St. Simons Island is a small island on the coast of Georgia known for its quiet vibes, southern charm and beautiful beaches. Some would argue it is one of the best places in the country to take a golf trip. St. Simons, which many call Sea Island due to the large 5 diamond resort on the island, has 7 quality golf courses. It’s no surprise that there are over 20 PGA Tour golf professionals that call Sea Island home when they are not on the road. Below are some tips for helping plan out your Sea Island Golf Trip that are helpful for any golfers heading down to the Georgia Sea Coast.
1. Know your course options - Sea Island Resort owns and operates 3 courses on the Island: Seaside, Plantation, and Retreat. The Plantation and Seaside courses are host to the RSM Classic, an annual PGA Tour stop each November. All of the courses are public, but only available to guests who are staying at the resort. Seaside was recently ranked #36 on best public courses and #172 of all courses in the US. If you are lucky enough to know a member, there are two amazing private golf facilities called Ocean Forest and Frederica which are two of the best golf courses in the state of Georgia. Beyond the private facilities, The King and Prince Resort and Sea Palms are two public golf facilities. Sea Palms has a public golf range if you are just looking to hit a bucket for practice. If you are looking for a bonus round, Brunswick CC is a Donald Ross semi-private golf course just off the island that has a great layout and fantastic greens.
2. Find lodging - St. Simons island is a very busy vacation rental market so there are a number of options to meet your budget. Sea Island Resort is the best hotel option on the island, offering luxury options in their Lodge or Cloister hotels as well as more affordable options at their Inn. All the lodging at Sea Island is top notch and allows guest resort access to play their golf facilities. If you are looking for a little more space and want to cook during your stay, check out house options from companies like Emmons Realty who have a number of options that can sleep 10-12 people.
3. Where to eat - Known for the seafood on the coast, St. Simons island has some great restaurants and food options especially if you are looking for some local fish. Below are the 5 best restaurants I could find to fit any mood:
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- Seafood - Crabdaddy's - Local, delicious food with a family atmosphere. They have an amazing seafood chowder to start and any of the seafood on the menu is great
- Pub/brewery - Barrier Island Brewing - Great beer, pub food and an awesome happy hour for those looking for a great deal
- BBQ - Southern Soul - This restaurant is co-owned by David Love III for the golf fans. Great, low key vibes with awesome food. The only issue is they close at 7pm so beware on your dinner timing
- Pizza - CJs - This is a great pizza spot located down by the St. Simons pier. Make sure you order ahead as their deep dish is delish, but takes about 45 mins to get the proper cook
- Southern home cooking - Porch - Need some low key comfort food, The Porch has one of the best fried chicken sandwiches you will ever eat. They have frozen Rose which is a excellent as well
- Fine Dining - Both the lodge or Cloister at Sea Island have great options to eat dinner. You do need to be a resort guest to dine in these restaurants. Even if you are staying at The Inn on Sea Island, you have access to these restaurants.
Want to take a trip with your buddies? Check out the City Tour Championship!