Amelia River Golf Club

Description

Formerly known as Royal Amelia, Amelia River Golf Club has well-manicured, semi-rolling fairways. The holes that border the airport, Nos. 1, 5 and 13, have a very open feel to them. The rest of the course plays through the beautiful flora and fauna of Amelia Island, through live oaks, sabal palms, wax myrtle and pines. There are no homes on those parts of the course to mar the views.

The fairways and green borders are a lush green, with maintenance crews using their green spray guns liberally. The 150-yard markers are clearly marked, and of course the service is superior. The result is one of the plantation's more natural-looking layouts, with that lush, green resort feel where guests are pampered.

It's never been a particularly demanding course, though the slope rating is a respectable 132 from the blue tees and 137 from the back, at 6,823 yards.

Alligator Creek runs through the mostly flat terrain, popping up here and there as a running obstacle. When the wind whips across its open expanse, those long par-5s into the wind can be nightmarish. There's a good mix of holes, and most of the fairways are wide and forgiving.