Georgia, USA
Great Dunes Golf Course represents a £16 million restoration of Walter Travis's 1927 design on Jekyll Island, Georgia, where architects Brian Ross and Jeffrey Stein have unified nine original holes with land from the former Dick Wilson-designed Oleander Course to create an 18-hole public facility playing to 6,404 metres (7,014 yards).
Jekyll Island (Great Dunes)
Great Dunes Golf Course represents a £16 million restoration of Walter Travis's 1927 design on Jekyll Island, Georgia, where architects Brian Ross and Jeffrey Stein have unified nine original holes with land from the former Dick Wilson-designed Oleander Course to create an 18-hole public facility playing to 6,404 metres (7,014 yards).
Experience one of Walter Travis's rare surviving public designs restored to Golden Age specifications with Atlantic Ocean views. Great Dunes offers exceptional value as Georgia's only restored 1920s course accessible without private club membership.
Jekyll Island's golf heritage commenced in 1927 when members of the Jekyll Island Club—including the Rockefeller and Vanderbilt families—commissioned Australian-born architect Walter Travis to create their coastal retreat. Travis, known as the "Old Man" of American golf, won three US Amateur Championships and became the first American to capture the 1904 British Amateur title before establishing his architectural career.
A major storm in 1947 destroyed nine holes of the original layout, with the back nine subsequently lost to erosion and redevelopment. The State of Georgia purchased Jekyll Island that same year, establishing it as a public park. The Jekyll Island Authority Board (JIAB) was formed in 1950 to manage the property.
In 2022, the JIAB approved a comprehensive Golf Improvement Plan authorising the Great Dunes restoration. Architects Brian Ross and Jeffrey Stein received the commission to resurrect Travis's design whilst incorporating nine holes from the adjoining Oleander Course. The remaining Oleander holes transitioned to conservation land. Construction spanned 2024-2025, with the unified 18-hole layout opening in November 2025.
Ross and Stein conducted extensive archival research through Jekyll Island Authority records and studied other Travis courses to understand his distinctive design philosophy. The original nine Travis holes (1927 routing holes 1-9) now occupy positions 4-12 in the current layout, with nine reimagined Wilson holes completing the circuit.
Great Dunes spans 155 acres across sandy terrain pocked with dunes, maritime forest, and wetlands directly adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean. The layout plays to 6,404 metres (7,014 yards) from the championship tees with paspalum turf throughout—replacing the original Bermuda grass to withstand coastal salt spray and humidity.
The routing commences with three former Oleander holes before transitioning to the preserved Travis holes at the 4th. Travis's signature design elements include severely contoured greens with internal movements, strategic bunkering incorporating pot bunkers and chocolate drop mounding, and routing that utilises natural landforms rather than extensive earthmoving.
The iconic "Mae West" flanking dunes frame the 4th hole's elevated green, creating a narrow target for players attempting to reach the par-5 in two shots. Holes 5-8 move southward with alternating par combinations before the layout reverses direction northward at the 9th, a long par-4 paralleling the ocean.
The penultimate 17th—a 165-metre (181-yard) par-3—features the course's largest putting surface at 1,125 square metres (12,110 square feet) across a menacing pond. The closing 419-metre (459-yard) par-4 plays through a narrow chute into prevailing southwest winds.
Great Dunes has not hosted professional tournaments, but represents a significant architectural restoration project recognised for preserving Golden Age design principles. The course joins approximately 50 Travis designs still in existence, with fewer than 10 accessible to public play.
Jekyll Island's golf cluster includes three additional 18-hole public courses—Pine Lakes, Indian Mound, and the renovated Great Dunes—totalling 63 holes of accessible golf.
St Simons Island sits 31km (19 miles) north, approximately 29 29-minute drive away, featuring Sea Island Golf Club's championship Seaside and Plantation courses (private, accessible to resort guests). The Seaside course hosted significant Tom Fazio renovations in 1999 and annually hosts the PGA Tour's RSM Classic.
Brunswick's Heritage Oaks Golf Club lies 21km (13 miles) northwest, approximately 20 minutes' driving. Savannah's championship facilities, including The Club at Savannah Harbor sit 120km (75 miles) north, approximately 90 minutes via Interstate 95.
Jekyll Island provides an ideal base for multi-day golf itineraries combining public championship courses with Atlantic Ocean access and preserved natural landscapes.
Peak green fees reach £110 ($135), including power cart, representing exceptional value for oceanside championship golf. Advanced booking is recommended during peak periods, March-May and September-November. The Jekyll Island Club Resort offers accommodation packages including golf access.
Brunswick Golden Isles Airport (BQK): 35km (22 miles), approximately 30 minutes driving via US Highway 17. Delta Air Lines operates daily service from Atlanta. Major car rental facilities are available.
Jacksonville International Airport (JAX): 105km (65 miles) south, approximately 75 minutes for international connections.
Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV): 147km (91 miles) north, approximately 90 minutes via Interstate 95.
Ground Transport: Jekyll Island is accessed via the Sidney Lanier Bridge from Brunswick. US Highway 17 provides primary mainland access. On-island navigation via Captain Wylly Road to golf facilities.
Spring (March-May): Optimal conditions with moderate temperatures 18-25°C (65-77°F) and lower humidity. Peak booking period requiring reservations.
Summer (June-August): Temperatures exceed 32°C (90°F) with high humidity and frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Paspalum turf plays softer, favouring aerial approach shots. Reduced green fees.
Autumn (September-November): Preferred season with comfortable temperatures 20-27°C (68-80°F), lower humidity, and firmer conditions. Tournament and event season.
Winter (December-February): Year-round play is maintained with temperatures 10-18°C (50-65°F). Paspalum dormancy provides slightly firmer surfaces. Excellent value period with minimal crowds.
The restoration invested £16 million ($21 million) to resurrect one of America's few remaining accessible Walter Travis designs, successfully unifying two disparate architectural styles into a cohesive championship layout. Ross and Stein's achievement lies in reimagining Dick Wilson's holes to match Travis's Golden Age aesthetic—particularly the severely contoured greens that form the primary defence. Public access to a restored 1920s course at this green fee represents extraordinary value in contemporary American golf.
Overall rating
4.5
Overall rating
4.5
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