Located only 30 minutes from Jacksonville International Airport (JAX), you’ll find one of the south’s coastal paradises and best golf resorts on the 1,350 acre Amelia Island Plantation. Just four miles north of the resort you can fly directly into the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport if you have a corporate aircraft, charter or private plane.

In keeping with the philosophy of harmony in nature, the developer’s mission took the natural environment, including flora and fauna, and protected the grasslands, savannahs, salt marshes, oceanfront dunes and maintained 70% of the tree canopy. If you’re not there to golf, you can take advantage of the barrier island’s other offerings of kayaking, birding, tennis, Segway tours or bicycling. Or, do them all. The resort offers 3-½ miles of wide uncrowded beaches framed by wild sea oats, 23 Har-Tru clay tennis courts, 23 swimming pools, a shopping village, a Health & FitnessCenter, horseback riding, several dining choices, nature tours, fishing charters and youth programs.

Accommodations

Amelia Inn - 249 luxury ocean-view rooms, where you can watch the sun rise and the golfers start their day from your own personal balcony. The morning fog rolled in and even though it obstructed my view of the waves rolling it didn’t obstruct my view of the early morning golfer’s below.

The Villas of Amelia - 360 condos featuring from one to three bedrooms with ocean, golf or wooded views.

Robert Dugger, Director of Golf at Amelia Island, told me about the four 18-hole championship courses available:

Amelia Links - (36 hole configuration) A Pete Dye and Bobby Weed design that includes two signature courses, Ocean Links and Oak Marsh. The Golf Pro Shop offers equipment rental, golf accessories, golf sportswear and custom golf gifts.

Ocean Links - (18 holes - Par 70) A Bobby Weed designed course. What better way to enjoy golf while looking at the azure blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Intracoastal Waterway on the west. With five holes (#4, #5, #6, #15 and #16) paralleling the ocean, the gently rolling greens, pristine dunes and sea breezes are just a part of what makes this course special with the sounds of the crashing surf and seagulls in the background. The six mile course winds its way through seaside terrain and sand dunes. The Director of Golf said, “At 6,000 feet long, and with the prevailing winds that come off the ocean, the tightness of the course and the small greens built into the side of the dunes, it’s as much a challenge as any one of our other three courses.”

Oak Marsh - (18 holes - Par 72) Fourteen of the eighteen holes have water hazards. A Pete Dye designed course noted for tight fairways and small greens is framed by century old moss draped oaks. The natural look has been maintained with the use of coquina shell cart paths, native plant life and local wildlife preserved habitats. In 1991, Oak Marsh was host to the PGA Section Championship and in 1992 the Society of Seniors Championship. Travel & Leisure selected Oak Marsh as one of “Florida’s Finest Courses.” “Oak Marsh has five holes along the Intracoastal providing spectacular views at sunset every evening, one of the beauties of the island. You can see for miles watching the boats coming up and down the Intracoastal”, said Robert Dugger.

Long Point - (18 holes - Par 72) A Tom Fazio designed course is set among the marshlands and towering 50-foot tall sand dunes on the Atlantic Ocean. Long Point is the primary course for club members, but guests at the resort can reserve tee times by calling one day in advance. Long Point offers two ocean holes, marshlands, narrow tree-lined fairways, woods and dunes as the golfers play amongst the preserved wilderness area with breathtaking views the Amelia River. TifEagle Bermuda grass has recently been installed for its color, speed and smoothness. Long Point is a fully certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System (one of 31 in Florida and 214 in the world).

Amelia River (formerly Royal Amelia) - (18 holes - Par 72) A Tom Jackson designed course in a park-like setting where no residential developments are allowed. This course is open to the public and is located four miles from Amelia Island Plantation. This is one course you won’t want to miss with the colorful wax myrtles, pines, sabal palms and majestic live oaks draped in moss. Trademarks on this course are rolling fairways, the TifEagle greens and smooth bunkers. The 1st, 5th and 13th holes are located along the border of the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport offering wide open fairways reminding golfers of traditional Scottish links. A challenge on the 6th hole requires a blind shot. The par five 13th hole is serene and beautiful. The demanding 17th hole is a par three requiring an accurate shot to the island green. The 18th hole ends at a tidal marsh, where the future clubhouse will be situated. Resort trams run complimentary shuttles to the course.

Family Tee Programs

The program is offered May through September. Children under 15 play free with a paying adult, while the parents play for $35 per round, per adult. Oak Marsh’s front nine is the only course offering this program, there are shorter yardages and the family all play from the same set of tees. Robert Dugger states, “I believe in the grass root program for us to develop a new set of golfers and help the golf industry grow.” The family program starts at 5:30pm so it doesn’t upset the core golfers, and tee times are available every 15 minutes.

Awards

Winner of numerous prestigious awards, including Golf Magazine’s, “Silver Medal Golf Resort” as one of the best golf resorts in the nation, Golf Digest’s “Top 75 Resort Courses in the U.S.”, Links Magazine’s “Best of the South” award and ranked #11 in the USA by Golf for Women Magazine.

Golf School

Feel like your golf swing is a bit rusty? Custom lessons can be arranged for individuals or groups of any size. The student/instructor ratio is 3:1. Call the Golf School for more information, 1-904-277-5976.

Temperatures

Spring and Summer (February to late October) temperatures range from 80 - 90 degrees with evening temperatures dropping into the 70’s. You’ll need sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat or visor to protect you from the Florida sun. Resort casual clothing is the norm and collared shirts and slacks for the men are required for dining at the Ocean Grill. Fall and Winter (November - January) the temperatures are more mild and cooler ranging in the mid to low 60‘s with crisp cooler evening temperatures. Be sure to pack a light jacket for the cooler nights.

Spa at Amelia Island Plantation
After a long day on one of the courses, relax with an Anakiri Sports Infusion Massage Therapy (50 minutes $130) in one of the 25 treatment rooms at the Spa at Amelia Island Plantation. This treatment nourishes your joints and ligaments; and soothes your muscle strains using homeopathy and herbal infusions with heat to penetrate those sore and overworked muscles. The ladies might like to try the treatment I experienced; the Sweet Sugar Glow (50 minutes $110), a gentle massage using coconut milk combined with macadamia and coconut oil; followed by the gentle rain of the Vichy multi-headed shower and ending with an exfoliation of pure cane sugar and tropical nut oils. This treatment rid my skin of old skin cells, revealing new healthy skin, left my skin feeling silky smooth and me feeling like dessert had just been served. Skin and body treatments use Pevonia Botanica creams, which you can purchase in their Spa Boutique. The spa encourages nature and nurture, as well as, “miles from stress - footsteps from the sea.” www.spaamelia.com or 1-877-843-7722

When the word paradise comes into your mind…think golf at the AAA, 4- Diamond Amelia Island Plantation. www.aipfl.com 1-800-874-6878 or 1-866-213-8045.