The Landing at Reynolds Plantation (Private/Resort)

1031 Cottage Rd., Greensboro

706-467-1566; www.reynoldslanding.com

STAFF: Bob Mauragas is the PGA Director of Golf; Seth Justman is the PGA Golf Professional.

PAR/YARDAGE: The Landing is a par 72 with four sets of numbered tees: 1 (7,021 yards); 2 (6,373); 3 (5,940); 4 (5,244)

COURSE RATING/SLOPE: 74.4/138 (1); 71.4/131 (2); 69.4/126 (3); 71.0/129 (4).

ABOUT THE COURSE: One of the two original Lake Oconee courses, The Landing at Reynolds Plantation has changed names a time or two, but the quality of its exceptional Bob Cupp layout has never wavered. The club, originally known as Port Armor, joined the Reynolds Plantation family several years ago, and was fully merged with the other Reynolds communities last year. The course is among the strongest in the Lake Oconee area, and has served as host for both the Georgia Open and the 2008 PGA Professional National Championship. This year, the course will be the site of the state Class AAAAA high school boys championship. The Landing is a playable but demanding layout, with its difficulty increasing appreciably when the wind is gusting off Lake Oconee. The lake borders much of the opening nine as well as the appealing finishing hole, where the green has been moved to the right and flipped to make it a mirror image of its former self. The course is relatively open and not especially long by modern standards, although there are several stout par 4s where it is a definite advantage to thump it off the tee. Cupp’s greens complexes are among the strengths of The Landing, with the putting surfaces on the small side with plenty of slope. A number of the greens have multiple tiers, and you can expect some perplexing putts and demanding short game shots if you’re off by just a bit on your approaches. Be ready to play from your opening tee shot, as the lake makes an early appearance after a strong but dry opening hole. The short par-5 second offers a risk/reward option for longer hitters, with the green fronted by a finger of the lake, which also must be carried on the short, par-3 second. The lake borders the entire left side of the stout par 4-fourth, and protects the green at the fifth short and left, with a particularly evil bunker on the right making for some extremely intimidating sand shots. The inland holes are not quite as penal, but there are few soft touches along the way, as Cupp provides a terrific mix of holes that require some thought and precision to successfully handle.

Course reviews – March 2010

Forest Hills Golf Club (Public)

1500 Comfort Rd., Augusta

706-733-0001; www.theforesthillsgolfcourse.com

STAFF: Bill Robinson is the PGA General Manager/Golf Professional; Darren Davenport is the Superintendent.

PAR/YARDAGE: Forest Hills is a par 72 with five sets of tees: Black (7,231 yards); Blue (6,886); White (6,335); Gold (5,529); Green (5,053).

COURSE RATING/SLOPE: 74.5/138 (Black); 73.1/129 (Blue); 70.5/126 (White); 67.1/121 (Gold); 69.5/118 (Green).

ABOUT THE COURSE: An original Donald Ross design from the mid-1920s, Forest Hills has undergone numerous changes over the years, with several major modern renovations beginning in the 1980s. The course, one of the state’s most prominent in its early days before a long stretch as a military facility, was taken over by Augusta College in the late 1970s, with the college’s expansion leading to the first major renovation in the mid 1980s. Several holes were completely altered to make room for new dormitories, and those holes, plus others on the course, have undergone a facelift since then. A number of the holes have not changed a great deal in design, but many of the greens complexes have been significantly re-worked, with the putting surfaces featuring considerably more contour than in the past. As the home of the Augusta State golf team, Forest Hills has taken on a more modern feel, with new back tees adding some 500 yards to the layout. The blue tees are a little longer than the former back tees, with the whites comparable in length to the men’s tees prior to the new tournament tees. The biggest changes are found early in the round, with the nines reversed from its pre-college days. Holes 2-6 are either completely new or vastly different from their predecessors, with 3 and 5 a pair of lengthy par 4s and the 6^th changed from a par 4 to a par 5. The final three holes on the nine are longer with much more movement on the greens, but are not a great deal different from their previous design, as is much of the back nine. The big changes on the former front nine are the par-4 12^th and par-3 13^th, among the handful of holes with water in play and among the most scenic on the course. From there in, the changes are confined mainly to the greens, with the drivable par-4 18^th remaining one of the more entertaining closing holes around. Forest Hills remains a relatively tight course off the tee, with a number of elevated tees effectively reducing the yardage a bit. The renovated greens complexes provide much of the challenge, and while they will give your short game a complete test, you don’t have to be a college golf team caliber player to earn a passing grade.

