Recently, Golf Aficionado took a trip to the beach, and what trip would be complete without playing golf. Our beach destination was Amelia Island, a quiet little beach town just northeast of Jacksonville, FL. The beach was lovely, and nobody got attacked by a shark, so we were already ahead of the game by the time we hit the course at the Golf Club of Amelia Island.
We’re Talking About the Ritz!
The Golf Club of Amelia Island is co-located with the Ritz Carlton of Amelia Island. I know, the Ritz baby! Automatically you have high expectations. Arriving as a golf-only visitor, things are a little awkward. Pulling into the Ritz Carlton, you need to hang a sharp left at the pro shop for the bag drop. After dropping your bags, head across the entrance road to the parking garage, and after parking the car, the pro shop is only a short walk back across the street. If the golf club offered valet service, it would have made for a perfect entrance, I know I’m picky, but this place is so incredible it’s hard to find anything to complain about. Insider tip, make it easy on yourself and stay at the Ritz Carlton Amelia Island. Trust us. You won’t regret it!
After checking in and browsing all the pro shop merchandise, we grabbed a bag of practice balls and drove over to the practice area. The practice area is actually across the street and down a community road. The range is nicely appointed, and the grass was in great shape, at least until we finished warming up. Leaving the practice area, you drive back down the community road and find the first hole on the left. One of the two practice putting greens is located just before the first tee box, so make sure to head over a few minutes ahead of your tee time to roll a few putts.
The Front Nine
Playing the front nine, you’ll learn accuracy is the key to success. Trees on both sides create incredibly tight fairways. The 2nd hole, which is rated the hardest on the course, is a beast of a par 5. To have any chance on this hole, you need to draw the ball off the tee around the dogleg. After the second hole, things ease up quite a bit as both #3 and #4 are very short par 4s. The first par 3 comes at #5, featuring a short semi-island green requiring a large water carry to the green. The rest of the front nine is more of the same, short holes with tight fairways.
Making The Turn
Making the turn, if you didn’t know better, you would think you wandered over to another golf course. In contrast to the front nine, the back nine is wide open. The back nine’s highlight is #15, a challenging Par 5 with a tough uphill green. Outside of #15, the back nine is full of short but challenging holes protected by various hazards.
That missing Ocean View….
I couldn’t help being disappointed that we never got a glimpse of the oceanfront. The Ritz Carlton is located right on the beach, only steps away from the Atlantic Ocean, but they decided to keep all the oceanfront for hotel guests to enjoy. If someone blindfolded you and dropped you off at the course, you would have no clue the ocean was steps away.
After the round, I couldn’t help feeling happy, and it wasn’t just because of the birdie I had on eighteen. The course was in great shape, and the service was impeccable. It was a hot day, but the Golf Club of Amelia Island kept us cool with three iced towel stations throughout the course and a blender attached to one of the beverage carts to make frozen margaritas. The course comes across as short but tight fairways on the front and well-placed hazards on the back, make the course play considerably longer than you expect. My biggest complaint is that the course doesn’t highlight the beautiful oceanfront property of the Ritz Carlton.
Course Rating 4.0
Three areas in particular impacted the course rating resulting in a 4.0 rating. The course was rated poorly for; practice facility, scenery, and memorability. The practice areas were all in good condition, but they are split up and have strange locations. Going to the driving range felt like driving to someone’s house.
As I mentioned in my review, the scenery is so close to the oceanfront but never getting to see it is disappointing. For memorability, the course had a few holes that standout but nothing that will leave a lasting memory. That said, all four of us would play the course again without hesitation.
To book a round at The Golf Club of Amelia Island, book a visit to the Ritz Carlton Amelia Island or have your club pro reach out to the staff at the golf club!