Pete Dye, a seminal figure in golf course design, was also something of a missing link — an innovator whose modern touches drew on long-in-the-tooth traditions. The railroad ties, for instance, that became one of his hallmarks were inspired by Dye’s tours of Prestwick and other UK courses where wooden sleepers were used to shore up bunker faces. In that, and myriad other ways, his work served as a bridge between what was and what came to be.
Fitting, then, that one of Dye’s fine courses is fresh off an update that gestures toward the past while embracing the future.
Consider Oak Marsh, then and now.
Completed in 1972, the layout at Omni Amelia Island Resort set Dye loose in a vast salt marsh on a barrier island just south of the Georgia border, where heritage oaks studded the landscape, draped in moody Spanish moss. The course opened just three years after Harbour Town Golf Links, and it carries echoes of that breakthrough design: deceptively intimidating tee shots that yield to more generous landing areas than they appear; angles that matter; and strategically placed bunkers and water hazards, many framed by those signature ties.
From the outset, Oak Marsh struck a balance between challenge and fun. A popular outlet for resort play, it was also stout enough for serious competition. In 1988, it hosted the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship. If you picked the right tees, the course met you at an equitable place.
Like Dye himself, Oak Marsh endured, remaining in play for long enough for the game to evolve around it. Recent updates were aimed at honoring its roots while adapting to today’s advanced-tech game.
Beau Welling Design handled the $7.4 million renovation, with a mandate to modernize the layout and refine its aesthetics and conditioning without compromising its Dye DNA. All 18 greens were rebuilt, and the tees, roughs and green collars were re-grassed with high-performance, drought-tolerant turf. Every bunker was renovated — some repositioned to better defend against today’s high-flying assaults — and drainage improvements were threaded throughout the course. Tee areas were reimagined in a new “ribbon-tee” configuration, continuous stretches of turf that allow for nearly endless setup options.
Beyond the playing corridors, native areas were cleared of overgrowth and expanded to sharpen aesthetics. The driving range saw upgrades to its tees and landing area. The cart paths were polished up as well.
With the renovation wrapping late last year, a reborn Oak Marsh joined a growing roster of golf at Omni Amelia Island. It now sits alongside Little Sandy, a 10-hole par-3 course, and an 18-hole putting course — both Welling creations — that weave through a lowland marsh environment and offer members and resort guests an inviting short-course counterpoint.
All of this unfolds on 1,350 acres of coastal terrain bracketed by the Atlantic Ocean, lush marshlands and the Intracoastal Waterway. It’s the setting for 402 oceanfront guest rooms and a spread of resort amenities that range from an adults-only infinity pool to a family-friendly splash pool, wide-ranging dining options and three-and-a-half miles of uncrowded beach.