Orchard Hills (Public)

600 East Highway 16, Newnan

770-251-5683; www.orchardhills.com

STAFF: Wyatt Detmer is the PGA Director of Golf; Craig Ketelson is the Superintendent.

PAR/YARDAGE: Orchard Hills is a 27-hole layout, with each nine playing to a par of 36. The original 18 (Orchard/Logo nines) measures 7,037 yards (Gold tees); 6,553 (Blue); 5,952 (White) and 5,153 (Red). Combinations involving the Rock Garden 9 are comparable.

COURSE RATING/SLOPE: (For Orchard/Logo) 73.5/131 (Gold); 71.4/127 (Blue); 68.9/121 (White); 70.1/121 (Red). Combinations including Rock Garden are comparable.

ABOUT THE COURSE:  One of the metro area’s most enjoyable and most popular facilities, featuring an easily accessible location bordering I-85. The links-style layout of the original 18 has accounted for much of its appeal, along with its large and consistently well-conditioned greens. The newer Rock Garden nine is a bit tighter than the original 18, which features fewer tree lines and doglegs than the more typically American Rock Garden design. Some well-placed fairway bunkers and native grasses will keep those playing the Orchard/Logo layout from getting too comfortable on the tee, but most will be able to take a rip with the driver on just about every hole. A few downhill tee shots help reduce the listed yardage a bit, and the overall open nature of the layout will not tax the abilities of shorter hitters on the longer par 4s. There is not a great deal of water in play with the exception of the par 3s, which require forced carries on five of the six. The downhill 4^th and short 8^th on the Logo 9 are among the standouts, with the shallow green and surrounding drop-offs on the former making it one of the testiest among the potentially penal group of par 3s. For those beginning on the Orchard 9, one of the best par 4s they will encounter on the day is the first one they will play. Water surrounds the green on three sides on the short-ish, downhill hole, and when then pin is cut back left on the expansive green, it takes some nerve to attack the pin to avoid an extremely lengthy birdie putt. Although the terrain is on the gentle side, there are enough holes with some modest elevation changes to keep things interesting, with the greens complexes typically modestly bunkered without a great deal of movement at the edges.

Course reviews – Feb. 2010

Jones Creek Golf Club (Semi-Private)

777 Jones Creek Drive, Evans

706-860-4228; www.jonescreekgolfclub.com

STAFF: Gregg Hemann is the PGA Director of Golf; Drew Belt is the PGA Golf Professional.

PAR/YARDAGE: Jones Creek is a par 72 with five sets of tees: Black (6,894 yards); Blue (6,631); White (6,276); Yellow (5,743); Red (5,354).

COURSE RATING/SLOPE: 73.4/139 (Black); 72,1/136 (Blue); 70.6/132 (White); 68.2/122 (Yellow); 71.8/126 (Red).

ABOUT THE COURSE: The first solo design by acclaimed course architect Rees Jones, Jones Creek opened in the mid-1980s and has long held the reputation as one of the state’s top layouts. The club has undergone some ups and downs over the years, but has made a strong comeback under local ownership and management, which has significantly increased its membership base. The course remains open for daily fee play, and is typically one of the busiest of the Augusta area courses during Masters week. Tom Fazio consulted on course renovations in 2003, with a considerable amount of work done on the greens complexes as well as some other changes, most notably on the 16^th hole, which was flattened and shortened to improve its playability. Although Jones Creek has softened somewhat over the years, it remains one of the strongest courses in the Augusta area, with the recent addition of a 5^th set of tees providing multiple options for golfers who shoot anywhere from the high 70s to the low 90s. Jones Creek offers a complete test to your game, beginning with tee shots that have to contend with relatively tight tree lines and several doglegs that stress hitting the correct side of the fairway. The greens are not as severe as they were initially, with their slope more subtle and consistent and the bunkering reduced somewhat. Other than the 16^th, the character of the course has not changed a great deal over the years, with Jones Creek offering a splendid variety of holes, including an interesting group of par 5s that require a considerable amount of precision to avoid hazards that are very much in play on three of them. The par 3s include one of the state’s finest over-water one-shotters (No. 2) and the short but pesky 15^th, where your distance control will definitely be put to the test. The diverse group of par 4s features a few where length is a definite asset, but several others that require a fair degree of thought and precision to solve the stiff but fair test Jones’ outstanding layout presents.

