The Storms Have Passed: Warmouth Sands Looks To Spring 2026 Opening
It has been a long time since there was a golf course in Toombs County, but those days are numbered as Warmouth Sands is continuing to progress after a tough couple of years of severe weather in the area.
From Tropical Storm Debby, a tornado that took down 800 trees on the course, Hurricane Helene that was a 1 in 3,000 year storm, and the flooding storms just a few months after, the new course has been put through the ringer, but things are starting to turn with grass growing on fairways and greens, practice facilities ready for their Trackman upgrades, and a Pro shop that is in its final stages.
It has been too long since The Advance touched base with the Sweet Onion Golf Authority, but last week we were out at Warmouth Sands checking on the progress. We also spoke with Vidalia Mayor Doug Roper, Authority Chairman Andy Woodruff, and committee member Jacob Woodfin. There have been a lot of rumors going around about the course and the direction it is heading, but we hope to quell those rumors, and let the community know where everything stands.
Mayor Roper stated, “This course has definitely been impacted by all the weather events that have impacted the rest of the community. Are we behind from our original schedule when the project first began? Yes. Do we wish we were farther along? Of course, but considering what we have been through, we are in good shape. The fact that we didn't have to suspend any project after continued from page
Hurricane Helene is a miracle, including working on this course. Overall, on the budget we are in good shape, and we know we are going to be able to give this community something they can be very proud of.”
According to Woodfin, “The damage from the tornado did impact the budget, but the rest of it was really just putting contractors on hold. The damage from Helene was covered under all the grants that the city received, but things did have to be put on hold. They couldn’t come out and seed grass, work on areas that were affected. It added up, but it is part of the contingency.”
The course, yes, is behind schedule from the original plan of opening this year, but the reasons for that are obvious. With major storms that caused significant damage to the property, there was a lot of cleanup that was required before construction could resume. With two storms that took down a total of over 1,000 trees on the property, that caused significant setbacks, but a year after Helene the project is back on track and working toward their new goals.
And that is to have the front nine of the course open next spring. The Golf Authority has decided it is best to focus on getting the front nine of the course open for the public as soon as possible and so the goal for that is the spring of 2026. The developers are continuing to work on the back nine, but with the growing season winding down, they don’t want to say that they will be able to have the whole course open in the spring with lots of sod and sprigging still needing to be done on the back nine.
The next step in the project will see Trackman on site in just over a month to install equipment into each bay of the driving range facility. The Trackman systems will allow people to not only just hit balls on the range, but they will track each shot, allow you to essentially play the course from the range, link to phone apps, and have an experience similar to TopGolf. There will also be patio furniture in each bay so that groups can come out, enjoy some food and drinks and get that unique experience. Woodfin is excited about the technology that will be installed in the driving range bays that he hopes will help bring people that have never played before out to the course to experience what Warmouth Sands has to offer.
Roper added, “Don’t forget this site has two projects going on at once. We are also revamping the Recreation Department part of this area, and at a certain point those two projects had to meet.” They did have a couple of issues with drainage as the projects combined, but according to Woodruff and Woodfin, those issues were quickly recognized and remedied.
Roper added, “We have been asked many times why we didn’t revamp one of the courses that already existed. We didn’t want to just check the box of getting golf back into the community, but we wanted to figure out a way to use golf as a vehicle to create economic growth and development for this community. This site is centrally located in the county, has frontage with the #1 bypass project, is directly across from our regional airport, and is in close proximity to our hotels and restaurants. Our goal and desire is for Warmouth Sands to directly impact our community as a whole in a much greater way than any of us could have ever imagined.”
Woodruff said, “The Chamber told us this, ‘The first question these companies ask when they are deciding to build here is whether we have a golf course.’ They want something for their executives, for their employees to be able to enjoy on the weekends. It really makes a difference when it comes to bringing businesses in, and with the growth of the industrial parks in Lyons and the Hyundai Meta Plant, this course is going to make a difference in our community.”
It isn’t just business that is going to be affected, the high schools will all be able to host tournaments, which will also bring in business to the community. Giving the charities a place back in our community to hold their events, such as the Sweet Onion Classic that raised over $100,000 each year, the United Way, and many more, this will have a huge impact across the board.
Are you ready to tee it up back in Toombs County? It is closer than you think. This is going to be a facility that will change the game in Toombs County. From a top-notch course to a high-tech driving range experience, Warmouth Sands is on its way to becoming an economic driver and a source of community pride. With the front nine set to open next spring, the long wait for golf in Toombs County is finally nearing its end.
