The Golf Club at Cuscowilla: the best value in the Southeast

Last week I shared the factors that I now take into consideration when I evaluate a golf course; today I begin my list of courses that have achieved a five-pirate ranking. I am just sticking with public courses, as nobody really benefits from hearing good things about the private clubs I’ve been fortunate enough to play.

To establish the order in which I am going to list these courses (six in all), I asked myself a pretty simple question: On a beautiful day in April, out of all the courses I’ve played in my life, where would I go to have the most fun and get the best possible value?

1. The Golf Club at Cuscowilla

This Ben Crenshaw/ Bill Coore course combines several holes that run through the thick Georgia pines with others that offer spectacular views of Lake Oconee. The greens at Cuscowilla are the best I have ever putted; they have an exemplary root system (the greens were in place over a year before the course opened for play) and they are so well-maintained even when they are cut very low that the staff actually has to be careful about making them too fast-that’s the type of delima that a superintendant loves to have.

The layout of the course is spectacular, and the rating and slope (72.3, 130 from the tips) do not reflect how difficult this course actually plays. It is very similar to Pinehurst 2 in that there is ample room off of the tee, and the most difficult part of the course is getting the ball up and down from anywhere around the green. Additionally, the longer holes offer larger greens with the option of running the ball up, while the shorter holes require a player to hit iron shots to half-dollar sized dance floors.

Another reason I have such an affinity for this course is that there is such a great assortment of holes.. The two par fives (the course is a par 70) are totally contrasting, with the 2nd hole playing 533 yards and being one of the only legitimate birdie opportunities on the course, and the 14th stretching to 625 yards and requiring 3 great shots to get home, as it plays uphill.

There is a wonderful combination of short and long par 4’s as well. The 5th and 12th play right at 300 yards and offer a plethora of options from the tee, while the 9th and 18th play 480 and 485 respectively. Finally, Cuscowilla’s 8th hole, a par three, plays 233 downhill and offers a view of the lake in the background; the 11th is a diminutive but challenging par three at 133 yards, planted right along the banks of Lake Oconee.

Overall, there is not a better public course in Georgia, and with rates ranging between $65 and $150, this course is a better choice than any other course in the South if you’re looking for overall value. On top of all this, it is a little over an hour from Augusta, making it a must-play if you are in the area this week for The Masters.

The other five-pirate courses will be revealed soon.