the Heavenly Spa is right there. the signature treat-
ment begins with a herbal heat pack to loosen the
muscles, followed by a light-to-medium massage
with a scented oil. given the toll the sun can extract
on the skin on the course, a revitalizing “manSpace”
facial isn’t a bad idea either, especially since it in-
cludes a neck and shoulder rub.
the clubhouse was part of a recent $10 million
renovation of the resort, which includes new gue-
strooms with next-generation Heavenly Beds, 42-
inch flat-screens and dual heads in the shower. the
contemporary Southern décor extends to the ex-
pansive lobby with rich wood floors and white pil-
lars, as well as to the hotel’s two restaurants. the
midnight Sun lounge gets its name from a hit song
written by one of Savannah’s most famous native
sons, Johnny mercer, and has a wonderful selection
of specialty drinks, like the georgia peach (vodka,
peach schnapps, peach puree and grenadine), and
hard-to-find cigars, like the camacho liberty 2006
with pre-embargo cuban tobacco.
the menu and wine list at aqua Star match the
striking views of Savannah’s spire-filled skyline.
the fresh fish selections don’t get much better. the
blackened chilean sea bass with parmesan risotto
and broccoli rabe was one of the best dinners i’ve
had in a while, and the bottle of rodney Strong
chalk Hill chardonnay paired up perfectly. the sig-
nature shrimp and grits, a lowcountry staple, is also
a good choice.
of course, you can always eat in town by hopping
one the hotel’s quick water taxis that regularly de-
part from the floating dock, but be forewarned: the
Westin Savannah Harbor golf resort & Spa is a hard
place to leave.
savannah's southern charm
and lowcountry setting
prove an ideal retreat.
“The fairways are pretty generous out here. There’s room to hit the
ball. We’re unusual for the Low Country
in that our greens tend to be quite large.
Lag putting is really important. We have a 12,000-square-foot
practice putting green, which is very large—although not as
large as the 12th green, which is 17,000 square feet.
“One drill I like is to practice lagging putts to the fringe.
Start out at, say, 20 feet away and try to have the putt stop
on the fringe. Do that with three balls, move back to 30
feet and then 40 feet. This will help you develop the feel for
distance that you’ll need.
“Even so, on big greens you’re likely to have several three- to
six-footers per round. We have three smaller-than-regulation
holes on the practice green that are great for zoning in on those
knee-knockers. It’s always important to make a few of those
potential second putts before you head out onto the course.
“Where players tend to go wrong with lag putting is
getting too much hands and wrists involved in the stroke.
Long putts still need to be controlled with your big muscles.
For some players, just thinking about only rocking the
shoulders will produce a good, solid stroke. Others might
want to put a ball between their wrists to eliminate that
‘flipping the hands’ move.”
the skill you'll need
to succeed at the club
at savannah harbor
DANA SCHULTZ By
m
westinsavannah.com
dana Schultz played college golf at texas Christian
University and started with troon Golf in 1999. a pGa
member since 2003, Schultz is a board member of the First
tee of Savannah youth development organization. the
Club at Savannah harbor, a troon Golf Facility of the year
recipient, serves as the annual home of the Champions
tour’s Liberty mutual Legends of Golf tournament.
