JayEmm

This 9-hole course is long.... sometimes way too long. There are four, par 4 hole that stretch nearly 400 yards -- from the white tees!! It could be even longer. The par-3, 2nd hole is over 200 yards. The two par 5 holes that are reasonable but a 2-shot green is not possible but for the longest of tee shots. There is a short par 4 hole, (the 3rd) but it is incredibly tight with about 25 yards of fairway from an OB to a tree line. Really tough. Throughout the layout, It seems that this course uses length as its main defense and narrow routes as a back-up defense. The greens are on the slow side. OK to putt but not great.

SO why play this course? The cost is low, the opportunity to play tight situations and practice that challenge is ever present, and the pace is very good.

This will not be your "go-to" course but it can be a place to play 9 or 18 holes in a reasonable time frame.

I went to the course with high hopes and an open mind. I had read some articles about the innovative design, reversible nines, and 8 tees box choices. From the first tee I was greatly disappointed.

First, the first tee box was so hard it broke the tee. I had to find a crack in the ground to get a tee in. All the tee boxes were just as hard. The fairways lack any definition and it was hard to know where to aim your drive. The on-cart GPS system was very little help. I hit a fairly good drive. My average drive is about a 200-210 carry with a roll -out to 220-240. I found my shot 280 yards from the tee (cart GPS number). Why? the fairways were rock hard as well. I now had a about 240 to the green on the par 5, so I used my hybrid which normally runs 180-190. I found the ball 20 yards to the green - a 215 shot.

All the fairways were in similar shape. The 270y 4th (I played the Azalea nine from tee 6) had my tee shot on the back of the green 25 yards from the hole. And yes, the green are very large to accommodate the reversible nines. Sure I got a birdie on the card but this in no way reflects my standard level of play. I have never played in the UK but this is how I imagine it is there, play your shot 20-30 short of the green and run it up (because you will never stop a shot into the green). A since many of the holes are doglegs (some are severe semi-circle doglegs) you can easily run out of fairway unless you take a risky line cutting the corner.

The par 4 9th hole (Azalea) is perfect example of the confusing design and haphazard way your are forced to play the course.. On the card it is a par 4, 468 y hole. With no tee box (just a plaque on the ground where you play from) you really don't know where to hit the ball -- no defined fairway just green grass ahead. You see the water fronting the green but it is nearly 330 yards away. My drive went 320 (I did have wind at my back) leaving a comfortable 145 yard shot in. I hit a solid 2nd shot that landed front/center of the green and continued back another 30 yards nearly to the practice putting green. There is no way to hold this green by playing 20-30 yards short because you need to clear the water bank that is just short of the green. I can;t imagine where my ball would have ended up with a shorter drive and a longer iron into this green. It was a frustrating hole and a frustrating round overall to say the least.

I paid for 18 so I teed it up again with hopes of using my new-found knowledge of the layout and playing conditions. Now, the afternoon crowd was playing with hackers lining the fairways, tees, and greens. I quit after 1 hour having played only 3 holes.

This course seems more like a golf playground than a true golf course worthy of the Bobby Jones name an legacy. The 8 sets of tees are somewhat nice idea as you can introduce youngsters and new golfers to the sport but the conditions are not representative of what you will find at 90% of courses in the area or in the USA so the introduction is a false one and perhaps a exasperating one especially when no shot but the most perfectly played will hold the green.

The practice facilities should be the only reason to visit this course. There are two sets of practice tees (both sides of the practice area), two putting areas, a chipping green with sand, and a nice, short "Cupp Links" where you can practice your wedge and short irons shots.

I am not generally this harsh (or this long) with my reviews but this "course" deserves this level of harshness.

I went to the course with high hopes and an open mind. I had read some articles about the innovative design, reversible nines, and 8 tees box choices. From the first tee I was greatly disappointed.

First, the first tee box was so hard it broke the tee. I had to find a crack in the ground to get a tee in. All the tee boxes were just as hard. The fairways lack any definition and it was hard to know where to aim your drive. The on-cart GPS system was very little help. I hit a fairly good drive. My average drive is about a 200-210 carry with a roll -out to 220-240. I found my shot 280 yards from the tee (cart GPS number). Why? the fairways were rock hard as well. I now had a about 240 to the green on the par 5, so I used my hybrid which normally runs 180-190. I found the ball 20 yards to the green - a 215 shot.

