Laurel Island Links
Kingsland, FL www.laurelislandlinks.com Phone: (888) 480-PARS Phone: (912) 729-7277 Visit website Contact course

PGA champion Davis Love III made Laurel Island Links, located just six miles north of the Georgia border off I-95, the second course in his design portfolio when it opened in 1996. Now, Sawyer and Associates has returned this gem to its original mint condition since purchasing the course from the city of Kingsland in May, 2006. The Love trademark of creating a course that quietly interacts with nature is evident throughout the course's entire 125-acre setting. Love's design takes full advantage of the diverse terrain'heavy woodlands, stretches of salt marsh, and natural wetlands.

Most fairways at Laurel Island Links are wide and flowing, exemplified by the first hole, a 386-yard par-4. The banks of the Crooked River marshes provide a stunning backdrop beginning at the second hole. A lone windswept tree punctuates the horizon, and one can easily imagine a similar scene at the edge of the African Serengeti. Players skim the marshes at the third and sixth holes as well, with a serpentine-shaped lake thrown in to make the par-3 third the course's signature hole. The par-5 fourth and par-4 fifth holes are tantalizingly short, teasing you to reach them for an eagle putt. The sixth also beckons with cunning water that reminds one of a comedian's observation: "The reason the pro tells you to keep your head down is so you won't see him laughing at you." Indeed, overhead bird caws closely resemble the taunting laughter that reminds us how humbling this game can be.

Play at Laurel Island Links is both exhilarating and inspiring. As is tradition at great courses, it starts easy and finishes hard with deviations in difficulty well-spaced to keep interest up and frustration to a minimum for its growing membership and visitors alike.

The finishing hole might be the one that takes your breath away. Trees on one side and water on the other as you thread your way down the longest par-4 on the course, climaxing with a challenging, contoured green well-protected by water and sand. This is the hole that makes recreational players a tad nervous, but even experienced players enjoy the thrill of victory when they play it well.

Laurel Island Links is a trophy course for Davis Love III. It is picturesque beyond mere words'the danger being the visual distraction one might experience playing on a picture postcard golf course. Several times throughout the course, quaint wooden bridges take players under ancient live oak canopies and through verdant pine forest stands. It is a bit of a fairy tale setting for a game that often escapes the coveted "happily ever after" ending. No one has ever described the sport of golf as "soothing." But, perhaps, when on safari at Laurel Island Links, the excitement of the hunt is balanced by its nearly surreal, serene setting.

The clubhouse features a full restaurant and catering for events and outings of up to 175 and a back porch with stunning views of the course and the undulating practice green of this semi-private masterpiece that's just a half-hour's drive from Jacksonville or Brunswick. Who knows, you might be tempted to stay for a lifetime in one of the Communities of Laurel Island Country Club. For homesite information, please call (866) 264-8367.

For membership information or to book tee times call (912) 729-7277 or visit online www.laurelislandlinks.com