Early the next morning we headed over to the Oak Marsh Golf Course. We picked up some coffee in the clubhouse, hit a few balls on the range, and teed it up at 7:30 am. Oak Marsh is one of Pete Dye’s truly classic designs. The course was built in 1972 shortly after he finished his work on the spectacular Harbor Town Golf Links at Hilton Head Island.  Dye's design elements have always reflected nature preservation and Oak Marsh is no exception. 

The beautiful Par 3, 7th hole on the Oak Marsh course.  Photo: Golf Guides USA

It is truly an outstanding layout noted for its tight fairways, small challenging green complexes, and fairways that meander along serpentine salt marsh creeks and through the moss draped heritage oaks for which Amelia Island is famous.  It is challenging and yet a fair test of your golf game. Water comes into play on 14 holes, and an accurate short game is required to hit the numerous bulk headed greens. The signature par-four eighth is typical Dye, challenging players to cross two tidal creeks before reaching the raised narrow green.  My wife struggled here but I did well, paring the hole.

Again, it was as much a nature walk, as it was a wonderful game of golf.  The morning was bright and sunny, my wife and I didn't lose too many golf balls and we both actually played pretty well.  It all added up to one fantastic round of golf.  One that we look forward to again at some future date.

After golf we headed back to our room, changed into our bathing suits and spent the rest of the day relaxing at the hotel's pool complex and expansive ocean beach.  We had a wonderful lunch at the cafe by the pool and chilled-out for the rest of the afternoon enjoying delicious frozen pina coladas. on the beach. 

Water and marsh everywhere on the beautiful Par 3, 16th hole.  Photo: Golf Guides USA

At dinner that evening we tried to determine which of these two courses we preferred...we couldn't decide which one was the better of the two.  They were both so unique, beautiful and picturesque that we decided that they both should be ranked #1.  You can rest assured that the next time we're at the Resort we'll be playing both courses once again.

That afternoon we relaxed at the hotel's pool and beach, enjoyed a quiet and wonderful dinner in the hotel's main dining room and finished the evening with an delightful after-dinner drink at the hotel bar.

The next morning we checked out of the hotel and drove to the Jacksonville airport, approximately 30 miles from the resort, dropped off the rental car and boarded a Jet Blue filght back to New York.


The trip was truly a great experience.  We relaxed, we saw some new places, and we had 4 rounds of incredible, memorable golf.  Best of all, we're still speaking to one another and are actually planning another golf trip together sometime in the near future.  

We'll let you know how that one turns our when we return.