. This was a great venue for the GCAT and the 5 stars says it all. A must to place to stay and play. BTW, the price was for the event so I am not sure what the green fees were but its worth it.

Plantation at Sea Island resort is definitely secondary to the premier sister course at Seaside, but its still a big time course with lots of challenges. Plantation is more inland and off the coast but still gets a good bit of wind, especially on number 10. This course isn't overseeded but you would never know it because of how green it is in the middle of January. I enjoyed playing the course and the variety of holes that it had to offer but the greens were very challenging and tougher to read because the grain is almost impossible to read as its not as apparent as Seaside's greens. Plantation can be more sneaky tough as there is a lot of water crossing mid-fairways or peninsula/island greens that isn't very obvious unless you've played the course previously. Overall a wonderful addition and complement to the Sea Island resort golf courses but Seaside is the definite premier course to play.

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.

The retreat course at Sea Island golf resort is the third course in the Davis Love III area and is geographically separate from the Plantation and Seaside courses. It has its own driving range/practice area/putting greens and it was an extremely impressive facility. The course itself is more inland with quite a bit of trees surrounding each hole but lots of fun to play. The layout is challenging and contains a variety of holes with water and trees being your biggest enemies here. The par-4's here stretch from as short as a drivable 290 yarder to a beastly 445 yard hole. For the most part, there is room to miss off the tee on a lot of holes but there are some strategically placed trees that block out approach shots, and being on the correct side of fairways the key to scoring well here. The greens are fast but roll true to the lay of the grain.

Some consider the Retreat course a step below the other 2 courses at Sea Island but I would respectfully disagree. Personally, the Retreat course was my second favorite of the 3 Sea Island courses, behind Seaside of course. You cant go wrong with Retreat, and you MUST add it to your list of courses to play when youre on St. Simons Island.

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.

Plantation will always live in the shadow of Seaside, but at least it will finally get a piece of the spotlight by hosting a portion of the McGladrey Classic for the first time in 2015. With the same amenities as Seaside - the awesome practice facilities along the ocean/sound and access to the swank men's locker room inside The Lodge - Plantation is a four-star course that delivers a five-star experience. Ponds threaten throughout the round on a layout redone by Rees Jones in 1998. Golfers play the 10th hole along the water, then head inland on this parkland-by-the-sea ... never far enough to escape the wind, however.

With so much great golf on and around SSI, this course is easy to overlook. Don't. Great care is taken to maintain this gem of a country club. Always in fantastic shape. Very flat, perfect course to walk.

We played on a very windy day and it was very tough. I have never seen tee boxes as immaculately maintained as these. They are as good as some greens that I play. The greens were very fast but very true!!! Fairways were awesome. Practice area was very nice. Can be very penal if you misshit the ball. Fairways dont have lot of rough so wayward shots will get wet. There are several holes where you choose how much of the marsh to carry.....be conservative and safe. Some of the greens have shaved areas so chips can come back to your feet. Our group had never played the course and there were some shots that were a little blind. Would be helpful to take a 4caddie if possible. Staff is super friendly!! GREAT COURSE!!!

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.