PROFILES
Craig Stalnaker and Kristin Orendorf, both of St. Simons Island, paddleboard in the St. Simons Sound.
Outdoors recreation is calling Bobby Haven photos
By BUDDY HUGHES
PROFILES | The Brunswick News
The Golden Isles and Coastal Georgia are known for natural beauty and pleasant weather, a combination that makes it perfect for all types of outdoor recreation enthusiasts. Golf is among the most popular outdoor activities for many residents and visitors. Glynn County alone has 270 holes of public, semi-private and private golfing available, spread across 15 courses. Rick Mattox, general manager and head professional at King and Prince Golf Course-Home of the Hampton Club on St. Simons Island, says the Isles’ location and scenery makes it a unique golfing experience. “We have four season changes, and it’s just so different from going any farther south,” Mattox says. “I think it has all the components that a person would want, from the oak trees, to the water, to the ocean and the marshes. You just can’t ask for much more.” The entire nation gets a good look at what the Golden Isles has to offer in the fall, when the PGA Tour comes to town for the McGladrey Classic. The event, hosted by Sea Island touring pro Davis Love III, has become a fall tradition since it came to Sea Island Golf Club’s Seaside Course in 2010. The tournament, along with the nine PGA pros who call the area home, are also great exposure. “I think it’s been terrific to hear those guys talking about St. Simons and all those guys being from St. Simons,” Mattox said. “If you’ve watched it, we’ve all probably appreciated what a beautiful place we live in after seeing it on TV.” It doesn’t hurt having a course like Seaside, which Golf Digest magazine ranked 36th on its list of America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses for 2013-14 (classifying Seaside as
WATER AND LAND ARE LURES TO SPEND TIME IN THE COASTAL SUN
Amateur golfers in the Golden Isles Invitational
“public” because patrons of Sea Island Co. resorts can play there without being Sea Island Club members). While tournaments and great courses help bring in tourists, Mattox says there are plenty of people living in Glynn who love to hit the links. “I think you can truthfully say we
80 PROFILES The Brunswick News / Saturday, March 29, 2014
have an across-the-board mix of people throughout Glynn County that love golf and love to play every opportunity they get,” Mattox says. “There are some great players here. There are people who play because they enjoy the game, and people who play for business. The big thing is, you’re starting to see people play and bring their families out, and that’s going to help the future more than anything.” But there is more than golf that brings people to the area. The intricate waterways of Coastal Georgia provide outdoor enthusiasts with a plethora of opportunities to explore. “You’ve got the ocean and beaches, but there’s hundreds of miles of sheltered waterways and rivers — not only saltwater, but nearby freshwater,” says Michael Gowen, owner of SouthEast Adventure Outfitters. “You have a huge variety of ecosystems to choose from. I always say that we have a huge trail system, it’s just all wet.” For people visiting the area, the isolation of a kayak tour can be surprising. “We go out on many of our trips and won’t see anybody else on the water. For a lot of our visitors, it’s something unheard of where they are from,” Gowen says. “There’s so much more density in other places, it’s kind of refreshing to see our area through the eyes of visitors through that reason. The remoteness of our coast and the wildness of it is always interesting to show the folks.” Exploring the area via kayaks or paddleboards also allows families to not only be more active on vacations or weekends, Gowen says, but also gives them a chance to create more memories. “After a day or two just on the beach, they look for something a bit more active to do,” Gowen says. “Also, they’re on vacation to spend time with their significant others and their families, and it’s a way to experience something together.”