After 22 years, The Club at Savannah Harbor is getting a much-needed facelift! Savannah Harbor is a stunning 18-hole championship golf course designed by well-known and renowned architect Robert Cupp with tremendous input from legendary PGA TOUR professional “Slammin’ Sammy” Snead. The Club at Savannah Harbor has received numerous accolades over the years including recognition by GOLFWEEK Magazine as one of the “Best Courses You Can Play in Georgia”2020.
The Club at Savannah Harbor is located in beautiful Savannah, GA, and offers a very memorable golf experience. After all, how often do you get to play where the pros play, specifically the PGA TOUR’s Champions Tour, Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf Championship?
The course lies nestled between the banks of the Savannah and Back Rivers of the splendid Georgia Low Country. The serenity of coastal Georgia, with its tidal marshes and abundant wildlife, provides a stunning backdrop for The Club at Savannah Harbor. You’ll also enjoy magnificent views of both Hutchinson Island and Savannah’s Historic District which exudes Southern charm.
Since the Club at Savannah Harbor opened in 1999, the golf course has received a four-star rating from Golf Digest for “Highly Recommended Places to Play.” It is also ranked among the Top 100 Golf Courses in America by Conde Nast Traveler. From the back tees, Savannah Harbor plays 7,288 yards to a par of 72 with a course rating of 74.8 and a slope of 138. The Member Tees seem to be the most popular and play 6,330 yards (70.7/130) but I had a great time playing the Silver Tees, which play 6,048 yards (69.5/125). Ladies will find that the Jade Tees (5,261/71.0/125) can be a lot of fun and still provide some excitement. As always, pick the tees that best suit your game and enjoy yourself.
The course is currently closed and will remain closed until the beginning of September. According to Head Golf Professional, Chris Thompson, when it reopens the shape and length of the course will remain virtually the same. There will be a lot of cleaning up and clearing out in certain areas of the course and it will receive much-needed work on fairways and tee boxes. The irrigation system will be brought up to today’s standards and the greens will be enlarged to their original size and shape and replanted.
Given Sam Snead’s pension for gambling, it’s no surprise that the golf course was designed with a “risk versus reward” philosophy in mind. You’ll encounter several opportunities to shorten various holes but often the risk may outweigh the reward.
I’ve always had a fondness for golf courses that name their holes. Many are named after an interesting attribute of the hole itself, however, the names of most of the holes at Savannah Harbor pay homage to the history of the Savannah area. And there are several memorable ones.
Not only did Sam Snead help design the course, but there’s also a hole named after him as well. Number 10 is a short, 323-yard par 4 named “Slammin’ Sammy.” You’re encouraged to do your best Sam Snead impersonation and hit your tee shot as far as you can – straight. Hit it over the fairway bunkers on the right and you’re in the clear. All that’s left is a short approach shot into an elevated kidney-shaped green. Your only obstacle is the large bunker fronts left. It’s a good birdie hole to start the back nine.
Number 14 is another short hole that is best played with a straight shot off the tee. It’s aptly named “Alligator Alley” because the fairway serves as a crosswalk for gators crossing the course. It plays 284 yards and if you pull either your tee shot or approach shot to the left, you’re probably wet. A good drive will leave a short pitch shot into the green, a safe iron off the tee will leave you in the rolling mounds of the fairway. It’s another hole where par – or better – is a definite possibility.
Number 16 is named “Washington’s Guns” which is about what it takes to reach the green in regulation; from the back tees the hole plays 459 yards, yet it’s the #10 handicap! A good tee shot played just left of the fairway bunker will leave a tong to mid-iron approach into the green which is guarded by a bunker in the front left. You’ll need to hit an accurate shot into the green because of its crowned, and any misplaced shot can easily roll off. Par here is an excellent score.
Wormsloe was one of the first and most successful plantations in Savannah and lends its name to the finishing hole at Savannah Harbor. At 457 yards from the back tees, there’s a lot of fairway between you and the green. Your tee shot needs to avoid the fairway bunkers on either side that are strategically placed in the landing area. Finding one off the tee will make par that much tougher. Your approach shot is played into another crowned green that is well protected by a large bunker on the right. Anything long is a tough up and down because of the slope of the green.
Savannah Harbor has always had tremendous practice facilities and even with all of the renovations going on, that will not change. There’s a large, dual-ended practice facility with a short game area and a large practice putting green.
If you’re looking for a place to stay during your visit, The Westin Savannah Harbor is located adjacent to the golf course. The hotel has 390 guest rooms, several restaurants, an outdoor pool, and a ton of meeting space as well as extensive meeting space, multiple dining concepts, and an outdoor pool. A complimentary water taxi is available to take you across the river into the historic sections of Savannah, Georgia’s oldest city. There’s a marina onsite that allows boaters to stop off at the resort for dinner or golf.
Once you’ve visited Savannah Harbor and seen everything they have to offer you may even want to consider becoming a member. Membership at Savannah Harbor includes a lot more than access to their incredible – and soon to be restored – 18-hole championship golf course. The Club at Savannah Harbor is managed by Troon, the worldwide leader in golf course management. I have high expectations when I visit a Troon course because of their meticulous attention to detail and I have never been disappointed. Sign up for Troon Rewards and you will earn points for every dollar you spend at a Troon course on greens fees, instruction, and merchandise. You can redeem these rewards at Troon courses and clubs worldwide.
Many of the membership amenities are part of the Westin including The Heavenly Spa, the fitness studio, equipped with Peloton Bikes, access to the Har-Tru tennis courts, swimming pool, and their incredible restaurants.
For more information or to book your next round at The Club at Savannah Harbor, visit them online at www.theclubatsavannahharbor.com.