Georgia: A Golfer's’ Paradise

ATLANTA, February 26, 2009 - From some of the country's finest state-run courses to the illustrious links of Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia has a strong golfing tradition. Not only is it home to The Masters, but in 1794, it became home to the first golf club in the U.S.: the Savannah Golf Club. Legendary golfer and Atlanta native Bobby Jones is the owner of the only Grand Slam season in golf history, winning all four of the major tournaments of his day during one year. (See a complete list of course links below.) It is safe to say that some of the greatest players and courses can be found right here in Georgia. With hundreds of courses to choose from, there is new terrain to tackle nearly every day of the year, and Georgia's playable, mild winter months allow that dream to become a reality. Start in Atlanta, where one will find courses such as Bear's Best Atlanta and Wolf Creek Golf Club. Experience the luxuries of a private club with the access of a public facility at Bear's Best, ranked among the Top Ten Courses You Can Play in America by Golf Magazine. Jack Nicklaus carefully chose 18 of his best hole designs from his more than 200 courses worldwide to create a first-class golfing experience. Wolf Creek may be the most conveniently located course in Atlanta, just 10 minutes away from the busiest passenger airport on earth and a mere 15 minutes from Atlanta's bustling downtown. In fact, Golf Digest ranked Wolf Creek as the best course to play near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, and anxious golfers will love being able to practically hop right off the plane and onto the greens. Less than 20 miles from downtown Atlanta is Stone Mountain Golf Club. Not only does the park contain the largest piece of exposed granite in the world, it also includes two golf courses, a pro shop with trained PGA professionals, practice and club fitting facilities and a full-service restaurant with banquet rooms. Northwest Atlanta is home to Cobblestone Golf Course and its Affiniti Golf Academy. With a four star rating from Golf Digest and ranking as one of the Top 100 Courses You Can Play by Golf Magazine, this beautiful oasis will have you forgetting just how close you still are to the thriving nightlife and popular attractions of the big city. Making your way a little further north, you will find the state's most visited lake destination, Lake Lanier Islands Resort, offering two stunning golf courses to visitors. Visually spectacular, with wooded mountains reflecting off the lake, guests can play all day before enjoying acclaimed dining, spa, and leisure activities. Next, golfers should head to Brasstown Valley Golf Club in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Perfect for a corporate outing, couple's getaway or weekend with friends, the breathtaking scenery is just as enjoyable as the world-class golf. Created by architect Denis Griffiths as one of his finest and most environmentally sensitive courses, it was ranked the Number 1 Resort Course in Georgia for 2005 by Georgia Fairways. The Cateechee Golf Club in Hartwell offers players an escape from the hectic pace of everyday life on an Audubon Signature Course given a four-star designation by Golf Digest. Villa Rica's The Frog Golf Club, designed by Tom Fazio, is considered a top golf course in the state. It has earned four and a half stars from Golf Digest, and has been recognized with the APEX award for its golf tournament facilities, hosting such events as the Georgia Open, The Five Star Celebrity Classic and the John Smoltz Celebrity Players Tournament. After gallivanting around the courses of North Georgia, head southeast towards Augusta, the most important golf city in America. Stop at Lake Oconee, a long time haven for golf enthusiasts across the South. First spend time at Cuscowilla Golf Club and Resort. Two-time Masters winner Ben Crenshaw enlisted the help of architect Bill Coore to design this highly acclaimed resort course, which has ranked among the top three residential golf courses in America by Golfweek for six years straight. The 700-acre resort is known for its natural beauty and challenging course designs. Then, hop across the lake to Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, where the hardest part of the day is selecting which of the five courses to play. Designed by noted course architects such as Bob Cupp, Tom Fazio, Rees Jones and Jack Nicklaus, it is no surprise that Reynolds Plantation's courses routinely take top spots in yearly national rankings. In addition to this impressive selection at one of the largest golf resorts in the world, a sixth course is currently being developed by Pete Dye. The 10,000-acre community also boasts a golf academy and the TaylorMade Performance Lab with motion analysis technology, as well as a golf shop that was just designated one of the 100 Best Golf Shops in America by Golf World Magazine, marking the sixth consecutive year that The Oconee Course Golf Shop has been recognized for its excellence. After leaving the lake, stop by two of Georgia's six state park courses that are rated four stars or higher by Golf Digest's annual subscriber survey, Places to Play. The Creek Golf Course at Hard Labor Creek State Park in Rutledge dishes out some hard labor on its first hole, possibly the most difficult starting hole in all of Georgia. In the foothills of the Georgia mountains is Arrowhead Pointe Golf Course at Richard B. Russell State Park in Elberton. Set on a peninsula that cuts into Lake Richard B. Russell, the panoramic vistas