Sea Island Seaside Course
America's links by the marsh. Laid out by Colt and Alison in 1929 and reborn under Tom Fazio in 1999, the Seaside Course runs firm and fast through the tidal creeks of St Simons Island, where the wind off the sound and a stern par 70 make it the PGA Tour's annual examination at the RSM Classic.
Photo: Seaside Golf Course via Google.
The verdict
The Seaside Course is the jewel of Sea Island, the storied Georgia resort on St Simons Island where the marsh meets the sea. Its roots run deep: the British architects Harry Colt and Charles Alison routed the original holes in 1929, and over the decades the property grew into a patchwork of nines until Tom Fazio unified it in 1999 into the single, coherent links style eighteen that plays today. The result honors its origins, a low, open, wind swept course threaded by tidal creeks and salt marsh, with St Simons Sound glinting beyond.
It is one of the few true links experiences in the American South, firm and fast underfoot, where the ground game matters and the breeze decides the round. At a par of 70 of around 7,005 yards it is short on paper but rarely easy, which is exactly why the PGA Tour comes each November for the RSM Classic, the event founded by Sea Island's own Davis Love III. For the travelling golfer, Seaside is the centerpiece of one of the most complete golf resorts in the country.
Seaside at a glance
- Opened
- 1929, redesigned 1999
- Designer
- Colt and Alison, Fazio
- Type
- Links style
- Par
- 70
- Yardage
- Around 7,005 yds
- Green fee
- Around $395 to $425
Designer, year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Sea Island Resort and leading course databases. Seaside plays to a par of 70 of around 7,005 yards over the original Colt and Alison ground reshaped by Tom Fazio in 1999. Green fees are indicative, roughly 395 dollars in spring to around 425 dollars in late autumn 2026, including cart, range balls and a forecaddie; the course is closed for restoration from early May to mid October 2026. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Seaside is golf played close to the ground. Fazio's restoration leaned into the links character that Colt and Alison gave it, with wide, firm fairways, deep revetted bunkers, and greens open at the front to invite the running shot. The marsh and the creeks frame nearly every hole, and the wind is a constant partner, switching with the tide and turning a gentle short iron into a hard decision. Learn to flight the ball low and use the slopes and the course opens up; fight the breeze and it will punish you.
The closing holes are why it makes such a fine tournament finish. The par 3 17th plays toward the water with the wind in your face, and the par 4 18th sweeps along the marsh to a green set against the sound, a finish that has decided more than one RSM Classic. They are demanding in any breeze and treacherous in a stiff one, exactly the kind of holes that make a par 70 feel longer than the card.
For the travelling golfer, Seaside anchors a Sea Island stay alongside its sister courses, the inland Plantation Course that co-hosts the RSM Classic and the members' favorite Retreat. Add the world renowned Sea Island Golf Performance Center and the five star lodging at The Cloister and The Lodge, and you have one of the finest golf resorts in America.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A resort course open to guests of The Cloister and The Lodge at Sea Island; booked as part of a golf stay through the resort or your trip planner |
| Green fee | Around 395 dollars in spring rising to around 425 dollars in late autumn, including cart, range balls, forecaddie and club cleaning (indicative) |
| Booking | Reserve lodging and tee times together; the course is closed for restoration from early May to mid October 2026, so plan around the spring and autumn windows |
| On the day | A forecaddie is included; the course is eminently walkable in the links tradition, though carts are available for those who prefer to ride |
| Getting there | On St Simons Island on the Georgia coast, around 75 minutes from Jacksonville and Savannah airports via Brunswick |
| Best months | March to April and late October into December for the most comfortable coastal weather and the firmest links conditions |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from Sea Island Resort; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with the resort or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Seaside is a Sea Island Resort course, so the natural base is one of its two famed hotels: The Cloister, the grand Forbes five star landmark on Sea Island itself, or The Lodge at Sea Island, the intimate golf hotel that overlooks the closing holes and St Simons Sound.
For a more independent stay, the village of St Simons Island offers inns and rentals a short drive from the first tee, handy if Seaside is the headline round of a wider Georgia coast trip.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts on the Georgia coast.
Build a Sea Island golf trip
Seaside is the centerpiece of a Sea Island week. We pair it with the Plantation and Retreat courses, sort the lodging at The Cloister or The Lodge and the tee times, and price the trip to the head. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge handles the rest, with no obligation.
Sea Island Seaside questions
Who designed the Seaside Course at Sea Island?
The Seaside Course was originally laid out by the British architects Harry Colt and Charles Alison in 1929 and was redesigned and unified into its present form by Tom Fazio in 1999, combining the old Seaside and Marshside nines into one links style eighteen.
What is the par and length of the Seaside Course?
The Seaside Course plays to a par of 70 and measures around 7,005 yards. It plays firm and fast in the links tradition, with wind off St Simons Sound the defining factor and a stern par 70 test for the professionals each November.
Does the Seaside Course host a PGA Tour event?
Yes. Since 2010 the Seaside Course has co-hosted the RSM Classic, a PGA Tour FedExCup event founded by Sea Island resident and World Golf Hall of Famer Davis Love III, played alongside the resort's Plantation Course each November.
Can visitors play the Seaside Course?
Yes. Seaside is open to guests of The Cloister and The Lodge at Sea Island. Indicative 2026 green fees run roughly 395 dollars in spring to around 425 dollars in late autumn, including cart, range balls and a forecaddie; the course is closed for restoration from May to mid October 2026. Always confirm current rates and dates directly before booking.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Design, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.