Ocean Forest Golf Club

What Ocean Forest Golf Club does

Ocean Forest Golf Club is a private membership golf club located at 200 Ocean Road on the northern tip of Sea Island, Georgia, founded in 1995 by Bill Jones III. The club's core product is an 18-hole linksland course designed by architect Rees Jones, built on natural ridges, dunes, marshland, and Hampton River frontage described by Jones as 'the product of millions of years.' Amenities are limited to those consistent with a single-property private club: a clubhouse with formal and smart-casual dining venues (Club Room, Living Room, Living Room Bar, Pavilion, Tee House), two practice greens, a practice range, and locker facilities.

The business operates on an invitation-only membership model. In August 1993, Bill Jones III sent personal letters to prospective members and secured 150 commitments within three weeks — half of the target of 300 — which triggered construction. Revenue is generated through recurring membership dues plus ancillary member spend on dining, guest fees (subject to a 'Rule of 7' policy), and merchandise billed to member accounts. There are no publicly disclosed initiation fees, dues levels, or financial statements. Distribution is exclusively via member referral and sponsorship; the club does not publicly advertise membership availability.

The club's brand is anchored by hosting the 2001 Walker Cup (the youngest venue ever chosen so soon after opening) and founding the Jones Cup Invitational in 2001 — an amateur stroke-play event whose field has included Luke Donald, Rickie Fowler, Lucas Glover, Brandt Snedeker, and Bubba Watson. The Jones Cup ecosystem was extended in 2009 (Junior) and 2011 (Senior), with the latter events contested at neighboring Sea Island Golf Club courses. Land tenure is secured through a long-standing arrangement with the Sea Island Company, which has owned the parcel since the 1920s; no formal parent-subsidiary relationship is disclosed. The organization operates with approximately 15 employees and shows no signs of institutional investment, public trading, or external funding.

Name

Ocean Forest Golf Club

Legal name

Ocean Forest Golf Club

Website

https://oceanforestgolfclub.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ocean Forest Golf Club is a private, invitation-only membership golf club on Sea Island, Georgia, offering an exclusive 18-hole Rees Jones linksland course, clubhouse dining, and practice facilities to roughly 300 affluent members. Founded in 1995 by Bill Jones III, the club's revenue is generated through recurring membership dues and ancillary member spend on dining, guest fees, and merchandise.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Sea Island

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Club Membership: Private membership club generating revenue through annual membership fees. Members pay dues and have charges for dining, guest fees, and merchandise billed to their accounts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Ocean Forest Golf Club is an exclusive private membership golf club operating an 18-hole linksland course designed by Rees Jones on the northern tip of Sea Island, Georgia. Founded in 1995 by Bill Jones III, the club provides members and their guests with access to a championship-caliber seaside course, clubhouse dining facilities, and practice amenities through an invitation-only membership model.

Product overview

Ocean Forest Golf Club is a private golf club offering a single, unified membership experience centered on its Rees Jones-designed 18-hole linksland golf course on Sea Island, Georgia. The club provides golf course access, clubhouse dining facilities (formal and smart casual venues), and practice facilities exclusively to members and their guests.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ocean Forest Golf Club Membership Invitation-only private golf club membership providing access to the Rees Jones-designed 18-hole linksland course, clubhouse amenities, dining facilities, practice areas, and the right to host guests. Targeted at affluent individual members seeking exclusive recreational and social club experiences.
• Clubhouse Dining On-site dining services for members and guests, including a formal dining room and smart casual venues such as the Club Room, Living Room, Living Room Bar, Pavilion, and Tee House, with charges billed to member accounts.
• Practice Facilities Dedicated golf practice amenities including a north-end practice green, a south practice green for chipping, and a practice range for member use.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hosted Walker Cup 2001 - youngest club ever to host this prestigious event

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• United States Golf Association (USGA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001The USGA selected Ocean Forest Golf Club to host the 2001 Walker Cup, selecting the club as the youngest ever to host this prestigious amateur championship. USGA President Trey Holland praised the event, saying it 'surpassed anything that could have been imagined.'
• Rees JonescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1993Rees Jones was invited by Bill Jones III in 1993 to design the finest golf course routing possible. Jones had previously redesigned the Plantation Course at Sea Island Golf Club. He described the Ocean Forest land as 'the product of millions of years' and created a linksland course that earned the club recognition to host the Walker Cup in 2001.
• Sea Island CompanycoreOthers · 1 January 1920Sea Island Company owned the land on the northern tip of Sea Island since the 1920s. While their long-term plan included a golf course and residential community, development did not occur until Bill Jones III determined the time was right in 1993. The land was made available for the club's development.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• National Golf Links of America: An exclusive private club in Southampton, New York, designed by C.B. Macdonald. Comparable as a private, members-only club in a high-end coastal setting with strong architectural pedigree.
• Shinnecock Hills Golf Club: A historic private links club in Southampton, New York, host of multiple U.S. Opens. Comparable to Ocean Forest as a links-style private club with deep tournament pedigree and capped membership.
• Friars Head Golf Club: A private club on Long Island, New York, designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. Comparable as a high-prestige, low-membership private club with a coastal links-style layout.
• Cypress Point Club: A prestigious private club on California's Monterey Peninsula with limited membership and a links/seaside design ethos similar to Ocean Forest. Comparable as a low-membership, ultra-exclusive private club.
• Fishers Island Club: An exclusive private club on Fishers Island off the Connecticut coast, with a Seth Raynor-designed course. Comparable as a small, ultra-private island-based club with limited membership.
• Sebonack Golf Club: A private club on Long Island, New York, co-designed by Jack Nicklaus and Tom Doak. Comparable as a high-end private members-only club with coastal terrain and tournament hosting experience.
• Pine Valley Golf Club: An elite private golf club in New Jersey consistently ranked among the top courses in the world. Comparable as a high-prestige, invitation-only private club with a small membership and tournament-hosting history.
• Augusta National Golf Club: The most exclusive private members-only golf club in the United States and host of The Masters. Augusta National is the benchmark peer for invitation-only private clubs with championship pedigree and a capped membership model.
• Sea Island Golf Club: An adjacent private club on Sea Island, Georgia, hosting the Jones Cup Junior and Senior Invitationals. The closest geographic peer and direct operational partner within the Sea Island resort ecosystem.
• Seminole Golf Club: An exclusive private club in Juno Beach, Florida, known for hosting elite events and its small, well-connected membership. Comparable as a coastal, members-only club with championship-level conditioning and prestige.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ocean-forest-golf-club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ocean Forest Golf Club