All the fairways were in similar shape. The 270y 4th (I played the Azalea nine from tee 6) had my tee shot on the back of the green 25 yards from the hole. And yes, the green are very large to accommodate the reversible nines. Sure I got a birdie on the card but this in no way reflects my standard level of play. I have never played in the UK but this is how I imagine it is there, play your shot 20-30 short of the green and run it up (because you will never stop a shot into the green). A since many of the holes are doglegs (some are severe semi-circle doglegs) you can easily run out of fairway unless you take a risky line cutting the corner.

The par 4 9th hole (Azalea) is perfect example of the confusing design and haphazard way your are forced to play the course.. On the card it is a par 4, 468 y hole. With no tee box (just a plaque on the ground where you play from) you really don't know where to hit the ball -- no defined fairway just green grass ahead. You see the water fronting the green but it is nearly 330 yards away. My drive went 320 (I did have wind at my back) leaving a comfortable 145 yard shot in. I hit a solid 2nd shot that landed front/center of the green and continued back another 30 yards nearly to the practice putting green. There is no way to hold this green by playing 20-30 yards short because you need to clear the water bank that is just short of the green. I can;t imagine where my ball would have ended up with a shorter drive and a longer iron into this green. It was a frustrating hole and a frustrating round overall to say the least.

I paid for 18 so I teed it up again with hopes of using my new-found knowledge of the layout and playing conditions. Now, the afternoon crowd was playing with hackers lining the fairways, tees, and greens. I quit after 1 hour having played only 3 holes.

This course seems more like a golf playground than a true golf course worthy of the Bobby Jones name an legacy. The 8 sets of tees are somewhat nice idea as you can introduce youngsters and new golfers to the sport but the conditions are not representative of what you will find at 90% of courses in the area or in the USA so the introduction is a false one and perhaps a exasperating one especially when no shot but the most perfectly played will hold the green.

The practice facilities should be the only reason to visit this course. There are two sets of practice tees (both sides of the practice area), two putting areas, a chipping green with sand, and a nice, short "Cupp Links" where you can practice your wedge and short irons shots.

I am not generally this harsh (or this long) with my reviews but this "course" deserves this level of harshness.

This course was designed by Arthur Hills. Perhaps it is just a coincidence but HILLS is an appropriate name for the course. Almost every fairways has hilly terrain with very few spots for level lies. The fairways are rather wide (17 and 18 are especially wide). The greens putt true with a lot of break and several tiered greens.

The par 5 holes are quite nice. The 2nd has a a dramatic third shot into a green guarded by water on the left. The green is elevated requiring a well hit shot. Don't go left on this one. The 18th is another dramatic third shot. It is hard to see the green from your second shot but aim left for a direct entry to the green on the third. This green is guarded front and left by water.

Another nice hole is the par 4 13th. The tee shot remind me of 18 at Augusta -- driving through a shoot of trees with a fairway bending right. Watch out though--if you cut it too far right you are in the woods and a creek.

This is a course you need to ride as the distance between greens to tees are quite long. I would guess that if you walked it would be similar to walking 27 holes totals on a normal course.

A few negatives. The tee boxes are not well-maintained and lack grass in many spots. Also, the cart path is lined with ropes and has defined entry and exit points -- a bit of a bother that is unnecessary on a dry day.

A quality course that will certainly challenge your game-- putting and fairway shots.

Overall The Frog is a nice course. The fairways are well maintained and the greens are large and roll true. The only issue I have is the tee boxes. It really detracts from the overall quality of the course.

Harbor Club is a nice course. Well-maintained, well-designed, good fairways and greens, and nice staff. If it wasn't for the other great courses in the Lake Oconee area, this would be a solid destination course. But the other courses are a legitimate comparison and as such, this course is second tier compared to them.

To their credit, they know they can't compare with the Reynolds courses or Cuscowilla for that matter. So they are content to offer a wonderful golf community and a nice golf experience. This may not be the course you brag about to your buddies but it will be one that you enjoy playing and may even get a chance to brag about your good score as it is not s difficult as the other area courses.

At Lake Oconee, golf is often dominated by Reynolds. This course is often overshadowed by the behemoth but should not be overlooked by avid golfers.

This is a Crenshaw and Coore designed course and true to their style. I often played at Barton Creek when I lived in Austin and the Crenshaw/Coore course there was one of my favorites. The designers have a knack of designing a course that doesn't seem like it's "designed" but simply placed into the natural confines of the area. The bunkers are rough around the edges without being messy or looking unmaintained. The greens (some of them rather large) are softly contoured and tricky to read. The routing seems like it was meant to be, not constructed by bulldozers.

