Tag Archives: best public golf courses in Georgia

The Masters Golf Trip, from the west

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We’ve covered approaching Augusta for The Masters from the north and south. With this post we’ll outline the golf course/overnight options to the west of Augusta and really, there’s only one option for an upscale experience.

If you’re not trying to save a few bucks on your trip to Augusta, then Reynolds Plantation will be your choice of golf and lodging.

Reynolds boast six premium layouts designed by the elite of golf course architects including Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio, Rees Jones, and Bob Cupp with only the Creek Club by Jim Engh not open to public play. Accommodations here include the Ritz Carlton or lodging in rental homes and cottages in the community, let’s say an airbnb on steroids, and leased directly by the Reynolds management company.

Reynolds is located in Greensboro, Georgia exactly midway between Augusta and Atlanta, a mere 1 1/2 hour drive either way. It’s a 12,000 acre residential development on Lake Oconee with eleven restaurants, four full-service marinas, swimming pools, 21 miles of pedestrian trails, and tennis courts.

The golf is anchored by The Landing, a Bob Cupp design, and the first course developed on the property in 1986 with his Preserve course opening in 1988. They were followed by Jack Nicklaus’ Great Waters, The National by Tom Fazio, and The Oconee by Rees Jones. Great Waters might be the most popular, arguably the most scenic, with nearly half the holes on the Lake and the 27 hole National considered the most challenging. All in all, a high end venue, setting, and world class accommodations whether you’re headed to The Masters or looking for a weeks long golf vacation.

It’s officially Spring if you’re planning your Masters Golf Tournament trip, here’s an option for traveling to the tournament from southern Georgia and Florida while avoiding the high costs of Augusta.

Georgia Southern University Golf Course
  • Statesboro is a city of 35,000 with a lively downtown area featuring  shops, restaurants, and lodging. It’s home to Georgia Southern University enrolling 26,000 students in the University System of Georgia. The University capitalized on an opportunity to acquire the shuttered Southern Links Golf Club in town in 2010. Southern Links was designed by Arthur Davis in the mid-1980s.

His influences and work history in golf course architecture include Robert Trent Jones, Sr, George Cobb, and WIlard Byrd, and ultimately created a partnership with Ron Kirby. Once the University acquired the course, they hired Robert Walker, a longtime Arnold Palmer Course Design architect for a course remake in 2013. So, all in all, a rather substantial pedigree of architectural influences on the Georgia Southern University Golf Course.

The layout meanders through a residential development with most of the holes bordered by homes. It’s a parkland style layout with pine trees lining the broad fairways with water in play on the majority of the holes. Maybe the most interesting stretch comes from 7-9 as it winds counterclockwise around a large lake. The course is also well bunkered with 35 contoured sand traps and pot bunkers along the fairways and greens of varying shapes and sizes. It can play as long as 6,850 yards, 73.2/134, course/slope ratings with four shorter tees down to 5,304 yards.