With the conclusion of the 2016 Masters, most golfers still have visions of azaleas, Georgia pines and emerald fairways dancing in their heads. If you’re suffering from Masters envy, I have the cure — the next best thing to that inaccessible bastion of American golf, Augusta National.
The gated resort/residential community at Reynolds Lake Oconee, an hour west of Augusta, has azaleas and pines galore — and 117 holes of golf wrapped around Georgia’s second-largest lake. You won’t be playing the Masters venue, but you will be following in the footsteps of legendary designers Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio, Jim Engh, Rees Jones and Bob Cupp. Reynolds is relatively undiscovered outside of the Southeast, but its appearance on GOLF’s 2016 “25 Best Golf Communities in North America” list may change that.
My friend and I flew to Atlanta and drove an hour east to Reynolds, where we checked into one of the many well-appointed condos on the grounds. There are charming cottages as well, and the AAA Five Diamond Ritz-Carlton resort, which includes 251 rooms and suites with mahogany furnishings, Egyptian cotton linens and marble and granite bathrooms. Among the resort’s many dining choices is (my favorite) the Linger Longer Steakhouse in the Oconee Clubhouse, with its superb beef, seafood and dessert soufflés.
We began our stay with a pontoon boat ride, eying the waterside golf holes and contemplating how to work in some fishing in the bass-filled lake. We played golf every day and had a skills tune-up at the Reynolds Kingdom of Golf, an extensive golf academy. We also tried to sample other diversions in this family-friendly enclave, which include the Peter Burwash International Tennis Center; miles of hiking and biking trails; and four marinas with kayaks, PWCs and other water toys. We needed a treatment in the 26,000-square-foot spa to recoup!
A resort community since the 1980s, MetLife purchased Reynolds Lake Oconee in 2012. The new owners poured millions into renovations of the courses and hotel, and added a clubhouse and restaurant to the 27-hole National Course.
So, it’s okay Augusta National is members-only. Staying at Reynolds and making daytrips to the Masters offers the best of both worlds.
Reynolds Lake Oconee
100 Linger Longer Road
Greensboro, GA 30642
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