St James Bay Golf & Pickleball Resort

“Best golf trip I could ask for!!”

I stayed in a villa at St. James Bay Golf and Pickleball Resort this weekend, and it was phenomenal!!! For starters, the location itself is beautiful, conveniently located next to the coast, minutes away from convenience stores, and very well kept and updated overall. The villa that I stayed in w… lisää

I stayed in a villa at St. James Bay Golf and Pickleball Resort this weekend, and it was phenomenal!!! For starters, the location itself is beautiful, conveniently located next to the coast, minutes away from convenience stores, and very well kept and updated overall. The villa that I stayed in was fully remodeled and refreshed, equipped with everything you could possibly need for both a short-term and long-term stay. Living room with smart TV, pull-out couch, kitchenette, spacious laundry room, spacious bathroom with a walk-in closet and beautiful tile shower, desk space, nightstands with well-sized drawers, and a more than comfortable bed. The room has good central heating and cooling, two remote-controlled fans, and an entry code lock so you can't lose a room key! If you're resting for the day or afternoon, many of the villas come with cute patio chairs too. Everything at the resort is minutes away- the pro shop, driving range, putting green, children's playground, pool, fitness room, pickleball courts, free bike rentals, the parking, and of course, the first hole of their outstanding golf course. When I entered the pro shop for check-in, Lisa Grundlock (the lodging manager), Jason Weslager (the Marketing Director), as well as a few other staff members, were unequivocally polite, welcoming, and cheerful. I received a full, detailed tour from Jason and was offered assistance with anything I may need. The driving range and golf course were extremely well-maintained. At the driving range, the golf hitting mats didn't have any uneven blemishes (of course, regular weathering), the water cooler always had fresh cold water with plenty of cups, and each teeing area was very state-of-the-art. Additionally, for those not playing or simply wanting to take a break, there were nice benches behind the teeing areas. When I went to get my golf cart the process was clean and simple. When I got the cart it truly felt brand new. Each cart is equipped with usb ports, a plethora of cup holders, ball holders, tee holders, and other extra spots for phones, wallets, etc. Each golf cart also had touch screen monitors that offered tools such as the course map (with distances), a digital scorecard, Bluetooth music (and radio), a weather radar, and so much more. The course itself was the most beautiful course I had ever played on. It had so much natural beauty, nicely paved roads for golf carts, well-maintained teeing grounds, and a good amount of ball cleaning and water cooler stations. Each hole was also truly unique; it didn't feel like I was "repeating holes." There was a good balance of holes with and without water, some with swamp land, sand pits, hills, and everything in between. There was one instance where the people behind me caught up, and I let them play through, but they were extremely polite. Overall, being on that course felt like I was one with nature. I passed homes here and there, but they were so secluded it wasn't bothersome at all. It was also very quiet and serene. On my last night of staying at the resort, I went to the Crooked River Grill. At first, when I got there, it was busy because they were having a live music night, but even with that, the waitresses were extremely quick and accommodating. By no means were they rude, impatient, or seeming like they were "in a rush." There were a few families, one even celebrating a birthday. Outside, they also had a karaoke session, which looked like a lot of fun. I ordered the Chicken Alfredo and "Mermaid Water" Drink, which were amazing!! At one point I realized one of my blinds was missing (they were in the process of putting new ones in), but before I was able to ask someone if they could fix it, they already sent a handyman out to put a new set in. Even the handyman was polite, quick, and apologetic. I unfortunately didn't have enough time to play a game of pickleball or go to the fitness center, and it was a bit on the cooler side, so the pool didn't seem very appealing to me; however, I definitely plan to make another trip back to check those out. For those who may be concerned about fitting in or being treated negatively, I myself am a younger mixed-race college student, and I can't think of one uncomfortable moment or negative thing to say. Even being new to playing golf again, everyone was so nice and accepting of how I played (being that I needed a refresher), and didn't treat me differently or give me any "bad looks." Even my dog, who is a lab-pitbull mix, didn't get any negative looks or comments. We were both accommodated and treated just as equally as anyone else. Not to mention, it really blew my mind how dog-friendly the resort itself really was, too. Before I even made it to the pro shop to check in, a man playing on the putting green had a dog who instantly became friends with my Denali. There's dog poop bag stations every so often as well. Overall my trip was amazing and I would do it 10x over. Thank you St. James Bay Golf!!

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