By Mike May
There are many public-access golf courses in the U.S. that have creative names such as Osprey Point, Threetops at Treetops, The Schoolmaster, and Covered Bridge, but one Georgia golf course is named after an amphibian. The Frog, a stop on the Georgia Golf Trail, is located in Villa Rica, near I-20 and just a 45-minute drive west of the Atlanta Airport. This Tom Fazio, par-72 design opened in 1998, but it doesn’t have the look of a young golf course. This is one of Fazio’s most attractive creations and it is brilliant. The course is surrounded by mature, loblolly pine trees and reminds visitors of another well-known Georgia golf course, famous for its majestic pines, Augusta National Golf Club.
The Frog is an 18-hole championship public-access golf course that has hosted many notable golf events such as the Georgia Open, CEO Jaguar Tour, and the John Smoltz Celebrity Players Tournament.
The Frog is one of the 20+ golf courses on the Georgia Golf Trail. 
“The Frog is a great example of the first-class golf courses that we have on the Georgia Golf Trail,” said Doug Hollandsworth, Founder, The Georgia Golf Trail. “It is a wonderful destination, which will bring you back time and time again.”
The opening nine holes are played in the rolling hills, while the back nine transitions into a nearby valley, which draws comparison to two other terrific ‘hills and valley’ courses, Maggie Valley Club & Resort and the Country Club of Salisbury, both located in North Carolina.
Today, The Frog features bent grass greens, expansive bunkering, and a handful of strategically placed lakes, ponds, and creeks that add to the intrigue of playing the course. It offers a fun, fair, and, at times, stern, but not overtaxing round of golf.
Five sets of tees allow play from 5,536 yards to 7,018 yards, for the low handicapper, thus every skill level can experience an enjoyable round
General Manager and Director of Golf, Buster Inman encourages golfers to play The Frog with a creative mindset.
“I think it’s a great idea to play this golf course from a variety of tees,” admitted Inman. “For me, I play 15 of the holes from the Gold tees and three holes from the Blue tees — 10, 12, and 17. That’s the Buster 18. Here, you can create your own golf course.” 
Expect to see a variety of wildlife, while taking divots at the Frog. It has been recognized as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. Wild turkey and deer graze in the rough, while crickets chirp, and the ever-present squirrels scamper among the pines.
Where did the name for the course come derive? Inman told us that when the owners first viewed the property from the air, it took the shape of a frog. A metal frog statue appears near the first tee, a definite selfie opportunity to make your golfing friends jealous.
Leaving the Frog is never easy, but it will be a joy making a return trip. Ribbit!
For complete details on travel packages to The Frog and other destinations on the Georgia Golf Trail, visit: GeorgiaGolfandTravel.com.
