Sea Island

The headliner, and it earns it. Tom Fazio reworked the original Colt and Alison routing in 1999, and the wind off the marsh is the real defense — there are holes here that play three clubs different depending on which way the flag is bending. Hosts the RSM Classic every November, which tells you everything about how the conditioning holds up.

Davis Love III's 2019 redo turned this from the third-best course on property into a legitimate co-star. The routing uses the marsh and the live oaks better than it used to, and the par 3s are now among the best on the island. Don't treat it as a warm-up for Seaside — it's not.

The most player-friendly of the three resort courses, which is the polite way of saying it's where you'll actually break 80. Davis Love III routing with wider corridors and softer edges than Seaside, but the conditioning is identical and the practice facility next door is the best in the country. Good round-three call when legs are tired.

Tom Fazio routing on the north end of St. Simons that almost nobody outside the membership ever sees. Wider than Seaside, more elevation than you'd expect on a barrier island, and conditioning that rivals anything at the resort. Semi-private — you need a member connection or the Sea Island concierge working the phones, but it's worth the effort.

Joe Lee design on the north end of St. Simons with four holes that play out across actual tidal marsh islands — connected by cart bridges. It's a gimmick that works. Not in the same conditioning league as the resort courses, but it's a fun afternoon round at a third of the price.

27 holes on the south end of St. Simons — a workmanlike resort course that exists at a price point Sea Island will never touch. Not a destination round, but a fine option for a fourth day or for the budget-conscious member of the group who isn't dropping $400 a tee time.

If golf is the priority, this is where you stay — full stop. 40 rooms steps from the Seaside first tee, a butler assigned to your room, and the Oak Room halfway house ritual that the editorial mentions for a reason. Forbes Five-Star and priced accordingly. Skip it if your group doesn't care about being walking distance to the range.

The original 1928 Addison Mizner property, fully rebuilt in 2006 — this is where you go if the trip includes spouses or if anyone in the group wants the spa-and-beach component. Bigger, more amenity-driven, more of a resort feel than The Lodge. Shuttle to the courses takes about ten minutes.

Sea Island's value play — across the causeway in St. Simons, owned by the resort, includes resort access and shuttle. About a third the price of The Lodge with none of the proximity, but for a four-day trip with three rounds it's the smart budget call. Rooms are basic but clean.

Independent oceanfront property on St. Simons — not Sea Island affiliated, which means you save real money but lose access to the resort dining and amenities. The pool faces the Atlantic, the rooms have been renovated, and it's a 15-minute drive to most of the courses. Solid play if you're price-conscious.

For a group of six or more, a rental on St. Simons makes more financial sense than booking three rooms at The Lodge. Look in the East Beach or Sea Palms areas — you'll get a four-bedroom with a kitchen and a screened porch for less than two Lodge rooms. Trade off is no resort service and a 10-minute drive to the courses.

The resort's clubby bar and the soul of the trip — single malts, leather chairs, a fire most months of the year, and the bartenders remember names. This is where post-round drinks turn into dinner turn into one more before bed. If you're staying at The Lodge, you'll spend more nights here than you planned.

The Cloister's fine dining play — coat required, tasting menus, the kind of place you do one big dinner of the trip. Forbes Five-Star and the wine list runs deep. Not a casual call and not cheap, but if the group wants to do it right one night, this is the room.

Chef Dave Snyder's St. Simons institution — coastal Southern, the local seafood is doing the heavy lifting, and the wine program is better than it has any right to be. This is where the locals who can afford anywhere go for a real dinner. Book ahead in season.

Order at the counter, eat at picnic tables, get the brisket and the pulled pork and the mac and cheese and don't apologize. Anthony Bourdain shot here for a reason. Lunch only most days — work it into a between-rounds gap.

Pier Village in St. Simons, locally sourced seafood, smaller and more focused than Halyards. The shrimp and grits are the move and the wedge salad is genuinely the best on the island. Right call for a mid-trip dinner that doesn't require a coat.

Halyards' sister restaurant and the casual Italian play on St. Simons — wood-fired pizzas, pastas, a patio that's full every night in season. This is the right call when nobody in the group wants to dress up but everyone wants to eat well.

Breakfast and brunch in St. Simons — pancakes, biscuits, the kind of place where the line wraps around the building on weekends. Local, unpretentious, and the right move on the morning of a 1pm tee time when you need real food.

A 50-year-old fish shack in Pier Village with the sawdust on the floor and a hole in the table for tossing shrimp shells. Not refined, not trying to be — fried seafood done right and cold beer. Go once for the experience.

Legendary crab cakes, Southern lunch staples, a line at the door at noon. Locals send visitors here and it actually delivers. Good post-morning-round lunch before the afternoon group goes out.

Oceanfront dining at the King and Prince — the food is solid Southern coastal but you're really paying for the view, which is the best on the island. Sunset reservation is the move. Not a destination meal, but a worthwhile one.