Jekyll Island Club is the biggest golf facility in Georgia boasting 54 holes, Indian Mound, the recently renovated Pine Lakes, and the reimagined and soon to open Great Dunes Course (more on this later). The property flows through ocean hammocks with hardwood trees lining each hole. The flat terrain is an easy walk and the isolated corridors will make you feel like you’re the only group on the course.
(The 343/330 yard par four fourth plays straightaway with a water hazard off the tee to the left. Accuracy is most important so hit the club that will find the fairway and the large bunker that fronts the green will be less in play. It should be a good birdie opportunity.)
(The 381/363 yard par four fifth is my favorite hole on the front. A large set of trees encourage a drive down the left half of the fairway to open up the angle to the green. It reminded me of Harbour Town where such strategy is present on many holes.)
Indian Mound is the easiest course at Jekyll Island Club. The wide fairways give the player ample room to drive the ball. Most of the fairway bunkering is out of play, and while there are several ponds, they are kept towards the outside of the playing lines. The greens are typical Joe Lee, pushed up pads with bunkers guarding the sides. I found it puzzling when run up shots never made it to the putting surface, but a quick examination revealed a touch more slope than one realized. It should be noted that hitting off Bermuda grass, playing at sea level, and playing up to these slightly elevated greens makes the course play much longer. I pointed out to my playing partner that many of the greens have shrunk, and you could actually see the mowing line moving away from the greenside bunkers. The best two holes are both on the back, and at the twelth and fourteenth, you’ll have to formulate a strategy on your attack. Twelve is a great par three (opening photo) where a water hazard guards short right and the terrain slopes away into the hammocks long and left. Depending on wind and pin position, the proper shot can be a cut or a draw. Fairway short is an option if it doesn’t suit your eye. Fourteen is a short par four that doglegs left around a natural pond. Three bunkers guard the outside elbow, forcing players to either lay back or squeeze their tee shot into the narrow neck. Long hitters can drive it but will have a significant carry over the hazard.
(The 527/514 yard par five seventeenth is the longest hole at Indian Mound. The hole bends a tad more at this point in the picture and those trying to get home in two shots will have to determine if this pine can be avoided. The green is one of the more interesting ones, as the back upper tier slopes away.)
Indian Mound is probably the third best course at the club although Pine Lakes is nearly identical except with newer bunkering and greens. Remember the Great Dunes Course I mentioned earlier? It’s scheduled to open at the end of the year and will make its way out to the dunes with views of the ocean. Andrew Harvie mentioned it as the course he’s looking most forward to seeing in 2025. (The original was designed in 1927 by Walter Travis.) Put that in your memory banks because it’s going to open with a splash. As for Indian Mound, I give it a 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-45 minutes to play). The biggest draw is one doesn’t have to leave the island to play and that makes it popular with locals and visitors alike.
(From this angle, a back left pin should be difficult to attack, however, the lost of putting surface prevents it from even extending that far.)
[This is the 30th state I’ve played golf in, a goal that I haven’t been pursuing the past few years, but will resume this summer. At Indian Mound, I was paired with a gentleman from Ontario, Canada. He was 73 and told me he walks nine holes several times a week. How great is that?!! And really that’s what it’s all about! My winter game is in shambles so no score to show.]
