Perhaps the biggest obstacle many golf junkies face when planning a vacation is how can I make the golf more accessible to my family (hoping I can sneak in a few more rounds). Fortunately, golf courses and resorts around the U.S., including Pinehurst, Forest Dunes, and Streamsong, have provided answers in short Par-3 courses and Putting Courses.
Omni Amelia Island Resort—an oceanfront destination nestled on 1,350 acres at the tip of a barrier island off the northeast Florida coast—is now the newest resort to offer its guests this fun, relaxed amenity.
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Open to resort guests and members of The Amelia Island Club, Little Sandy features ten holes of Par-3 ranging from 70 to 125 yards. Playing through a picturesque lowland oak marsh habitat, the course seeks to provide a traditional yet fun-focused golf experience for all ages and abilities.
Conveniently situated in the resort’s amenity core and nestled around Red Maple Lake, Little Sandy offers an idyllic setting. Nearly all holes are played along the water amid sandy native grass areas, dunes, and diverse wildlife habitats. Designed to be played in little more than an hour, Little Sandy provides stand-alone fun, or it can be enjoyed after a round at Omni Amelia Island Resort’s revered 18-hole Oak Marsh course.
The newly constructed check-in location for Little Sandy features a shop with logoed merchandise and a food-and-beverage outlet offering comfortable seating on an expansive shaded porch overlooking the golf course.
Designed by Beau Welling Design, Little Sandy promotes camaraderie and community. Playability and an easy-going atmosphere will appeal to golfers of all skill levels while also offering strategic tests on bold, contoured greens. The design firm is also working on other Omni projects, such as Omni PGA Frisco Resort which, when it opens in Spring 2023, will become the “Modern Home of American Golf.”
Theo Schofield, Managing Director of Omni Amelia Island Resort, said:
“Our golf experience is more welcoming than ever for all who stay with us on Amelia Island… We could not imagine a better complement to our championship layout, Oak Marsh, and we look forward to all guests enjoying Little Sandy as an entertaining and unique alternative.”
Overhead View of Little Sandy
Alongside Little Sandy is an 18-hole putting course that all golfers can enjoy, looking for a friendly, fun transition from putt-putt.
Designer Beau Welling said:
“We are honored to have worked on Little Sandy with our partners at Omni… We have created a course where players could use just their putters on nearly every hole or use several clubs in their bag, if desired. The relaxed atmosphere and golf course strategy that includes multiple routes from tee-to-green will make Little Sandy a haven for fun and creativity.”
For those looking for the full experience is Amelia Island’s Oak Marsh Golf Course. Completed in 1972, Oak Marsh was designed by legendary architect Pete Dye. The layout is noted for its tight fairways and small greens, meandering along serpentine salt marsh creeks and through moss draped heritage oaks for which Amelia Island is famous.
Omni Amelia Island Resort offers oceanfront accommodations with unparalleled views of the Atlantic Ocean, world-class resort pools, championship golf, and a full-service spa. With 3.5 miles of pristine beach, Amelia Island’s preserved marshlands, and award-winning golf, guests never run out of adventure at this one-of-a-kind destination.
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Omni Amelia Island Resort is located just northeast of Jacksonville, Fla., and nestled between the Atlantic Ocean, lush marshlands, and the Intracoastal Waterway. Situated on 1,350-acres, the property includes more than 400 oceanfront guest rooms and suites, along with the largest pool deck in Northeast Florida. Additional amenities when you need to disconnect after a round of golf include an adults-only infinity edge pool, a family friendly pool, a kids’ splash area, two hot tubs, and fire features, all boasting spectacular Atlantic views.
Omni Amelia Island also offers three-and-a-half miles of wide, uncrowded beach, 23 Har-Tru tennis courts, seven pickleball courts, kids camps, and numerous activities for adventurers, including kayaking, and Segway tours, and seven miles of paved trails.
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