Jekyll Island Club Resort
toric Landmark and a member of Historic Hotels of America .
Jekyll Island has been a golf destination since 1898 when the first golf course was built on the island . Today , Jekyll Island Golf Club is a group of four public courses . Golf a round at Oleander , Pine Lakes , Indian Mound or Great Dunes and stop off at Tribuzio ’ s Grille afterwards . This restaurant is the local golfer ’ s favorite and specializes in southern cuisine as well as fresh seafood .
Oleander is Jekyll Island Golf Club ’ s most popular course . Built in 1922 by Dick Wilson , this 18-hole course is a mixture of beauty and natural challenge . Bermuda grass , the sea breeze , deer and alligators keep it interesting . Hole 12 is a local favorite — if your ball hooks even slightly over the water hazard , you ’ ll be in the woods .
If you ’ re traveling with family , try a round at Pine Lakes . This course is accessible for players of all abilities . Originally built in 1968 by Clyde Johnson , it was one of the first courses to incorporate family-friendly tee boxes . Recently renovated in 2002 , it often hosts children ’ s tournaments and also has an adjacent driving range for pre-round practice .
There is a lot more to explore while on the Golden Isles . Check out charter fishing , horseback riding , tennis , pickleball or a marsh tour . While relatively under the radar , this golf destination has something for everyone .
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE COURSES
GETTING THERE :
Driving to the Golden Isles from Virginia is approximately an eight-hour drive straight down I-95S . If you ’ d want to shorten your travel time , here are other travel options :
IAD / DCA ➽ SAV / JAX Both Dulles and Reagan offer affordable nonstop flights to the Savannah and Jacksonville airports . The Golden Isles are about an hour and a half drive from either airport .
RIC ➽ SAV / JAX You can find decently priced , one-stop flights from Richmond to either Savannah or Jacksonville that take about three hours . Once you rent a car , your total travel time is just short of five hours .
IAD / DCA / RIC ➽ ATL Nonstop flights can get you to Georgia in a little more than a couple hours . Atlanta is a longer drive to the Golden Isles — approximately five hours , but this could be worth it if you plan some excursions in the state ’ s capital .
Jekyll Island Club Resort
vsga . org S EPTEMBER / O CTOBER 2022 | V IRGINIA G OLFER 33