Pete Dye, a major figure in golf course design, was also a missing link—an innovator whose modern touches drew on long-in-the-tooth traditions. The railway links, for example, that became one of its hallmarks were inspired by Dye’s tours at Prestwick and other UK courses, where wooden sleepers were used to support the bunker faces. In this, and in a host of other ways, his work served as a bridge between what was and what became.
Fitting, then, that one of Dye’s excellent courses is fresh from an update that points to the past while embracing the future.
Consider Oak Marsh, then and now.
Completed in 1972, layout in Omni Amelia Island Resort set Dye in a vast salt marsh on a barrier island south of the Georgia border, where heirloom oaks dot the landscape, draped in moody Spanish moss. The course opened just three years later Harbor City Golf Linksand it bears echoes of that breakthrough design: deceptively intimidating shots that lend themselves to more generous landing zones than they appear; angles that matter; and strategically placed bunkers and water hazards, many framed by those signature links.
From the start, Oak Marsh struck a balance between challenge and fun. A popular outlet for resort gaming, it was also strong enough for serious competition. In 1988, she hosted the US Women’s Intermediate Amateur Championship. If you have chosen the right machines, the course met you on an equal footing.
Like Dye herself, Oak Marsh endured, staying in the game long enough for the game to evolve around her. Recent updates aimed to honor its roots while adapting to today’s technologically advanced gameplay.
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Courtesy photo
Beau Welling Design handled the $7.4 million renovation, with a mandate to modernize the layout and improve its aesthetics and conditioning without compromising its Dye DNA. All 18 greens were rebuilt and tees, fairways and fairways re-sodden with high performance, drought tolerant turf. Every bunker was renovated – some repositioned to better defend against today’s high-flying attacks – and drainage improvements were made throughout the course. The tee areas were reimagined in a new “ribbon-tee” configuration, continuous stretches of the turf that allow for nearly endless configuration options.
Beyond the play corridors, native areas were cleared of overgrowth and widened to sharpen the aesthetic. Driving range without improvements in the top and landing zone. Cart paths were also smoothed.
With renovations completed late last year, a reborn Oak Marsh joined the growing roster of golf courses 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 into a marshy plain setting and offer members and tour guests an attractive short course counterpoint.
All of this unfolds on 1,350 acres of coastal terrain surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, lush marshes and the Coastal Waterway. It’s the setting for 402 oceanfront guest rooms and a spread of resort amenities ranging from an adults-only infinity pool to a family-friendly splash pool, extensive dining options and three and a half miles of uncrowded beach.
Oak Marsh is also part of a broader Omni golf portfolio that includes 28 courses and numerous short course offerings at 12 US resorts. Omni-operated layouts have been touched by some of the game’s most acclaimed designers, from Golden Age greats like Donald Ross, AW Tillinghast and William Flynn to contemporary masters like Tom Fazio, Bill Coore and Gil Hanse.
And in that lineage passes Pete Dye, his Oak Marsh footprints still alive and well.
