Ladies’ Links Lounge

Game tables and credenza in the new Ladies’ Links Lounge.

In recent years, golf has skyrocketed in popularity among female players. The National Golf Foundation reports a 45% increase in the number of on-course female golfers since 2020, and this rising tide has seen the female segment of the total golf population grow from 20% to 28%. Considering all that golf has to offer — the physical benefits of exercise, the mental benefits of time spent outside and the emotional benefits of connecting with others — it’s no surprise that the last five years have brought 2.5 million new women into the sport. For those keeping a mental tally, that’s 8.1 million active female golfers.

Of these millions of women, those who golf at Sea Island are in for a treat. Presented by Galerie magazine and designed by Bill Brockschmidt and Courtney Coleman of Brockschmidt & Coleman, the renovations made to the Ladies’ Links Lounge at The Lodge at Sea Island breathe fresh life into a space beloved by generations of golfers, offering an inviting setting for both seasoned players and those new to the course.

For Galerie Editor-in-Chief Jacqueline Terrebonne, the partnership offered a chance to explore what happens when Galerie’s design perspective meets the distinctive identity of Sea Island. “Galerie is so thrilled to partner with Sea Island on this special project,” says Terrebonne. “We’re honored that they wanted us to bring our unique perspective on Living Artfully to their incredibly historic property.”

Get Your Head in The Game

Galerie’s task involved creating a space with equal visual appeal and functional capability. Part of an athlete’s preparation for competition involves finding their mental center and getting into the right headspace in order to play their best. More than a mere hook for your jacket or a place to tie your shoes, the locker room is the physical element behind that psychological effort — and these mental traditions are as unique and numerous as the players who perform them. The modern, elevated facilities in the Ladies’ Links Lounge ensure that a golfer has no distractions as she prepares for her round, providing a niche for every pregame ritual.

Vanities; Locker Room (top).

From Tee Time to Tea Time

Along with their role as somewhere to prepare for competition, locker rooms serve a tandem goal — they make space for genuine interpersonal connection. The Ladies’ Links Lounge capitalizes on its square footage to provide as many opportunities for quality time as possible, giving women room to bond regardless of whether they’ve played a round that day.

“We wanted the Ladies’ Locker Room to feel every bit as special as the golf experience surrounding it,” says Scott Steilen, President and CEO of Sea Island. “It’s certainly beautiful, but what I like most is that it really feels like a place to gather now.”

That sense of connection was only part of the vision. For Brockschmidt & Coleman, the design of the Ladies’ Links Lounge was equally rooted in its relationship to The Lodge itself. Terrebonne sees the designers as an especially fitting choice for the project, saying, “Brockschmidt & Coleman is the perfect choice for the reimagining of the Ladies’ Links Lounge. Not only are they extraordinary designers, but they also possess a wonderful gift for enlivening traditional decorating principles with their perspective. I’m so impressed by how they found inspiration from Sea Island and wove it through all their design choices.”

That connection to Sea Island was central to the designers’ approach. “With its layered, residential interiors and English country-house sensibility, The Lodge feels more like a gracious private home than a conventional resort,” remarks Brockschmidt & Coleman. “We approached the Ladies’ Links Lounge in much the same spirit, drawing on traditional wallpapers, patterned fabrics, painted lighting, gilded mirrors, antiques and furniture with a traditional character to create a room that feels collected and eclectic. The palette is lighter and more colorful than most spaces at The Lodge, giving it a personality of its own while allowing it to remain unmistakably part of the larger surroundings.”

“The designers did a great job of bringing those worlds together,” says Steilen. “Ultimately, it works because it reflects the many different ways our members and guests spend their time at Sea Island.”

Elegant vanities are ready for women to put on their finishing touches ahead of dinner at Oak Room or Colt & Alison, and an array of game tables await a rousing game of mahjong or bridge. As games unfold around the room, an all-new menu stands by for members and guests to choose from, unique to the Ladies’ Links Lounge and boasting full dining and beverage service. From a casual nine holes on Saturday to a full bridal party preparing for a wedding ceremony, this space is ready to meet any and all demands — and look fantastic while doing it.

“As a female golfer, I’m entirely jealous that the members and guests get to enjoy such a well-designed place before or after a round,” says Terrebonne. “Of all the courses I’ve played, I have never encountered a more beautifully appointed area dedicated to women.”

Not everything inside the locker room has changed. The plaques honoring the champions of the Sea Island Women’s Amateur and Sea Island Club Championship remain proudly displayed in places of honor throughout the new layout. After all, with the enthusiasm for women’s golf showing no signs of slowing, the latest victors need a place to be displayed.