Golf Club of Georgia, Creekside (Private)

One Golf Club Drive, Alpharetta

770-664-8644; www.golfclubofgeorgia.com

STAFF: Jeff Paton is the PGA Director of Golf; Randy Waldron is the Superintendent

PAR/YARDAGE: Creekside plays to a par of 72 with four sets of tees – Gold (6,927 yards); Blue (6,572); White (5,912) and Red (5,004), plus two combination sets.

COURSE RATING/SLOPE: 74.6/146 (Gold); 72.5/140 (Blue); 70.0/133 (White); 70.2/126 (Red).

ABOUT THE COURSE: The lesser known of the Golf Club of Georgia’s two standout 18-hole layouts, Creekside is much more of a target-oriented course than Lakeside, which is more traditional in design and serves as the tournament course, in part because Creekside’s ninth hole does not return to the clubhouse. Creekside presented a challenge for famed golf course architect Arthur Hills, who also designed Lakeside’s layout. Creekside features a sizeable number of wetlands along the way, and you will play very few courses which required the construction of more bridges. The wetlands result in several forced carries from the tee, but none are of excessive length. Longer hitters will have the opportunity to take advantage of a short-ish quartet of par 5s, but there is a significant amount of risk involved on two of them, including the famously (or infamously) quirky fifth hole. As a group, Creekside’s par 4s are considerably more penal than those on Lakeside, although there are several vulnerable two-shotters, particularly for longer hitters. The two nines feature disparate yardages, with the back more than 200 yards longer than the front from the back three sets of tees. There are a number of excellent scoring opportunities going out, including a vulnerable par-5 opening hole, two short iron par 3s and a pair of driver-wedge par 4s. But there are also three extremely demanding par 4s, including one of the toughest you’ll encounter in the state – the intimidating 8^th hole. The back nine starts and finishes with several of the tougher holes on the course, with the moderately lengthy (and more traditional) par-4 17^th and 18^th more like Lakeside in design. The incoming nine also includes a pair of stout par 3s, with the 11^th comparable to Lakeside’s hazardous trio in terms of difficulty. Creekside’s greens complexes are a bit tamer than Lakeside’s, but the volume of hazards makes it equally (or more) challenging, particularly for shorter hitters.

Course reviews – Dec 09

Echelon Golf Club (Semi-Private)

501 Founders Drive East, Alpharetta

770-888-4653; www.echelonliving.com

STAFF: Craig Hartle is the PGA General Manager/Director of Golf; Andrew Maronge is the Superintendent

PAR/YARDAGE: Echelon plays to a par of 72 with five sets of tees – Black (7,558 yards); Gold (7.076); Blue (6,552); White (6,025); Red (4,984).

COURSE RATING/SLOPE: 77.8/154 (Black); 74.9/150 (Gold); 71.9/139 (Blue); 70.0/129 (White); 69.8/125 (Red).

ABOUT THE COURSE: A lot has changed since the club opened three years ago, including a new name, different ownership/management and a shift from private to semi-private status. The only remaining constants are the outstanding Rees Jones design and the presence of veteran Georgia PGA member Craig Hartle as the club’s Director of Golf and General Manager. Echelon, which was known as the Georgia Tech Club when it opened for play in late 2006, is now semi-private, and hopes to fill a niche in the upscale daily fee market created when White Columns went private several years ago. The quality of Jones’ design and the conditions are of private club caliber, but the course is now accessible to non-members. Metro Atlanta golfers looking for a first rate course should not pass up the opportunity to give Echelon a look, but be aware that the challenge Jones’ layout presents matches its quality. The Course Rating/Slope numbers are the highest of any course in the state, but as long as you stay away from the monster Black tees, Echelon is not nearly as intimidating as those numbers might attest. However, there are a few holes, most notably the par-5 11^th, that are as demanding as any you’ll play. The hilly terrain accounts for much of Echelon’s challenge, but a number of elevated tees effectively reduces the yardage sufficiently to make the course playable if you don’t try to bite off more than you can chew. There is an ample amount of trouble in play, but if you hit it reasonably straight and choose the correct tees, most of the hazards are avoidable. A number of the greens were carved out of hillsides, but with a few exceptions are not particularly undulating. They have the capability of rolling at tour-caliber speed and help complete an all-around test of a course that is definitely worth a visit from those in search of a first rate challenge.

CARTERSVILLE COUNTRY CLUB (Private)

1310 Joe Frank Harris Parkway, Cartersville; 770-382-1611

STAFF: Scott Hamilton is the Golf Professional; Bryan Miller is the Superintendent.

