Ocean Links Golf
Course Opens
At Amelia Island Plantation
Story & photos by Charles Litrico
On September 1, the long-awaited Ocean Links course at Amelia Island Plantation opened for play. The course is a combination of the old Oceanside nine-hole layout designed by Pete Dye in 1975, plus nine new holes designed by Bobby Weed.
 The 6th hole features a beautiful view of the beach and ocean on the right
and the Amelia Inn on the left |
The new configuration of the course is as follows:
Holes 1 through 8 are from the re-designed Oceanside nine; holes 9 through 16 are new; the
old par-5 9th hole is now #17, and the new 18th hole is a short par-3. Oak Marsh and Oyster Bay, the Plantation's other original nine-hole courses
designed by Pete Dye in 1972, will be combined to form an 18-hole Oak Marsh course. |
Combined with Long Point, an 18-hole Tom Fazio-designed course which
opened in 1987, Ocean Links and Oak Marsh bring the total number of golf holes within the
resort to 54.
| Ocean Links is a par-70 course which
measures 6,108 yards from the back tees. It features six par-3 holes, four par-5s and
eight par-4s. The variety of the course is evident after the par-3 fifth and sixth holes,
as there are no consecutive holes with the same par for the rest of the course. A source of pride for all those involved in the design and construction of Ocean Links is that it features five holes directly on the ocean. That is more than any other course on the east coast, according to resort officials. Holes 4, 5 and 6 are part of the original Oceanside nine. The par-3 sixth hole is definitely worth playing from the elevated back tee box as you get a spectacular view of the beach and ocean on the right and the new Amelia Inn on the left. The two new oceanfront holes are numbers 15 and 16. The 15th is a long par-3 where players tee off due east facing the ocean towards an elevated green. |
 The breathtaking par-3 15th hole leaves the |
Club selection is tricky here, as the ocean breeze and a back pin placement on this deep green may result in 2 or even 3 more clubs than usual.
 It may be hard to concentrate on putting when
you arrive at |
The following hole, number 16 is a long par-4 that runs north to
south along the dunes.
If the wind is blowing from the south, you'll need two long shots to reach this green!
 The final two holes at Ocean Links are bordered on the left by beautiful
Red Maple Lake. |
Finally, you'll finish your round at Ocean
Links on the beautiful par-5 17th hole and the short-but-tricky par-3 18th. All Amelia Island Plantation courses are open to resort guests and club members only. For more information on Ocean Links, please call 277-5907 |