$7.4 million renovation concludes at Florida resort

Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa, an oceanfront destination on 1,350 acres at the tip of a barrier island off the northeast Florida coast, announced the reopening of its Oak Marsh Golf Course following a comprehensive renovation executed by Beau Welling Design.

The overarching goal of the $7.4 million renovation from Beau Welling and his team was to protect the architectural feel of Pete Dye’s original 1972 creation. Additional objectives included modernizing the layout to meet the requirements of today’s game brought on by technological advancements in equipment, enhancing the aesthetic attributes of the course, and providing a high-quality and consistent playing experience.

Greens on Oak Marsh were rebuilt and regrassed with TifEagle Bermudagrass. Fairways, tee areas, rough and green collars now feature Bimini Bermudagrass. All the bunkers on the 6,471-yard layout were rebuilt and repositioned as needed. New drain pipes, liners and sand will make for more consistent playing conditions from the hazards. The renovated tee areas will utilize the “ribbon-tee” concept creating opportunities for nearly unlimited tee placements.

"Our team is incredibly excited about this renovation of Oak Marsh,” Welling said. “We were very mindful to preserve Pete Dye’s strategy and design intent as well as elevating the playing experience for today’s golfer. We have such a great relationship with the Omni team at Amelia Island, and we hope the overall aesthetic improvements, coupled with Amelia Island's natural beauty, will truly showcase how special Oak Marsh is.” 

Native areas, irrigation, cart paths, and driving range tees and landing areas were also addressed in the project.  

“Our celebrated Oak Marsh is now even better and provides one of the great golf course experiences in both Florida and the U.S.,” said Theo Schofield, managing director, Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa. “Beau Welling and his team are fantastic to work with as well as ideal to maintain Pete Dye’s original concept while modernizing the layout to be enjoyed by our resort guests and club members for decades to come.”

The renovation of Oak Marsh joins Little Sandy, the resort’s 10-hole, par-3 course as well as its accompanying 18-hole putting course. Both were created by Beau Welling Design.