Fripp Island Golf & Beach Resort has completed an extensive multi-million dollar renovation of its acclaimed Ocean Point golf course, led by the Dye Designs Group to modernize the original George Cobb layout. The course is now reopen for member and resort guest play.
Since opening in 1964, Ocean Point Golf Links has stood out as a premier seaside course, featuring five holes with unobstructed views of the Atlantic Ocean and celebrated for its small, well-bunkered greens and sweeping Lowcountry vistas. To deliver an elevated playing experience, every hole on the course was given a significant design upgrade. The result has dramatically improved the visual appeal and playing experience, further elevating its attraction for members of the Fripp Island Club and stay-and-play Resort guests.
The completed vision of the acclaimed mother-son architect team – Cynthia Dye McGarey and Matt McGarey – involved the reshaping of more than 50 bunkers, including adding 11 new greenside bunkers. DDG also incorporated new fairway bunkers, added 5.5 acres of waste area, and added and or leveled multiple tee boxes and constructed native dunes to increase both play and visual appeal for members and Resort guests alike.
The final phase of the renovation will see more than 13,000 native plants added to the course – a testament to the Resort’s and DDG’s commitment to sustainable course design, a key driver in the selection of DDG for the project.
The completion of the renovation marks another milestone for Seascape Hospitality Group since its purchase of the Fripp Island Golf & Beach Resort in 2023.
“We are delighted to work with the world-renowned Dye Designs Group team to bring our shared vision for Ocean Point to life,” said John Scappatura, Chief Operating Officer of Fripp Island Golf & Beach Resort. “The end result has exceeded our expectations and we are confident that our members and guests will enjoy this refreshed layout that offers a fun and rewarding experience through our beautiful Lowcountry surroundings.”
“Ocean Point epitomizes the best of the Lowcountry golf, something my family knows well,” said McGarey, senior design associate, Dye Designs Group. “We enjoyed partnering with the Fripp Island Resort to bring about a more modern playing experience that capitalizes on the unique Lowcountry elements – all with an eye toward the intent of Mr. Cobb’s original design.”
Golf Course Services Inc., a leader in golf course construction and maintenance, served as construction partner on the project. Since its founding, Golf Course Services Inc. has constructed some of the finest resorts, public, private and municipal golf courses and facilities in the Southeast and collaborated with architects such as Tom Fazio, Jack Nicklaus, Rees Jones and Greg Norman.
Ocean Point was recently named one of the Best Classic Courses in South Carolina for 2024 by the members of the SC Golf Course Ratings Panel. The refreshed layout further capitalizes on the stunning coastline of the island, which was already named a top five golf course in South Carolina by GolfPass.
The Fripp Island Golf & Beach Club Resort is also home to the Davis Love III designed Ocean Creek course, host of the Big South Men’s and Women’s golf championships. The course features a modern design, with five holes edged by marsh, and another six holes incorporating interior wetlands, preserved and connected to the course through a network of wooden walkways and bridges.
Located on a private barrier island just outside historic Beaufort, S.C., the Fripp Island Golf & Beach Resort features more than three miles of uninterrupted pristine coastline, numerous beach walkways for convenient access, a golf-cart and pet-friendly culture with world-class amenities, including the two golf courses, six pickleball and eight clay tennis courts, a 62-slip marina, and Camelot Farms Equestrian Center, a full-service 62-acre farm just 10 miles down the road.
Feature Photo Courtesy of Fripp Island Golf & Beach Club