Cuscowilla is a course I always play when I go to Oconee despite the commercial appeal of the Reynolds tracks.

This is a very nice Fazio designed course just 30 minutes west of Atlanta off I-20. The course had very nice greens but the tee boxes need some work. As a first time player, I appreciated the directional signage that were just in the right spots

Bunkers define most of the fairways and the greens drop off the edges on most holes with a shot just off the green on the fly rolling 10-20 yards away...then requiring an pitch uphill in most cases.

When I played the front nine I started to wonder why it was called The Frog as there is very little water in play (just on 4 & 8). But once you hit the back nine there are 7 holes in a row (11-18) where water is in play -- a lake, pond or stream. For example, the par 3 16th has a stream short and right of the green and the par 4 17 has a stream crossing the fairway about 30 yards short of the green. I never saw any frogs but there were plenty of wild turkeys -- visible and calling.

The only real hard green to putt was the 18th which has three tiers. Most of the others have some level of break but nothing too dramatic.

All in all, they just need to do some work on the tee boxes to make this a more even experience. ALSO>>> they have a senior rate for those over 55. Nice extra.

I usually like Arnold Palmer designed courses. He provides a mix of holes that can be challenging but fair. He often has a good mix of very wide to somewhat wide fairways - nothing pencil thin and tight. 5 sets of tees also allow you to play to your handicap with a slope from 143 to 122 and yardage from 5286 to 7016.

I had some issues with the par 5 hoes. They are silly in their design. On the par 5 14th, the hole has a fairly straight routing but from the tee you see a large landing area carved out on the right side giving slicers (most mid-high handicappers) ample landing to still hit the fairway. But this is the only par 5 on the course I enjoyed. The 8th hole requires a drive of less than 220 or you run into water. I like to play 5-pars with a driver and let it rip. Teeing it to a target isn't fun for me.
Then if you played your tees shot too safe from the tee (I did), you'll need another 210+ to carry the water onto a smallish landing area. You really need to know your yardages for the 1st and 2nd shot to play this hole well. The 18th is another design of silliness. Imagine the letter "J". You tee from the the top of the letter and make a sharp right turn to a very small green. You are almost as far from the green after you tee shot as you need to hit your second but high rough and a water hazard guard the tee from the front and the side route.

The par 3 holes are what made the round enjoyable and favorably memorable. The par 3 12th (not loo long at 150 when I played) is a gem with deep bunkers guarding the right side of the green (again, slicers and blockers beware). I have a picture of that hole to give you an idea.

Don't get me wrong, this is a well-maintained course and worth the play but I was disappointed based on my experiences with Palmer courses. I know the design needs to follow the landscape and terrain but some of the choices seem out of character and unusual.

Great Waters makes its name on almost ever list of places to play. The course (and the resort) is worthy of all the accolades. This is a Jack Nicklaus design and it is typical of his work.

To me, it seems that Nicklaus always allows the player an option to "bail out" of difficulty. That long par 4 where you can lay up short and not be in the water or the par 3 where short right won't put you in a deep bunker. I played this course during a scramble tournament so I did not get the full pleasure of my normally errant shots but the wonder of the course was nonetheless evident.

I have played 3 courses at Reynolds (and a few other non-Reynolds courses in the area like Cuscowilla) and this, by far, is the most pristine and challenging one.

This may be the first golf course built at Lake Oconee. With the prominence of the other Reynolds courses, this one is often overlooked. However, it is nonetheless a superb course.

The course is a good test of golf without being overly difficult. The key theme here is playable without making it easy. The natural uneven lies and the contours of the greens make for challenges that are not manufactured or contrived.

Also, the course is routed to make the most of the natural beauty of the surroundings. The best example is the par 5, 2nd hole, where the approach to the green is a bit elevated providing you a picturesque view of the lake as you make your second (and for most third) shot into the green. Then you play 4 & 5 along the shore and the course ends with 16,17, and 18 again along the shore. In between are some memorable holes as well.

The Landing is a good way to set-up a weekend of golf or perhaps downshift from the other more difficult courses at Reynolds.

When I hear that a course is a muni, all sorts of images come to mind -- poor conditions, slow play, too many duffers, you fair share of negatives. This course has some of these but some better qualities as well.

As for slow play, yes...at times. I have played the course several times and only about 25% of the time have I been frustrated by slow play. The classic situation is the foursome, all walking, with 2 holes open in front of them, who don;t care and are unwilling to let you play through.

