Sea Island Golf Club (Seaside Course)

Sea Island Golf Club (Seaside Course) – Played May 2016

• Rankings: Golf Digest Public #36, Golf Magazine Public #23
• Location: 100 Cloister Drive, Sea Island, Georgia
• Year: 1928
• Original Architects: Charles Alison & H.S. Colt
• Additional Work By: Tom Fazio
• Course Access: Resort
• Walking Rules: Carts & Caddie Available

Score Card Information:

• Blue: 6,657 yards, Par 70, 72.6 Rating/139 Slope
• Green: 6,323 yards, Par 70, 71.1 Rating/135 Slope
• White: 5,980 yards, Par 70, 69.4 Rating/132 Slope
• Silver: 5,546 yards, Par 70, 67.4 Rating/127 Slope (Men’s), 72.3 Rating/136 Slope (Women’s)
• Gold: 4,978 yards, Par 70, 65.0 Rating/121 Slope (Men’s), 69.1 Rating/123 Slope (Women’s)

The first leg of the Georgia/Florida trip would be in Sea Island to play the host of the PGA Tour’s RSM Classic, the Seaside Course at Sea Island Golf Club.  The location also houses the Plantation and Retreat courses.  You will need to stay on the property to get tee times.  I did not stay in the wonderful accommodations, but I managed to get on.  That will be a state secret, but I did get some pictures from their wonderful public relations people to show you what it looks like.  Check out the picture below for a sample of what you get if you stay there.

Below is the men’s locker room.  Pretty fantastic!

An earlier photo of the course.

This is one of the halfway houses with some wonderful vegetation.

I love to learn about history and Sea Island has plenty of it.  This part of our history is not good, but I think it is important to know about it.  I will let the signs below speak for me.

The plantation house ruins are seen below.

After my quick tour of the ruins, it was off to the golf.  Below is the expansive driving range.

Here is a chipping green.

And another one.

The wife was taking pictures for this trip and she said you guys needed some action shots.  I’m not so sure, but they made it in on three of the rounds for this trip.

The cool thing about the range is that it sits right next to the water.  See what I mean below.

By on the water, I mean it.

You have to love this bridge.

Another thing my wife loves is animals!  Check these turtles and hermit crabs out.

The putting green is quite expansive and sits next to the clubhouse.

They have wicker baskets like another famous course in the US, Merion.  This is a cool touch.

If you have read my site, you know I love these clocks.  Sea Island didn’t disappoint.

I decided to tip it out and play the blue tees.  Not as long as the pros, but I figured I would see as much golf course as I could.
Funny enough, the starter had lived in a town very close to us and had children that still do.  Small world.  Let’s go!

Hole 1 – 400 yards – Par 4

The opening hole gives you a wide landing area.  The bunker on the right is definitely in play.  A draw works best here.

Here is a look at the second shot.  The bunker you see is front and left of the green.

Here is a closer look to show the second shot.

The green has some mild contouring as seen below.

Hole 2 – 398 yards – Par 4

There is a little more trouble on this hole than the previous one.  There is water on the right and plenty of trouble left.  Hit it accurately here.

Here is a look at the second shot.  The big bunker you see fronts the green.

Here is a little closer look.

This higher view shows that this a big green.  There are plenty of runoff areas for chipping.

The photo below really shows the size of the green.

Hole 3 – 204 yards – Par 3

This is a long, straightaway par three.  There is some trouble to carry before you get to the green.

The green is large and slopes from left to right.

Hole 4 – 421 yards – Par 4

This is a longer hole with trouble all down the left side.  Your best line is at the large bunker.  With very little fairway framing you need to focus on picking lines off the tee.

The second shot plays back to the left over the marsh.  Like the last few holes the green is at the big bunker.

Here is a closer look.  The conditioning here is first-rate.

Below is a look at the green contouring.

The shot below shows the sever slope around where this pin is located.

I told you the wife likes the action shots.  Here is one of me in the greenside bunker.

Hole 5 – 388 yards – Par 4

Unlike the last few holes the trouble here is only on one side.  You must avoid the water right.  Like many of the other holes the best line is at the big bunker straight off the tee.

I am noticing a trend of one large bunker guarding the front of the green.  This hole favors a fade from the fairway.

The green is slightly raised as you can see below.

Here is another angle of the green.

Below is a shot of the yardage markers at Seaside.

Hole 6 – 164 yards – Par 3

This one is similar to the last par three except that it is shorter.  There is still some trouble to clear.

Below is a closer look.  With this pin you need to take on the bunker to get close.  Distance control is important.

Another action shot.  This one went a little left 🙁

Below is a look at the green.

A wider shot shows the contouring of the putting surface.

