Georgia Golf Trail

traveling to Jekyll Island, Georgia in order to enjoy the climate of southeast Georgia and to stay at what is now the historic Jekyll Island Club Resort (319 Riverview Drive, Jekyll Island; 912-319-4349). Admittedly, many of those initial visitors to Jekyll Island, back in the day, had access to big bank accounts and they were members of wealthy and influential families such as the Rockefellers, Morgans, Vanderbilts, and Pulitzers. It’s also fair to say that Jekyll Island was the original home of the rich and famous in the U.S. These days, Jekyll Island and the Jekyll Island Club Resort – located 65 miles south of Savannah– is a popular destination for couples, families and golfers throughout the year. What makes Jekyll Island and the Jekyll Island Club Resort so appealing is that the architecture from the island’s historic past have been preserved for those to enjoy now and, hopefully, well into the future. If only those trees dripping with Spanish moss could talk! Guests at the Jekyll Island Club Resort – which includes accommodation options at the Jekyll Ocean Club, Island Cottages, or the historic Jekyll Island Club Hotel– get to enjoy a number of amenities. For instance, the croquet courts located near the entrance to the Jekyll Island Club Hotel are a popular outdoor recreation outlet as are the two pools on the premises. At the Jekyll Ocean Club, guests have access to 10 miles of Atlantic Ocean beaches; a spacious outdoor pool deck; and an oversized hot tub with a fire pit. While here, enjoy the Eighty Ocean Kitchen and Bar, the resort’s beachfront kitchen and bar. And, every morning, you can enjoy a stunning sunrise from any of the 40 suites at this property. If you want to check

Jekyll Island Club Resort

The Wharf – Crab Cakes

out the Jekyll Island Club Hotel for a meal, there’s a complimentary shuttle that will take you there and back. As for the Island Cottages, there are three of them -- Sans Souci, Cherokee, and Crane Cottage. Each structure is located in the Landmark Historic District, as a part of the Jekyll Island Club. While staying at the Island Cottages, relax, read a book and explore the beautifully manicured gardens. The

Island Cottages are popular for couples, group retreats, or destination weddings. One of the most popular restaurants at the historic Jekyll Island Club Hotel is The Wharf, which provides fresh, delicious seafood while overlooking the surrounding marshlands. When it comes to the ‘play’ part of your trip to Jekyll Island, there are guided kayak tours, bicycle rides, bird watching, tennis, paddle boarding, horseback riding, fishing, boating, and 63 holes of golf at the Jekyll Island Golf Club, which has three 18-hole golf courses and a nine-hole layout. The three 18-hole courses are Indian Mound, Oleander, and Pine Lakes. The nine-hole layout is Great Dunes. Not surprisingly, the Jekyll Island Golf Club is Georgia’s largest public golf resort and one of the 20+ destinations on the Georgia Golf Trail. “Jekyll Island is one of the best places in the U.S. where you can go to unwind and relax while enjoying golf, fresh seafood, long walks along the beach, poolside siestas, and time off the grid,” said Doug Hollandsworth, Founder, the Georgia Golf Trail. Indian Mound, constructed in 1975 by veteran golf course designer Joe Lee, is the shortest of the three 18-hole courses. Water impacts play on 11 of the 18 holes. Oleander has been the host course for the Georgia Open on four occasions. Designed by golf course architect Dick Wilson, Oleander is known as the most ‘distinct’ of the three 18hole golf courses on Jekyll Island. Pine Lakes was first opened for play in 1968 and it was renovated in 2002. Pine Lakes, designed by Clyde Johnson, is the longest golf course on Jekyll Island. The golf course meanders through ocean forests and natural marsh hammocks. Great Dunes, designed by the great Walter “Old Man’ Travis, was the first golf course on Jekyll Island. The course opened for play in 1928. Travis was asked to design and build the best golf course that money could buy. He did just that. To book your visit to Jekyll Island, check out Jekyllclub.com or GeorgiaGolfandTravel.com.

Jekyll Island Club Hotel pool The Wharf on Jekyll Island