PAR/YARDAGE: Cartersville Country Club is a par 72 with five sets of tees – Black (6,904 yards); Blue (6,572); White (6,223); Gold (5,370) and White (5,052).

COURSE RATING.SLOPE: 73.2/137 (Black); 71.2/132 (Blue); 70.0/123 (White); 66.2/117 (Gold); 70.5/120 (Red).

ABOUT THE COURSE: One of the best low-key private clubs on the fringes of metro Atlanta, but one that is not especially well known outside its immediate area. The club opened with nine holes in the mid-1950s, added another nine 17 years later and was renovated in 2001, with the most prominent changes a number of back tees that lengthened the course a good bit. Even with the added length, Cartersville Country Club remains a comfortable layout, and one that its members can thoroughly enjoy after repeated rounds. The course includes a diverse group of holes in terms of difficulty and strategic approach, with some wonderful old-style holes that you simply no longer see on modern layouts. The interesting nature of the design begins on the first tee shot, which must negotiate a large tree at the corner of the dogleg left, with big hitters able to fly it and others having to work their around it. A few sharp doglegs that turn in both directions require some precision, but it is a relatively forgiving course off the tee for the most part, with some tree-lined exceptions along with a hazard or two.

Although there are no individual holes that have serious length, the only truly short hole is the par-4 10th, one of the more entertaining examples of the value of a two-shot hole that barely exceeds 300 yards. There are multiple options to play the hole, with features an elevated tee and a small, angled green hidden behind trees, sand and a creek. Position the ball properly and you’re thinking birdie. Miss it in the wrong place and a crooked number enters the picture. The 10th is one of a number of holes affording scoring opportunities, with mostly gentle but subtle greens complexes rewarding quality shots. After a mostly straightforward opening nine, the inward half has a little more flair, with several hazards in play along with a fairly lengthy par 3 though a very narrow chute of trees that will knock down anything not hit extremely straight. All in all, a splendid traditional style course with a relaxing pastoral feel and just the right amount of challenge.

Big Canoe (Private)

10586 Big Canoe, Big Canoe (Pickens County)
706-268-3323; www.bigcanoe.com

STAFF: Roger Klask is the General Manager; Linda Hunt is the PGA Professional.

PAR/YARDAGE: Big Canoe is a 27-hole facility with three nines (Choctaw, Creek and Cherokee). Each nine has four sets of tees. The original Choctaw/Creek 18 measures 6,274 yards (Blue); 5,878 (White); 5,297 (Gold) and 4,765 (Red), with comparable yardages for Creek/Cherokee. The Choctaw/Cherokee combo is about 90 yards longer from the golds and 175 yards longer from the other three tees.

COURSE RATING/SLOPE: (Average of the three nines) 70.3/136 (Blue); 68.5/133 (White); 66.1/121 (Gold); 68.5/122 (Red).

ABOUT THE COURSE: One of the most enjoyable courses in north Georgia, Big Canoe is a short drive from metro Atlanta’s northern suburbs, with golf privileges available to non-members staying at the cabins on the property. Designed by Joe Lee in the early 1970s, the original 18 (Creek/Choctaw) is a straightforward traditional layout, with the dramatic downhill ninth on Choctaw (150 foot drop from tee to green) the only true mountain-style hole. The short Creek nine features several scenic but perilous holes with water very much in play, most notably on a wonderful risk/reward par 5 (No. 3), a treacherous par 3 (3) and a splendid little finishing hole, part of a group of inviting par 4s where accuracy is the most prized asset. That also very much applies to the narrow par-5 fifth, with trouble lurking on every shot. Choctaw is longer but less hazardous, although a few creeks early on the nine will penalize miss-hits. The fairways are a little more generous, with the nine including a nice mix of uphill and downhill shots. The tee shot on the ninth requires some precise distance control to carry the ravine short of the green but avoid a testy bunker shot from the back of a wide but shallow and sloping putting surface. The Cherokee nine, which was added after the original 18, is the most mountainous of the three, especially the second and ninth holes.

The tee on the par-5 second is some 450 feet above the fairway and will both take your breath away and enable average length hitters to launch 300-yard drives. A pond fronting the green makes the second shot something of a risk, and helps make the hole one of the true treasures in Georgia golf. The other par 5 on the nine is not quite as awe-inspiring, but a creek snaking along the fairway and in front of a tiny green provides sufficient drama. The nine finishes with a dangerous downhill par 4 that requires a little local knowledge to handle the precise nature of the tee shot and the significantly downhill second over another ravine. Renovations in recent years to all three nines have given the greens complexes more character, with the overall atmosphere conducive to a pleasurable day all the way around.