Hole 7 – 531 yards – Par 5

The first par five is a doozy.  Most players will not be able to get home in two.  With the water right the best shot shape is a fade.  If you have that shot, aim up the left side and send it!

Here is a look at the second shot.

The third shot plays to a large green seen below.

Here is a side view of the green.

Hole 8 – 360 yards – Par 4

This hole is shorter than some of the others, but with no less character.  The large bunker on the right pinches in your landing area.  It is in play if you hit driver off the tee.

Here is a look at the approach.  The green is tucked behind the large bunker on the right, but is set further back.

You can see that bunker was a fairway bunker and optical illusion.  The green is only surrounded by chipping areas.

Hole 9 – 410 yards – Par 4

The last hole on the front nine calls for a good drive.  You want to take one up the left side here for the best angle.

You can see the pond buffeting the green on the right.  The green is another one that is slightly raised.

Below is a closer look at the green.

Another look at the other sections of the green shows the great sloping.

Hole 10 – 399 yards – Par 4

No tricks here on this straight hole.  Bomb one down the middle.

The approach plays uphill to the green.  You will want to avoid the massive greenside bunker.  You can also see a false front on the left side of the green.

The is quite a bit of contour on the edges of the greens, but not so much in the middle.  This pin is in a pretty flat spot.

You can see with me walking to the back of the green how much slope is on this green.

Hole 11 – 415 yards – Par 4

There is a lot of sand to draw your eye, but focus on the fairway instead.  If you split the two middle bunkers you will be in great shape.

The second shot plays over more sand to a green that is open in the front.

Below you can see the unguarded green.

Hole 12 – 213 yards – Par 3

This hole is another beast.  Luckily, the green is rather large.

Below you can see the large green I mentioned.  The slope also works everything back to the middle.

Here is a look at the sloping and rolling fringe areas around the green.

Here is another angle.

Hole 13 – 409 yards – Par 4

This hole bends slightly to the left.  The further left you go the longer the carry.  If you can rope a draw starting up the right side you will be in the driver’s seat.

Here is a little closer look to see the landing area.

The second shot plays to a raised green fronted by another large bunker.  You really don’t want to go long here.

When I said raised I definitely meant it.  Here is the view from about 20 yards short of the green.

Once you get up on the green, below is what you are faced with.

The shot below shows the slope of the green.  There isn’t as much on this hole as some others, but there is still some movement there.

Hole 14 – 407 yards – Par 4

This hole sits tight against the water on the left.  The next photo will give you a closer look of what to do.

The zoomed version below shows the line you need.  Hit your drive at the short tree on the left side of this picture.

The second shot is seen below.  The green sits at a diagonal to the fairway.

The green is slightly elevated with the omnipresent chipping areas as seen in the next two photos.

Hole 15 – 545 yards – Par 5

This is a long hole especially when playing into the wind.  You want to keep your drive to the right of the big bunker on the right.  There isn’t too much benefit to going left.

The second is an awkward layup if you have never played here before.  The distance needs to be precise.  The line is actually best between the trees.

If you are faced with a longer third shot below is what you will see.  The green is open in the front to accept run-up shots.

The green is large on this hole.  For those big hitters the large green is welcoming if going for it in two.

Here is a view from behind the green.

Below you can see the large bunker that surrounds the left side of the green.  It is deep as you can see from me standing in it.  I am about 5’7″ for reference.

Hole 16 – 378 yards – Par 4

This is a great looking hole in my opinion.  The marsh runs all down the left side and the landing area is small.  There is some bailout to the right, but if you want to have a shorter shot into the green you will need to take on the left side of the fairway.

I laid back for safety, but the drawback is the longer approach seen below.

Below is a closer look.

The green is more raised than it looks from the fairway.  Anything on this side will most likely not run up on the green due to the upward slope.

Below is a view from the right of the green.

Hole 17 – 176 yards – Par 3

This flat par three is no pushover.  Big bunkers are in the front and on the right.  Hit the green if at all possible.

The closer look shows what you are having to hit into.

The view below shows the slope just off the green.  These chipping areas are tough with the tight lies.

Here is another angle.

This wide shot gives the full effect of the green.

Hole 18 – 439 yards – Par 4

I almost forgot to show you the hole markers.  See below.

The final hole provides a stern test.  You need a long and straight drive here to have a manageable approach shot.

There is a little hill that will kick your ball forward if you catch it.  I was a little ways back and the shot below is what I faced.

Here is a slightly closer look.

This green has some slope in it for sure.  You can see it behind me to the left.

Sea Island’s Seaside course is simply incredible.  It is a stern test from start to finish.  You can also see why many of the tour pros like the course.  I think it favors solid ball strikers since it plays in the wind very often.  There is plenty of history here both good and bad with the plantation side of things.  Overall, the property is beautiful and a wonderful setting for golf.  If you get a chance, go to Sea Island!