Weather seems to be the winner these days when it comes to planning a trip.
I just returned from Sea Island, Ga., where we had three days of good weather and then the bottom fell out Wednesday, Feb. 27. We arrived on Sunday, Feb. 24 and had the privilege of playing one of the resort’s ultra-private courses, Ocean Forest.
Ocean Forest is a great course and hosted the Walker Cup a few years back. We basically had the course to ourselves in the morning due to the club having a member event in the afternoon. The weather was perfect. It was sunny and 70 degrees, with light winds. The course is somewhat tree-lined, with smaller greens. So the shot value into the green was at a premium.
The last two holes have the ocean as backdrops. The 17th is a par-3 that plays as far back as 220 yards and as short as 145 yards with multiple tees and angles. The 18th is a long, demanding par-4 that runs along the ocean. To the left is the beachside, and to the right is out of bounds. The tee shot needs to be in the left side of the fairway to avoid the bunkers on the right, along with the out of bounds. This is one of the best holes in the country, and it’s understandable why the Walker Cup was held here and why the course has been ranked in the top 100 courses in the U.S. since it opened.
The next day, we started the tournament over at the resort courses, which are all excellent courses and always in good condition. The weather for the first and second rounds was also good until late Tuesday, when heavy thunderstorms rolled in and delayed play for about an hour or more. Most groups had only a few holes to play, and we luckily finished the round.
The weather reports for the last round were less than ideal. The sun was going to shine, but the temperature was only going to be 50 degrees, with winds at 30 mph and gusts up to 40 mph. They were some of the toughest conditions in which I can remember competing. The wind affected everything and, for the most part, everyone in the tournament.
What I got out of this round is that I found myself fighting not only the wind but also my thinking process since I haven’t played in these conditions in a while. So after the round, I thought about what I should have done and realized that you must accept the conditions and not let them affect you in a negative manner.
There are numerous little things to think about when it is windy. Here are a few tips I forgot: “When it is breezy, swing easy,” and “Let the wind be your friend.”
But this is so hard to do when the wind is knocking you off balance, the ball quivers on the green when you are trying to putt, and you are hitting sometimes five more clubs than you normally would from a distance.
My play was not good for the three days of the tournament, but I felt like I walked away with something: Don’t let your inner self beat you in conditions that are out of your control.
I want to thank my friend Will Hutter, the professional at Sea Island, for a great time. Sea Island is ranked No. 1 in golf resorts. The service and amenities are the best of any resort in the world.
Wish I had some pictures for you, but unfortunately I did not have my camera with me. If you are planning a trip and would like more information on Sea Island, please visit www.seaisland.com .
Jeff Schroeder
PGA Professional
Brickyard Crossing