Great Dunes: A Golf Tradition

Great Dunes: A Golf Tradition. . , The game of golf was originally mentioned among a variety of outdoor recreations when the Jekyll Island Club was formed in 1866. The first rounds were finally played on Jekyll Island in 1899. It was only the beginning of a long tradition of the sport here on the island.

The game continued to gain popularity on the island through the 1910's. The Clubmembers expected top notch facilities.So, in the mid 1920's the Gold Committee under the guidance of Dr. Walter James (Club president at the time), Cornelius Lee and Cyrus McCormick planned for a better course than the previous two.

In 1926, the Club consulted and hired Walter Travis to construct a new 18-hole course among the dunes.

Great Dunes was completed and ready for play by January of 1928. Travis worked on nearly 50 course projects during his short design career. The Jekyll Island course was among his very last before his death in the summer 1927. He never saw Great Dunes after it was completed.

The design philosophy and inspiration from the courses of the British Isles is clear in Great Dune's design. Travis believed that bunkers should be placed among the fairway edges. This practice is still evident today in Great Dunes, and can be even found commonly in modern golf course designs. , Follow in the footsteps of some of the famous Jekyll Island Club members, and try playing the course for a unique golfing experience. For more information, and a tee time, visit the Great Dunes Golf Course Clubhouse.

If you choose to play the course, enjoy the history of Great Dunes unfold throughout the course on additional signs near the tee boxes of several holes. , , Walter Travis , Travis was a reluctant convert to the game of golf. It was not until he was nearly 35 that he played his first game of golf. In a time that "youngsters" were dominating the game, he was given the nickname "The Old Man."

Travis even noted he originally had "mild contempt" for the game, mostly stemming from the loud and flamboyant clothing golfers at the time favored.

Walter Travis visited the island only a couple of years after the original holes were laid out in 1899. At this time he offered improvement suggestions. He had also personally recommended Karl Keffer, the Canadian who became Jekyll's second pro in 1910.

He left a lasting legacy of Jekyll Island when he was hired to design a new course for the Club--Great Dunes. . This historical marker was erected by Jekyll Island Authority. It is in Jekyll Island in Glynn County Georgia