Brickyard is on the north side of Macon off I-75 at US 23 slightly to the north.
The layout is over rolling terrain along fairways defined by pine trees and mature hardwoods. There’s multiple ponds and a stream in play on numerous holes and 25 sand bunkers scattered along the landing zones and green side. There’s multiple tees from 5,099 yards to 7,128 yards off the tips, the green tees play to 6,256 yards, 71.2/132, course/slope ratings, designed by Chic Adams, redesigned by Mark McCumber.
We’ve covered approaching Augusta for The Masters from the north and south. With this post we’ll outline the golf course/overnight options to the west of Augusta and really, there’s only one option for an upscale experience.
If you’re not trying to save a few bucks on your trip to Augusta, then Reynolds Plantation will be your choice of golf and lodging.
Reynolds boast six premium layouts designed by the elite of golf course architects including Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio, Rees Jones, and Bob Cupp with only the Creek Club by Jim Engh not open to public play. Accommodations here include the Ritz Carlton or lodging in rental homes and cottages in the community, let’s say an airbnb on steroids, and leased directly by the Reynolds management company.
Reynolds is located in Greensboro, Georgia exactly midway between Augusta and Atlanta, a mere 1 1/2 hour drive either way. It’s a 12,000 acre residential development on Lake Oconee with eleven restaurants, four full-service marinas, swimming pools, 21 miles of pedestrian trails, and tennis courts.
The golf is anchored by The Landing, a Bob Cupp design, and the first course developed on the property in 1986 with his Preserve course opening in 1988. They were followed by Jack Nicklaus’ Great Waters, The National by Tom Fazio, and The Oconee by Rees Jones. Great Waters might be the most popular, arguably the most scenic, with nearly half the holes on the Lake and the 27 hole National considered the most challenging. All in all, a high end venue, setting, and world class accommodations whether you’re headed to The Masters or looking for a weeks long golf vacation.
In the last post we approached Augusta and The Masters from the Columbia area, today, we’re approach Augusta from the south in small towns like Swainsboro, Statesboro, and Sandersville where, as in Columbia, significantly lower hotel rates and reasonably good public access golf is available. All there areas are around 1 1/2 hours from Augusta and the traffic into the city if you’re trying to be there before the gates open is a breeze compared to 1-20.
Near Sandersville, there the Twin City CC, a classic middle Georgia parkland layout through the pine trees. In Swainsboro just off I-16, there’s the Swainsboro Country Club, a semi-private Arthur Davis design just south of the airport where you’ll find narrow doglegs through the pines and a very welcoming clubhouse.
Just down I-16 towards Savannah is the Willow Lake Golf Course in Metter. It’s set in scenic countryside and characterized by narrow pine tree lined fairways over slightly rolling hills with numerous water hazards and well protected greensites.
Finally, we’re just south of Statesboro where we find the 2013 restoration and renaming of Georgia Southern University Golf Club. Georgia Southern with an enrollment of over 22,000 has invested heavily in the update to the golf course and it’s impressive. The strategic layout meanders through a residential development with most of the holes bordered by homes without impacting play. It’s a parkland layout with scattered trees lining the broad fairways, water in play on the majority of the holes, and well bunkered fairways and greens. It’s an Arthur Davis original design from the 1980s updated by Robert Walker.