New 12-Hole Golf Course Opens at Captiva’s South Seas
CAPTIVA ISLAND, Fla. – May 1, 2024 – South Seas, located on Captiva Island along Florida’s Gulf Coast, announces the opening of its new 12-hole golf course, The Clutch. Presenting breathtaking coastal water and island views with world-class golf, The Clutch is a family-friendly short course offering a refreshing and fun-focused addition to the resort’s continued rebuilding efforts following the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian. Designed by Beau Welling with an emphasis on playability, ease and enjoyment, The Clutch is officially open for play.
The Clutch is named after a turtle’s nest and is a walking-focused course overlooking the water along much of the course, taking an average of 60-90 minutes of quick play. Golf carts are available for an accessible game of golf. With 12 holes total, The Clutch holes are designed with individual, distinctive challenges and feature multiple routes of play to cater to golfers of every skill level, making the course a testament to modern golf design and the state of the game, especially as short courses become more popular.
“The course is positioned to be a contender for top short courses in the U.S., competing with the likes of Pinehurst and Pebble Beach,” says South Seas General Manager, Shawn Farrell. “The appeal of this course at a resort like South Seas is the time available to enjoy all of the resort amenities and still take in a quick round of challenging golf.”
The new logo for The Clutch, a turtle holding a golf flag, and overall branding are carried throughout the course with signage, holes, and merchandise. For the player who makes a hole in one, a challenge coin designed specifically for that hole will commemorate the occasion.
Exclusively available to resort guests and Captiva Club members, The Clutch features beautiful, undulating greens, creating just enough challenge for experienced golfers and novice players alike, while focusing on precision, preferred angles of play, and shot values.
The 12 holes of The Clutch are thoughtfully named after area history, landscape and wildlife that can be seen throughout the destination.
Hole 1 – The Calusa
An homage to the Native American inhabitants of Captiva Island, the Calusa or “Shell Indians” are considered the first shell collectors.
Hole 2 – Key Lime
The second hole honors South Seas’ early years as a Key Lime farm owned by the Chadwick Family. They created a salt-resistant lime named the Chad Lime and became the world’s biggest supplier of the fruit.
Hole 3 – Mariner
Named in honor of the beloved hotel ownership group, Mariner Group, who undertook the most substantial development of South Seas, making it an expansive resort and cherished destination in the early 1970s.
Hole 4 – Heron
With multiple species of Heron calling South Seas home, they can be found near freshwater and coastal areas – making the island a birder paradise.
Hole 5 – The Vow
South Seas and Captiva is a long-favored location for wedding vows. With views of the wedding venue, players can be humorously reminded of the synergies between the game of golf and marriage – thrilling and glorious, yet sometimes difficult and challenging.
Hole 6 – Osprey
On this hole, look up to see a large osprey platform adjacent to the green. Osprey prefer a “room with a view” and will return year-after-year to the same platform for mating and during migration.
Hole 7 – Redfish
Named after the prized sport fish, the Redfish (or Red Drum) and the seventh hole run along the channel pass.
Hole 8 – Junonia
Named after the “unicorn” of shells – Junonia shells can be found on the island and are known for their beauty and apparent rarity – a coveted prize for collectors.
Hole 9A – Hawksbill
An ode to this short hole and the smaller of the sea turtles inhabiting Captiva, their unique, beak-like mouth is perfect for finding food sources in cracks and crevices.
Hole 9B – Loggerhead
Named for the Loggerhead turtle, this species of sea turtles is the most abundant in the United States and is recognizable by its large head.
Hole 10 – Egret
South Seas is home to several species of Egrets. They typically stand still, wade in shallow water, and watch for unsuspecting prey (or golf balls on the green!) to pass by.
Hole 11 – Snook
Snook are prized as game fish, renowned for their great fighting capability. They can be found along the beaches of Captiva.
Hole 12 – Manatee
Fondly referred to as “sea cows”, these gentle and slow-moving animals swim below the surface of the water and when active, come up to breathe every few minutes. Watch the manatees swim and play along the fairway and green – a grand finale to your round.
Only 45 minutes, yet a world away, Captiva Island is connected to Florida’s mainland via Sanibel Causeway and a small bridge over Blind Pass, joining it to Sanibel Island. Tucked away at the northern end of the five-mile long, one-half-mile wide Captiva Island, South Seas is between Pine Island Sound and the Gulf of Mexico, ensconced by two-and-a-half miles of powder-white beaches lapped by turquoise tides.
For more information, visit SouthSeas.com or call (800) 237-6000. To follow along on social media, visit Facebook at @SouthSeasResort, Instagram at @SouthSeasResort or X at @SSIslandResort.
About South Seas
Presenting classic island charm, the 330-acre South Seas is nestled among mangroves with more than half of the resort a dedicated wildlife preserve and estuary. World-renowned fishing, boating, and yachting, and discovering storied barrier islands are among the unforgettable experiences of a South Seas guest. The resort has been a cherished destination for more than 75 years. A new chapter begins, one that has been inspired by the many past generations of guests, and thoughtfully recast for the future. South Seas has embarked on a phased reopening, an important milestone in efforts towards recovery and rebuilding from the devastation of Hurricane Ian, dedicated to delivering a resilient, world-class resort.
About Beau Welling Design
Beau Welling Design is a golf course design and land planning firm providing innovative and responsive solutions to clients around the world. The multi-faceted firm works in close collaboration with clients to envision captivating experiences built upon core principles of form, function, and sustainability. For nearly two decades, the expert team of designers at BWD led by founder, CEO and lead designer Beau Welling have brought to life exceptional golf designs at some of the game’s most prominent venues including Fields Ranch West at Omni PGA Frisco, Pelican Golf Club, Omni Amelia Island, along with significant renovations at Ocean Forest Club, Atlanta Country Club, and others. In addition to their work on-course, BWD specializes in land planning and site design with an impressive body of work featuring urban projects at Camperdown in Greenville, SC, and BullStreet in Columbia, SC as well as community development projects that include Bluejack National in Montgomery, TX and GlenCove by Old Edwards in Cashiers, NC. For more information visit https://beauwellingdesign.com/ and follow on Instagram, Twitter (X) and Facebook.
