"Patron Parking is included in the price of each ticket. Parking is located at St. Simons Airport off of Skylane Road." That line comes from the RSM Classic's official spectator page, and it settles how this week works for anyone who lives mid-island.
The golf is down at Sea Island Golf Club, where the Plantation Course sits at 100 Retreat Avenue. For most spectators, the day starts somewhere else. If you drive in with a grounds ticket, you park at the airport, pick up any tickets at the airport, and ride a shuttle from the airport. Tournament week runs November 16 through 22, 2026, and Round 1 tees off Thursday, November 19, at 8:30 a.m. Each competition day, the shuttle loop starting in the middle of the island runs from the first bus to the last.
The Gate Is on Skylane Road
The tournament puts three things at the airport: general parking, Will Call and the shuttle stop. Turn onto Skylane Road and follow the signs to the parking area. The shuttles wait nearby, and Will Call is in the same area, so you can pick up or buy a ticket before boarding. Tickets are digital, and there's also on-site help at the front gate on the course side.
The shuttles run a continuous loop between the lot and the grounds, and the ride is included in your ticket. The official page also says a shuttle may sit at the parking area for a bit if it doesn't have enough passengers yet. Visitors who planned their trip around a tee time may not expect that. Neighbors who live a few minutes from the lot can simply leave a little early.
Guests who need extra help use the same airport lot. A separate wheelchair-accessible shuttle takes them straight to the Special Needs tent near the Golden Isles Green Village area. There's also a handicap seating area near the 18th green.
The Hours the Lot Keeps
Shuttles run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. On Wednesday they start at 6 a.m. Here's how the whole week lines up, using the tournament's published schedule:
| Day | What's on the course | Patron access | Shuttle from the airport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, Nov. 16 | BMW Pro-Am | Closed to patrons | None listed |
| Tuesday, Nov. 17 | PGA TOUR practice rounds | Closed to patrons | None listed |
| Wednesday, Nov. 18 | Yamaha Pro-Am on Seaside and Plantation; Charity Putting Challenge, 3:30 p.m. | Free Community Day, gates at 7 a.m. | 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Thursday, Nov. 19 | Round 1, tee times from 8:30 a.m. | Ticketed | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Friday, Nov. 20 | Round 2, tee times from 8:30 a.m. | Ticketed | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Saturday, Nov. 21 | Round 3, tee times from 9 a.m.; Military Day | Ticketed | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Sunday, Nov. 22 | Final round, tee times from 9 a.m.; trophy presentation on the 18th green after play | Ticketed | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
Wednesday is the easiest day of the week for neighbors. Community Day is free for everyone with no paid ticket, and gates open at 7 a.m. for the Yamaha Pro-Am. Golden Isles also describes the Wednesday as free to all patrons. It's also the only day of the week when cameras are allowed through the gate. More on that below.
What $65 Buys, and the One Ticket That Skips the Lot
A grounds Patron Pass costs $65 for any one day, Thursday through Sunday. Each pass says the same thing: it covers the tournament grounds plus the free shuttle from the parking area at St. Simons Airport. Anyone 15 or younger gets in free with an adult who has a ticket. That free entry doesn't cover hospitality areas. A family of four with two kids under 16 pays $130 for a day on the grounds.
If you go up a tier, the airport gradually drops out of the plan:
- Seaside Terraces, single day, $195. Viewing platforms on the Seaside Course with High Noon and beer included, and snacks inside the main platform on No. 17. Everyone needs a ticket regardless of age, except infants in arms.
- Seaside Terraces Weekly Pass, $770. Includes VIP valet parking, with the pass mailed to the buyer.
- M3COM Skybox Club, $595 for Thursday or Sunday, or $2,300 for the week. A shared hospitality space next to the 18th green on Seaside, with food and full bar service from Sea Island Resort. The weekly package includes VIP parking Thursday through Sunday.
The posted packages that mention VIP parking are the weekly ones. A grounds pass and a single-day Terraces ticket say nothing about it. So for most of the crowd that drives, the day starts on Skylane Road.
The Bike Rack Is the Other Front Door
The tournament offers one way in that skips the airport, and it asks people to use it. "The tournament encourages patrons to ride your bike to the grounds of Sea Island Golf Club," the spectator page says. Bike parking is near the main entrance, and signs point the way.
For anyone mid-island, the island's trail network is the starting point. The PATH Foundation describes the St. Simons system as 20.47 miles of narrow greenway paths. It also warns riders to be careful where sections run beside busy streets. The Golden Isles biking itinerary follows Demere Road and then turns north on Frederica Road through the Redfern Village area. The county visitors bureau's St. Simons Island map shows the multi-use trails, St. Simons Airport and Sea Island Golf Club on one page. It reminds cyclists that the paths are shared and asks them to dismount at crossings. Look over the last stretch toward Retreat Avenue on that map before you ride it.
A bike also helps on Saturday, November 21. That morning, Grateful Cats and Canines Allies and Supporters is hosting Pet Photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Gnat's Landing in Redfern Village from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A printed 4x6 is $30, and proceeds go to Glynn County Animal Services, according to Golden Isles Magazine. Round 3 tees off at 9 a.m., so one Saturday ride can cover both stops.
What Gets Through the Gate Thursday Through Sunday
Everyone goes through security wanding at the entrance, and bags may be searched. There's no place to check items, so anything not allowed has to go back to the car. Your car may be parked at the airport, which makes that a long walk back. If you rode a bike, it's a bike rack, which has no room for a cooler. Leave these at home:
- Knives, firearms or weapons of any kind
- Cameras, Thursday through Sunday
- Any bag bigger than a small purse, 6 by 6 by 6 inches, including lawn chair bags and umbrella sleeves
- Posters, signs or banners
- Coolers and drinks, except a sealed bottle of water or items such as baby formula
Phones are allowed. Keep them on silent. You can take photos and video for personal use, but live streaming and shot-by-shot coverage aren't allowed, and calls go in designated areas. Strollers are welcome. If something goes missing, Lost and Found is in the Admissions tent near the main entrance. Anything still there at 4 p.m. that day goes to the Tournament Office, at (912) 634-3266.
Who Is on the Shuttle's Other End
The tournament's October 29, 2026 field announcement listed five past champions and eight winners from the current PGA TOUR season. The named players include defending champion Sami Valimaki, Ludvig Åberg, Maverick McNealy, Adam Svensson, Mackenzie Hughes, Austin Smotherman, Michael Brennan and Jackson Koivun. The same release says the tournament has raised more than $50 million since 2010 for children and families in need. The Davis Love Foundation has hosted it since 2010.
The Seaside Course is also back this year after a long break. Sea Island listed it as closed from May 1 through October 18, 2026, with a new rate schedule starting October 19. So this week is one of the first chances for most people to see it since spring.
Saturday is Military Day, and the tournament invites patrons to wear red, white and blue. If you'd rather skip the airport lot entirely, Golf Channel carries the tournament from noon to 3 p.m. Thursday and Friday and from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Sunday's trophy presentation on the 18th green follows the end of play, and the shuttles run until 7 p.m. that evening.
Whether you're heading over on the free Wednesday or hosting golf guests for the weekend rounds, I'm happy to share how mid-island weeks like this one actually run, from the shuttle lot to the quiet streets around Redfern Village. Reach out to Lori Lynn anytime. Let's Connect.