Old Union (Public)

Owen Glen subdivision, Blairsville
706-745-4653; www.olduniongolf.com

STAFF: Denis Griffiths is the owner and course designer; Ryan Scott is the PGA Director of Golf

PAR/YARDAGE: Old Union is a par 72 with five sets of tees: Black (7,667 yards); Blue (7,082) White (6,332); Silver (5,735) and Red (4,776).

COURSE RATING/SLOPE: 76.8/144 (Black); 74.5/139 (Blue); 71.0/132 (White); 68.3/126 (Silver); 68.2/118 (Red).

ABOUT THE COURSE: One of the state’s handful of new courses, Old Union opened a few months ago and despite its relatively remote location in the northeast corner of the state, has a promising future thanks to the quality of its layout. Denis Griffiths, one of Georgia’s finest golf course architects, handled the design work and is also the owner. Old Union is located not far from Brasstown Valley, one of Griffiths’ finest layouts, and bears some resemblance to it, largely due to its mostly gentle terrain in a mountain setting. Things are still a little rugged on the property, with the clubhouse just beginning construction and the club’s eventual address not yet applicable. The ride from the temporary pro shop to the first tee takes a minute or two, but once you get on the course, the effort to reach it (it’s two hours from metro Atlanta) will be worth it.

At most courses, selecting which tees to play from can be a difficult decision, but that’s not the case at Old Union. There are huge gaps in yardages between the five sets, with more than 700 yards separating the blues and whites, and a 600-yard difference between the whites and the silver tees. Old Union will be a very strong test for low handicappers who play the blues (the back tees are beyond Tour length and will rarely if ever be played), with the whites a very comfortable fit for players who can’t handle 7,000-yard layouts. Those familiar with Griffiths’ many Georgia designs (St. Marlo, Chestatee, Chateau Elan, River Pines, Chicopee Woods, the Georgia Club among them) will recognize some staples of his layouts – mostly ample fairways and sizeable but generally gentle greens complexes, some short and strategic par 4s, par 5s with more than one route from tee to green and an overall distinct variety of holes. Because of the amount of hazards in play, the slope rating is on the high side, but if you play the correct tees, you won’t encounter shots beyond your ability to deal with, although there are two par 4s that are extremely long regardless of which tees you play.

Alpharetta Athletic Club East (Private)

3430 Highway 9, Milton
770-475-2300; www.alpharettaac.com

STAFF: Tom Ridge is the General Manager; Chris Janis is the Golf Professional.

PAR/YARDAGE: Alpharetta AC East is par 72 with four sets of tees: Gold (6,894 yards); Blue (6,419); White (5,775) and Red (4,969).

COURSE RATING/SLOPE: 73.4/143 (Gold); 71.3/137 (Blue); 68.3/127 (White); 70.2/125 (Red).

ABOUT THE COURSE: Formerly know as Crooked Creek, the course changed names when acquired by Affiniti Golf Partners and paired with the former Alpharetta CC to form Alpharetta Athletic Club. The Mike Riley design, which opened in the mid-1990s, was one of the most respected daily fee courses in metro Atlanta before going private, and holds up well against the sizeable number of outstanding private layouts in the north Fulton area. The course, which also includes three other yardage options derived from mixing and matching two sets of tees, deftly mixes challenge and playability, with the quality of its conditioning matching that of upscale nearby private courses. The layout was the first solo effort by the former Jack Nicklaus and Bob Cupp associate, who also designed Reunion and Governors Towne Club, as well as heading up re-design efforts on several of the metro area’s top private clubs.

With mostly generous fairways, Alpharetta AC East is more a second shot course, with Riley’s greens complexes providing plenty of challenge. The excellent putting surfaces are large and feature a sufficient amount of undulation, with Riley locating most of the bunkers along the edges. With the exception of a par 4 or two, most notably the 14th, length is not a serious concern, with the quality of your iron play likely to determine how well you score. There are a handful of holes where accuracy off the tee is key, and as a development-oriented facility, out of bounds stakes are plentiful, although it usually takes a seriously off-target shot to reach them. There are a number of standout holes, among them one of the area’s most interesting collection of par 5s, and two distinctive sub-400-yard par 4s late in the round that showcase the course’s occasionally rugged terrain and infrequently hazardous nature. Water doesn’t play much of a factor until you reach the finishing holes, which include the picturesque but perilous par-4 17th and an entertaining risk/reward par-5 18th.