Great Dunes Golf Course

Great Dunes, Walter Travis's 1928 Golden Age seaside classic on Jekyll Island, reborn after nearly a century. Travis originally built 18 holes in 1928; storms in 1942 and 1954 combined with ongoing beach erosion reduced it to 9 holes, where it sat for decades. A $6M-plus restoration led by Brian Ross (Ross Golf Design) and Jeffrey Stein (Stein Golf Design) reopened Great Dunes as a full 18 on November 1, 2025, 97 years after its original debut. DB field shows '1898, restored 2013', the actual restoration dates and architect lineup differ; 2025 reopening is the current state. The restoration reinstates 9 original Travis holes and reimagines 9 from the former Oleander course to create a seamless 18. Using archival photographs, Ross and Stein stripped overgrowth and returned the existing Travis holes to their original footprints. The par-3 3rd features a mounded green modeled after the eccentric 12th at Garden City. The par-5 4th brings the signature dunes into play with the green tucked behind. The par-3 5th follows the shoreline in a corridor of the most exposed dunes. One of the most significant historical golf-course restorations of the 2020s, at a $135 peak green fee. A new bucket-list round for anyone studying Golden Age coastal design. Pair with Oleander (Dick Wilson/Joe Lee 1964) for a two-course Jekyll Island historical Golden Age + Post-War tour.