Welcome to the Land of More
Its master plan was designed by renowned landscape architect Hideo Sasaki, former chairman of Harvard’s Landscape Architecture Department.
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA: Early in my career, I was making a connecting flight from Dallas to Savannah for a routine business trip. I struck up a conversation with a couple seated next to me. By complete coincidence, they were on their way from Texas for a visit to The Landings Golf & Athletic Club located on Skidaway Island, Georgia (about a 25-minute drive from River Street in downtown Savannah). Not only were they familiar with Executive Golfer, but they first heard about the highly regarded private community from our magazine they had picked up at their golf club!
During our two-hour talk, they gave me a tip that still resonates with me years later. They had narrowed their relocation search to three communities along the Southeast Coast. Part of their due diligence included visiting the clubs four times, once during each season. They wanted to make sure it wasn’t too humid and buggy in the summer or cold during the winter. I consider it sage advice for everyone researching the best golf club to fit their lifestyle and budget.
All Access Pass
The Landings Golf & Athletic Club’s wealth of amenities is impressive. Similar to Vail Resort’s Epic Pass, which provides unrestricted ski lift tickets to almost 50 mountain resorts, members at The Landings Golf & Athletic Club have unlimited access to six courses, all designated as Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries, that are set against a backdrop of stately maritime forests, unspoiled saltwater marshes, and tranquil tidal creeks.
The club typically has an abundance of tee times, considering it can handle 720+ players during the first day of winter (where the historical average high temperature is a comfortable 65 degrees). Even on Mondays, when most private clubs are closed, The Landings Golf & Athletic Club has two courses open for play. There are only a handful of clubs in the world that allow you to play six different golf courses in a week, with a social golf event taking place about every three days.
“While golf is our signature offering, we are by no means a one trick pony,” teased Gary Lorfano, director of membership at The Landings Golf & Athletic Club. “Our racquet sports include 31 clay tennis courts, 15 pickleball courts [with seven more in the pipeline], and eight bocce courts. While our golf department boasts a Korn Ferry Tour event, the racquets team hosts The Savannah Challenger, the longest continuous professional sporting event in the city.”
A Foodies Delight
There is an old adage that “not everyone plays golf, but everyone needs to eat.”
“Foodies can delight at access to our 10 dining venues that cater to every palate,” described Lorfano. “Options range from fast casual with a freshly baked pizza at The Deck to indulging in a Wagyu beef filet at Palmer’s Steakhouse. If you need to burn off excess calories, there’s our 52,000-square-foot fitness center with 220 pieces of equipment and 30+ miles of trails. If you need a motivational push, our team of movement instructors offers 30+ classes per week.”
For membership information, please visit LandingsClub.com.