Sea Island Plantation Course
The Plantation Course at Sea Island traces its roots to a Walter Travis nine from 1928, but the layout golfers play today is a 2019 rebuild by Love Golf Design, a homage to golf's Golden Age with deep coffin bunkers and squared off plateau greens on the Georgia coast.
Photo: Plantation Golf Course via Google.
The verdict
The Plantation Course has a long lineage. A nine designed by Walter Travis opened in 1928, Dick Wilson added holes in 1960, and Rees Jones reworked the course in the 1990s. In 2019 the Sea Island based team of Davis and Mark Love, with lead architect Scot Sherman of Love Golf Design, stripped the course back and rebuilt it as a tribute to early Golden Age design. It now plays as a par 72 of around 7,060 yards.
The result is one of the most characterful resort courses in the southeast, with deep, squared bunkers, chocolate drop mounds and bold plateau greens that ask for precise approaches. Alongside the Seaside and Retreat courses it completes the Sea Island Golf Club, a resort regularly ranked among the finest in the United States and the longtime home of the PGA Tour's autumn finale on the Seaside links nearby.
Sea Island Plantation Course at a glance
- Opened
- 1928, rebuilt 2019
- Designer
- Love Golf Design
- Type
- Coastal Golden Age
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- Around 7,060 yds
- Green fee
- Resort guest rates
The Plantation Course opened as a Walter Travis nine in 1928, grew with Dick Wilson and Rees Jones, and was rebuilt in 2019 by Love Golf Design, with Davis and Mark Love and lead architect Scot Sherman; designer history, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the resort and leading course databases. It plays as a par 72 of around 7,060 yards. Green fees are by resort guest rate, set seasonally; figures change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The 2019 rebuild gave the Plantation a bold, retro character. Wide fairways invite the driver, but the squared off plateau greens and the deep coffin bunkers demand a thoughtful approach, and the angles into the greens reward the player who drives to the right side of the fairway.
The bunkering is the defining feature, steep walled and unforgiving, framed by chocolate drop mounds that recall the Golden Age courses the redesign set out to honour. Several greens sit raised above their surrounds, so a missed approach leaves an awkward recovery rather than a simple chip.
Set on flat coastal land, the Plantation gets its teeth from its greens and bunkers rather than from length or elevation, a strategic course that suits every level from the right tees while still testing the low handicapper who attacks the flags.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Part of the Sea Island Golf Club; play is reserved for resort guests and members |
| Green fee | By resort guest rate, set seasonally (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Book through Sea Island Resort; stay at The Cloister or The Lodge to play |
| On the day | Caddies available; carts standard. Smart golf dress |
| Getting there | On the Georgia coast near St Simons Island, around 80 minutes from Jacksonville and Savannah airports |
| Best months | March to May and September to November for the most pleasant coastal conditions |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with the club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Sea Island is a destination resort, and access to the Plantation runs through it. The Cloister and The Lodge are the two five star properties, the Lodge sitting right by the golf, and a stay includes play across the resort's courses.
With the Plantation, Seaside and Retreat courses on site, plus the practice facilities and the wider Georgia coast around St Simons Island, Sea Island is a complete golf trip in one address, regularly rated among the best resorts in the country.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Sea Island and St Simons Island.
Build a Sea Island golf trip
We arrange the round on the Plantation, the stay at The Lodge or The Cloister and the full Sea Island itinerary across its three courses. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Sea Island Plantation Course questions
Who designed the Plantation Course at Sea Island and when did it open?
The Plantation Course opened as a Walter Travis nine in 1928 and grew under Dick Wilson and Rees Jones. The layout played today is a 2019 rebuild by Love Golf Design, with Davis and Mark Love and lead architect Scot Sherman.
What is the par and length of the Plantation Course?
The Plantation Course plays as a par 72 of around 7,060 yards, with wide fairways, deep squared bunkers and raised plateau greens in the Golden Age style.
How much does it cost to play the Plantation Course?
Play is by resort guest rate, set seasonally for 2026. Rates change by season and year, so always confirm directly with Sea Island before booking.
Can visitors play the Plantation Course?
Play on the Plantation Course is reserved for guests of Sea Island Resort and members, so the way to play is to book a stay at The Lodge or The Cloister.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year and par verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.