Bobby, Savannah & The Masters - A Georgia Golf Vacation Can Be Overwhelming
Why do so many people plan golf tours to Georgia? Is it the lure of playing in Bobby Jones’ home turf, or the pull of Augusta or a burning desire to not miss out playing the oldest golf club – the Savannah? We think it’s a lot of all three and then some. The ‘some’ is the incredible Georgia parkland courses, terrain that ranges from rough & tough mountains to mellow seaside and lakeside and tracks created by the top names in business. With all that it would most certainly be ‘Georgia on my mind’ in between golf vacations.

With illustrious golfing neighbors like Florida and Alabama, it is a great achievement for Georgia to be able to attract tons of golf holiday makers to its tracks. But then the ‘Joneses-next-door’ don’t have Augusta and that makes it so much easier for the Peach State to get a plum share of the pie.

Golf travel to the South is a journey into history and when you get to Augusta National Golf Club, founded by Bobby Jones in 1933, antiquity becomes almost intimidating. Playing in Augusta guarantees goose-bumps with the memory of the Master’s being hosted here ever since 1934. The whiff of a champion winning the game, the Amen Corner, The Big Oak Tree and the Loblolly Pine that all but got cut makes Eighteen at Augusta an experience that can fill up your dreams for years to come. The only trouble? You have to be a member of the club. If that doesn’t seem likely in the near future, take heart because you can still play The Augusta Golf Course for less than $50.

The Aiken and Augusta region is undoubtedly the best place to start your golf holiday. The Southern charm is spread asunder – in the market places, in the ever present cultural activities, in the architecture and in the golf. You could get to the Savannah River on Riverwalk Augusta and catch a glimpse of the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame. Courses to add to your golf tour in this region are the Ken Rivers and Joe Clement designed Pointe South ($50) and the 18-hole Donald Ross design –Forest Hills Golf Club.

Georgia boasts of some of the top golf courses in the country. There are hundreds of courses worth playing but every golf package to the state worth its salt would include the 18-hole Rees Jones designed Ocean Forest Course in Sea Island. Adjudged one of the top 5 courses in the state as well as one of the 100 greatest courses by the Golf Digest, Ocean Forest is a captivating ocean front links course. The signature 18th plays alongside the ocean and even if it costs your golf holiday budget anywhere from $100 to $250, play it for the mental gymnastics it puts you through.

Most golf travel to Georgia ends up in Atlanta and for a reason – it is home to two of America’s top courses, to wit, East Lake Golf Club and Peachtree Golf Club. East Lake is originally a Donald Ross design restored in 1994 by Rees Jones. At 7,112 yards par 72, this 18-hole beauty is a must play.

Golf is heavily concentrated in and around Atlanta and you can easily carve out a whole golf vacation just around courses like the Kenneth Horton designed Crooked Creek Golf Club in Alpharetta ($73), Jack Nicklaus’ Bear’s Best ($75), Robert Trent Jones Sr. first in Georgia – Woodmont Golf Club in Clayton County (between $50 and $100) and the high on ‘value for money’ Cobblstone Golf Club at just $50.