Omni Amelia Island Resort – the great oceanfront resort of 1,350 acres at the tip of a barrier island off the Northeast Florida coast – has broken ground for renovating its famed Oak Marsh Golf Course.
With a projected reopening date of Oct. 1 later this year, one of the chief goals of the $7.4 million renovation is to protect the architectural feel of Pete Dye’s original 1972 creation. Additional overarching goals are to modernize the layout to meet the requirements of today’s game brought on by technological advancements in equipment, enhance the aesthetic attributes of the 18, and provide a high-quality and consistent playing experience.
Oak Marsh is one of Dye’s more well-known Florida layouts and showcases the legendary architect’s prowess for using marsh and wetlands that would later be seen in courses such as his acclaimed design of the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island.
“We are beyond excited that one of the great golf course experiences in both Florida and the U.S. is about to become even better,” said Theo Schofield, Managing Director, Omni Amelia Island Resort. “Beau Welling and his team are ideal to ensure that Pete Dye’s marvelous creation will be updated true to his original vision, as our resort guests and members will enjoy playing the acclaimed layout for decades to come.”
Welling is one of today’s more “in-demand” golf course designers in the game. One of his recent creations, Fields Ranch West at Omni PGA Frisco, opened this past May to rave reviews.
“Our team and I are excited to return to Omni Amelia Island following the completion of the Little Sandy short course in 2022, and we are honored to be working on a layout with such a rich history as Oak Marsh,” says Welling. “The Pete Dye design is a perfect example of why he is one of the greats of our profession, and we look forward to revitalizing his work with modern upgrades that will elevate the playing experience for future generations of golfers.”
To realize the above objectives, Welling said each of the greens on Oak Marsh will be rebuilt and re-grassed with TifEagle Bermudagrass. The layout’s fairways, tee areas, and rough and green collars will be re-grassed with TifTuf Bermudagrass. Every bunker will be renovated, and some hazards will be repositioned. New drain pipes, liners, and sand will make for more consistent play. The tee areas will all be renovated and repositioned where needed, and all will utilize the “ribbon-tee” concept, creating opportunities for nearly unlimited tee placements.
Additional work will be done to expand the native areas to enhance the overall aesthetic quality of the layout. Rounding out the renovation details, the course irrigation system will be improved, and the driving range tees and landing areas will be upgraded with new hitting mats incorporated. The existing cart paths will also be improved as part of the project work.
The new Oak Marsh will join Little Sandy – the resort’s 10-hole, par-3 course – and accompanying 18-hole putting course as creations of Beau Welling Design. Open to resort guests and The Amelia Island Club members, Little Sandy features holes ranging from 30 to 125 yards. Playing through a picturesque lowland oak marsh habitat, the course seeks to provide a traditional yet fun-focused golf experience for all ages and abilities.
One of the Southeast’s top destinations, Omni Amelia Island Resort, in addition to golf, offers oceanfront accommodations with views of the Atlantic Ocean, resort pools, championship golf, and a full-service spa.
omnihotels.com/hotels/amelia-island
Photo Courtesy of Omni Amelia Island Resort