By Dave Daubert
It’s that time again for snowbirds to head south. Whether you travel I-75, I-85 or I-95 through Georgia, golfers can select from a collection of 25 resorts and premier courses.
Northern Georgia
In the northern portion of the Peach State, the Blue Ridge Mountains provide a gorgeous backdrop for Sky Valley Country Club, which offers the highest elevation in the state. Brasstown Valley, located in Young Harris, redefines the typical mountain getaway and is one of the best-maintained golf courses in Georgia. Brasstown Valley has 102 well-appointed rooms and 32 cottage rooms, plus the Equani Spa, five miles of horseback riding trails, sport fishing, quail hunting and sporting clays offer additional amenities for visitors. 
Alpine Helen, a tiny Bavarian Hamlet is the third most visited area in Georgia. It is also home to the 6,500 yard Innsbruck Golf Club, that is pure mountain golf at its best. The chateau clubhouse sits high above the two closing holes, and offers panoramic mountain views. The Valhalla Resort Hotel provides the perfect ‘stay and play’ option and is within walking distance of the clubhouse.
Chestatee Golf Club, in Dawsonville, lays along the shoreline of Lake Lanier, one of the most beautiful lakes in the Southeast. The pristine 18-hole, par 71 championship design by Denis Griffiths was rated 4.5 stars by Golf Digest and will challenge the best golfers from the tips, while allowing lesser mortals an enjoyable round from appropriate shorter tees. Golfers can send the non-golfers in the family to the nearby North Georgia Premium Outlets while playing here.
In Braselton, Chateau Elan Winery & Resort sits in a vineyard with 45 holes of challenging golf designed by Griffiths, who lives on property. A David Pelz Golf School and comfortable lodging complete the offerings, plus the facility recently completed a $25 million renovation.
Just east of Atlanta, golfers can enjoy the remarkable Stone Mountain Park, the most popular tourist attraction, in the state. Marriott manages Stone Mountain’s two golf courses. The Stonemont course, a 1969 Robert Trent Jones Sr. design, provides a classic challenge that places emphasis on accuracy and strategic course management. The Lakemont course was designed by Georgia native, John LaFoy. It incorporates incredible views of the mountain and winds it way around Stone Mountain Lake, with several holes along, or over water. Stay at the Atlanta Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort to fully experience the golf and the park. StoneMountainPark.com.
Great Golf in Southern Georgia
West of Atlanta on I-20, The Frog Golf Club is recognized as one of the top courses in the state. This parkland-style layout is one of Tom Fazio’s best designs and is an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary.
Georgia has 61 state parks, eight of which have golf courses with ‘no homes, no crowds and no noise.’ Nestled in the rolling hills of the state’s upper Piedmont is one of North Georgia’s best-kept secrets- the Highland Walk golf course in the Victoria Bryant State Park. This challenging Griffiths design provides crowned fairways leading to generous sloping Bermuda greens and features huge elevation changes.
With ten holes skirting the Lake Russell shoreline, perhaps the most scenic course in the Peach State is Arrowhead Pointe, located within Richard B. Russell State Park.
The Creek at Hard Labor is another Griffiths design measuring 6,444-yards with the infamous #10, ‘the hardest hole in all of Georgia.’ The narrow and challenging layout will test your shot-making.
Heading farther south on I-75, the par 71 Brazell’s Creek is another Griffiths design with two distinct nines connected by a 1,500-yard bridge located in Gordonia-Alatamaha State Park.
The Lakes Golf Club at Laura S. Walker StatePark, the first state park named for a woman, is situated at the northern edge of the Okefenokee Swamp near Waycross and the three large lakes provide the challenge to maneuver your golf ball and avoid a watery grave.
Meadow Links Golf Club at George T. Bagby State Park on the banks of Lake George in Fort Gaines is a scenic beauty. Little Ocmulgee at Wallace Adams State Park is a little taste of Augusta National with its towering pines, hardwoods and magnolias bordering the free-flowing fairways and pristine rolling hills. Georgia Veterans Memorial Golf Club is a fabulous Denis Griffiths design at Lake Blackshear Resort & Golf Club.
With 117 golf holes, Reynolds Lake Oconee is the ultimate golf destination. Featuring designs by Bob Cupp, Jim Engh, Tom Fazio, Rees Jones, and Jack Nicklaus, it is a true golf mecca. Lodging includes the National and Lake House, cottages, plus the Ritz Carlton Hotel. Other activities at Reynolds Lake Oconee include; boating, archery, skeet shooting and of course water sports in beautiful Lake Oconee.
TaylorMade’s Kingdom of Golf is the perfect spot for instruction, club fitting and to tune up your game. Visit ReynoldsLakeOconee.com for more information.
Situated along the banks of the Savannah River and just a short ferry ride to the historic downtown, The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa offers golfers an elevated experience in Georgia’s oldest city. Designed by Bob Cupp in conjunction with Hall of Famer Sam Snead, the challenging links-style 7,300-yard Club at Savannah Harbor is a pleasure to play with views of the beautiful Savannah skyline and low-country vistas. The Westin has been completely remodeled and makes the perfect place to stay when visiting Savannah.
The ‘Grand-Daddy’ of all Georgia resorts is Callaway Resort and Gardens in Pine Mountain. Established in 1952 at the southernmost foothills of the Appalachians, Callaway Gardens is a 2,500-acre nature preserve with numerous natural and sporting activities to enjoy. Harkening back to the 1990’s when the PGA TOUR came to play the Buick Challenge, Callaway is still a favorite for golfers who enjoy the two aesthetically gorgeous championship courses, Lake View & Mountain View designed by Dick Wilson, and the variety of accommodations at the Resort.
South of Savannah, Sapelo Hammock Golf Club is hidden away in the tiny hamlet of Shellman Bluff. The golf course skirts the marshlands of southern Georgia and defines the routing of the layout in a unique links-style design. It is a great stay and play opportunity.
Brunswick the Golden Isles is a group of barrier islands along the Atlantic Coast and are home to some great golf resorts. Sea Island is an exclusive destination with three championship golf courses and home to the PGA TOUR’s RSM Classic.
The King & Prince Beach & Golf Resort, named No 1 in the state by Georgia Golf Advisor, is a historic oceanfront hotel on St. Simons Island. The Jekyll Island Golf Club boasts 63 holes of championship golf and is the state’s largest club, which not only offers great golf, but the entire island paradise provides a calm relaxing atmosphere, with wide sandy beaches. The Jekyll Island Club and Beach Resort or the Westin Jekyll Island offer the best in accommodations.
This year, don’t just zip through Georgia on your way to Florida, check out the great golf and resorts the Peach State. Find out more at: GeorgiaGolfandTravel.com.
For more great golf travel from David Daubert visit: https://esoutherngolf.com/