As for conditions, the fairways are spotty in places but the greens are generally in good condition.

High points - you get a good variety of holes and a chance to play well on most with difficulty only on a few.

This may not be on your list of great places to play but for a moderately easy round and an easy tee time to grab, play it.

This is an older course that has been maintained fairly well. Built in 1926 by Donald Ross you can see the historic design features throughout the course - shorter than today's designs with placement as a critical element. Green are fairly easy to putt but chipping around the greens is a bit of a challenge. The course was redesigned by Palmer with only 13 holes remaining from the original.

There is history at the course as well. In 1930, Bobby Jones won the Southeastern Open on the course and went on later that year to win the Grand Slam. Perhaps the fond memories drew him back to the area to create Augusta National.

This is a classic First Tee course. They were created to introduce young players to the game and to teach both golf and life skills. As a course, it is a nice play to enjoy the game and practice some golf skills.

The course was designed by Arnold Palmer. It has only 6 holes, mostly par 3s, with a 4 and 5 par thrown in. The par 3s are not all short iron shots so you get a good deal of variety and a lot of opportunity to practice iron play from various yardages.

I played this course after playing 27 at a nearby course and 18 that was going to follow the next day. It was a perfect chance to relax, enjoy the game, and fidget with some swing changes.

This won''t be your gold destination, but if your are from the area or even visiting, it is a great play to have some fun.

Mount Vintage has been around since 2000 when the original 18 hole course was opened. In 2008, they opened another 9 holes making this a course with a few more options.

The Vintage 9 is one of the original 18. It is the longest of the three with the most elevation changes, Many tee shots and approach shots are up or down 20-50 feet. The greens are very receptive and fair to putt.

The Chester 9 is also one of the original 18. It is the toughest of the three with sloping greens that are more difficult to putt. The greens have a few more bunkers as well.

The Independent 9 is the newest but much like the other two in appearance and condition. It has more water in play but also features wider fairways. It is a grip-it-and-rip-it type of design.

It is a bit of a drive from Augusta but well worth the visit for a very nearly perfect course.

I've played golf for over 40 years. I've played on some pretty nice courses. This one is not one of them. There are 18 holes, 18 greens, laid out in a very confusing manner. Hole 17 and 18 are the only ones I can really say are nice ones. The others are contrived and forgettable.

The worst part...pace of play. I have played here a few times and it has always had groups upon groups and waits on every hole. This time, I bypassed groups and backtracked playing the holes I missed and finally had a 4 hour round. Every other time, 4:45 plus every time. It seems like the convention crowd are playing a scramble out here every time I play.

My guess is that those who rate this 5-stars are mesmerized by a green fairway and adequately maintained greens comparing this to their dried-out, crusty muni at home. It is not a top course in my opinion.

What a find! What a great value!! I was visiting my daughter in Burbank and had some free time. I stumbled upon this course while visiting the Reagan Library. The course is a world-class design by Gil Hanse and a pleasure to play. The layout winds its way around a canyon valley and reminds me a bit of playing in Arizona (but without the severe heat...its Cali, you know) and some of the holes are target golf. All the holes are a challenge without being unfair. The greens are challenging too.

I'll say it again, a great value. Play it!!!

I played this course in late November.... cold weather, dormant grass on the fairways, lighter rough. But what a pleasure to play. The course is challenging but not penal. On most holes, from the tee boxes (that were well maintained and with green grass) you can see the fairway and the hitting area fairly well. A few holes require a decision on club choice from the tee. The in-cart GPS really helps.

Water comes into play on many holes with several lakes and several streams crossing and bordering the course. But wherever the water is found, there is plenty of area to hit to and not get wet. A few greens have water fronting or adjacent but again, the area away from the water is playable and can still get you a good par.

I was pleasantly surprised with the greens. They rolled well and not too slow and the fringes were also well maintained. Made for a good round of 31 putts.

All-in-all, this is a very nice course and one that I will play again when I am in the area.

This is my second time playing The Honors. Last time was in July -- the middle of summer with great course conditions and very fast greens. This time was in early November -- late fall with cold weather setting in. I was really surprised. The zoysia had not gone dormant yet but we had not had our first frost either. The greens were a bit slower then previous summer play but everyone in our group still considered them faster than their home courses.

Everything around the course was still as perfect as can be. The greens had been sprayed and were very receptive and held well. It had rained the weekend before but there were very few wet areas on the fairways,, none on the greens or bunkers. The course was obviously designed to drain well.