reveal one of the benefits of a state park course: the absence of houses and development to obstruct them. TravelGolf.com ranked Arrowhead Pointe as the only public course on its list of the Top 10 Courses in Georgia, a list populated with such world-famous private courses as Augusta National, East Lake and TPC at Sugarloaf. It was also named the 2nd Best New Affordable Public Course in America by Golf Digest in 2005. Keep heading south and east, and after arriving in Georgia's golf city, head to Goshen Plantation Golf Club, one of the best public access courses in Augusta. Its Champion Bermuda greens and tricky bunkering test players' skills, while five tee sets, including the 7,423 yard pro tees, ensure a fair game for everyone. Just south of Augusta, players will find Fort Gordon and the Gordon Lakes Golf Courses. Stop in for 27 holes of rolling hills and pine forests, 18 of which were originally designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. Continuing southeast, travelers who arrive in Georgia's first city should make their way to The Club at Savannah Harbor. Its award-winning Bob Cupp and Sam Snead design has earned it a place on Conde Nast Traveler's Top 60 Golf Resorts in the U.S. Players can spy views of historic downtown Savannah between tough bunkers and lowcountry marshes. Another highly acclaimed coastal golf club can be found among the 216 holes of golf offered in Brunswick and the Golden Isles. Stop by Sea Island for one of their three courses, rated number one among The Best Golf Resorts in North America by Golf Digest. Well-appointed facilities make it a great destination for meetings and outings as well, earning it the #1 Destination for Business Meetings and Golf by Golf Digest and USA Today in 2008. The Jekyll Island Club has a long history tied to golf stretching back to 1898, when club members added the first course on the island. Now, more than 111 years later, Jekyll Island boasts 63 holes of golf: three 18-hole courses and one 9-hole course. With a multitude of activities, including spectacular beaches, relaxing spas, fishing, boating, tennis, bird watching, horseback riding and Georgia's Sea Turtle Center, there is plenty of fun for the whole family and enough golf for the most dedicated enthusiast. Cutting west across the southern Georgia, golfers will want to spend some time in Albany at the River Pointe Golf Club. This semi-private, 18-hole golf course was built on the Flint River and Lake Chehaw by renowned course architect Mike Young. Sonny Skinner, River Pointe's teaching professional, was awarded the 2008 National PGA Professional Player of the Year, adding prestige to the fastest growing golf club in the region.  Strike out north and discover another of Georgia's four-star state park courses: the Georgia Veterans Memorial Course in Cordele. Its 7,059-yard layout falls off into the waters of Lake Blackshear, while outcrops of pine trees top rolling mounds alongside the fairways. To the north and west is Bull Creek Golf Course in Columbus. With 36 holes and a Golf Digest 'Top 75 Public Golf Courses' ranking, Bull Creek has been a favorite of visitors and locals alike. Its teaching center might prove useful after golfers are tested with its many water traps. Almost straight north from Columbus is Pine Mountain's spectacular, 13,000-acre Callaway Gardens resort. Besides magnificent gardens, an intimate spa and all types of outdoor activities, Callaway has awe-inspiring golf, featuring two courses with thickly wooded borders, mountain lakes and natural grace. The Mountain View course's 15th hole is rumored to be one of the hardest in the entire state, but Callaway's 26-acre Twin Oaks Practice Facility will help you prepare for it. From highly-rated courses found in peaceful state parks to grand and majestic golf resorts known the world over, Georgia is full of great golf destinations for both the amateur and professional. Regardless of your skill level, you can find a fun and challenging course no matter where your travels through Georgia take you. And with hundreds of courses to choose from, you can be sure that you will never grow tired of the same scenery. Visit www.exploregeorgia.org today to plan your next golf getaway. The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a location for film, video and music projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development. Venue Links: Arrowhead Pointe at Lake Richard B. Russel –  http://georgiagolf.com/net/go/georgiagolf.aspx?s=7430.7418.2.17 Bear's Best Atlanta – www.clubcorp.com/club/scripts/section/section.asp?NS=PCH&SUBGRP=15&MFCODE=BBATL Brasstown Valley Resort and Golf Club – www.brasstownvalley.com Bull Creek Golf Course – www.columbusga.org/BullCreek Callaway Gardens – www.callawaygardens.com Cateechee Golf Club – www.cateechee.com Cobblestone Golf Course – www.cobblestonegolf.com Cuscowilla Golf Club and Resort – www.cuscowilla.com Georgia State-Run Courses – www.georgiagolf.com Goshen Plantation Golf Club – www.goshenplantation.com Jekyll Island Club – www.jekyllclub.com Lake Lanier Islands Resort – www.lakelanierislands.com Reynolds Plantation – www.reynoldsplantation.com River Pointe Golf Club – www.riverpointegolfcourse.com Sea Island – www.seaisland.com Stone Mountain Golf Club – www.stonemountaingolf.com The Club at Savannah Harbor – www.theclubatsavannahharbor.com The Creek Golf at Hard Labor - http://georgiagolf.com/net/go/georgiagolf.aspx?s=7430.7418.2.17 The Frog Golf Club – http://golf.marriott-vacations.com/leisure/golf-courses/frog-golf-club/default.jsp Wolf Creek Golf Club – www.wolfcreekgc.com