When Beau Welling agreed to renovate Oak Marsh, it wasn’t just his next project. It was personal. The 18-hole, Pete Dye-designed course opened in 1972 at the resort on the south end of the island, and Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa decided last year it was time for a makeover. Welling’s design com-pany was chosen for the transformation, and he was determined to update the links but honor Dye’s vision. “I’m from South Carolina,” Welling said Monday during a media event at Oak Marsh.
“Harbour Town and Sea Pines, incredible Pete Dye golf courses. I grew up, going there as a kid.”
Welling said that between his gigs in South Carolina and designing TPC at Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Dye stopped on Amelia Island for a project.
“Between Harbour Town and Sawgrass, he was here on Amelia Island,” Welling said. “So, to me, this has always struck me as an important asset in the story of Pete Dye, sort of up and down this part of the world.”
Welling isn’t just a fan of the legendary golf course designer.
“I was fortunate to have a bit of a relationship with him,” Welling said. “I met him when he was building the ocean course. I was only 19 years old. I was trespass-ing on the golf course. He caught me, and got very angry with me.
“When I explained I was interested in golf course design, he ended up giving me this whole huge tour. That was the start of my relationship with him.”
While thrilled to take on the project at Oak Marsh, Welling said the pressure was on.
“When we got tasked here to do this job, I felt a deep sense of responsibility,” he said. “Because I had this personal connec-tion with Mr. Dye, I also felt like I better get this right. I don’t want to go and mess up his golf course.”
The Omni was very much on board with Welling’s mission. “Ownership very much wanted to hold onto the Pete Dye legacy,” Welling said. “I wanted to do that, but at the same time, we needed to update the golf course for modern play.
“I think at the end of the day, we had these goals and objectives of infrastructure, playability, fun and enjoyment but still hold onto this Pete Dye goodness, and I think we’ve done it. Hopefully everyone else agrees.”
The course closed last year for the $7.4 million renovation, and it’s set to reopen May 16 for guests and members.
“How lucky are we to be here today, making some of the first divots on the course?” said Robert Stanfield, senior vice president of operations at Omni Hotels & Resorts. “At Omni Hotels, golf is an integral part of our guests’ experience and brand identity.
“Across the country, we are proud to own and operate 28 championship golf courses and exceptional short courses in celebrated locations coast to coast. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in the caliber of events we host.
“These events speak to the level of golf we strive to offer every single day at our golf resorts. We are also passionate about the future of the game. These renovations with world-class designers, such as Beau Welling here at Oak Marsh and Little Sandy, we remain committed to evolving our portfolio and elevating the golf experience at every tournament.”
Theo Schofield, managing director of Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa, said ceremonial shovels went into the green a year and a half ago, signaling the start of the renovation.
“It’s an exciting day for us,” Schofield said. “One of the things I quickly discovered in the time that I’ve been here is how important Oak Marsh has been to this resort and this community.
“It’s really become part of the fabric of this resort and this community. Since Pete Dye designed it in 1972, this course has been here creating an awesome place for people to just gather and play and be together.”
Schofield said the Omni shared Welling’s mission to keep the course a Pete Dye design.
“We’ve really sought to be true to that original vision that Pete Dye had for this course, but also making sure that we’re staying current with what people expect from golf in today’s game,” Schofield said. “It’s been an absolute pleasure to work so closely with Beau Welling and the entire design team and watch them go through the process of keeping that DNA of Pete Dye’s design but modernizing it in a way that keeps up with all the changes that have been happening with equipment.
“So, it’s been a really cool experience to see them go through and make these changes but still keeping that Pete Dye look and feel. They make it a lot more fun and playable, and just enhancing the beauty of the course is really a lot of fun.
“We really feel this renovation is honor-ing Pete Dye’s design. It’s honoring the past, it’s showing we’re really committed to the present, and we’re really excited about the future of golf here at Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa.”
According to a press release, the follow-ing renovations were made on the course:
- The layout’s fairways, tee areas, rough and green collars now feature Bimini Bermudagrass. •
- All the bunkers on the 6,471-yard layout were rebuilt and repositioned as needed. •
- New drain pipes, liners and sand will make for more consistent playing conditions from these hazards. •
- The tee areas are all renovated and will utilize the “ribbon-tee” concept creating opportunities for nearly unlimited tee placements. •
- Additional work expanded the native areas to enhance the overall aesthetic quality of the layout and to improve the turf growing conditions. •
- The course irrigation system was improved, and the driving range tees and landing areas were upgraded with new hitting mats incorporated. •
- The existing cart paths were also replaced as part of the project scope.
“Our team is incredibly excited about this renovation of Oak Marsh. We were very mindful to preserve Pete Dye’s strategy and design intent as well as elevating the playing experience for today’s golfer,” Welling said. “We have such a great relationship with the Omni team at Amelia Island, and we hope the overall aesthetic improvements, coupled with Amelia Island’s natural beauty, will truly showcase how special Oak Marsh is.”
Beau Welling Design also created Little Sandy, the resort’s 10-hole, par-three course, and the 18-hole putting course.
Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa offers oceanfront accommodations, world-class resort pools, championship golf and a full-service spa. With 3.5 miles of pristine beach, Amelia Island’s preserved marshlands and award-winning golf, guests never run out of adventure. Visit omnihotels. com/ameliaisland for information