Seven of the best budget-friendly golf courses to play in Georgia

Courses
Georgia

The golfing world is set to converge on Augusta soon – and that means the state of Georgia as a whole is sure to have a big influx of people wanting a round of golf.

A ticket to the Masters is the closest many of them will get to playing Augusta.

But there is a lot of good golf to be had in Georgia on a budget.

East Lake Golf Club

East Lake Golf Club, located in Atlanta, Georgia, is the city’s oldest golf course and was where great golfer Bobby Jones learned the game. The Club is both historic and generously philanthropic.

Proceeds from Club activities benefit several charitable organizations, notably the East Lake Foundation, which has helped convert one of the country’s worst public housing complexes into a vibrant community.

A twilight round will cost $65 Monday to Thursday at East Lake, while local residents can tee off from as little as $50.

Chateau Elan Golf Club in Braselton

Chateau Elan Golf Club offers 45 holes of challenging play and is a venue that should be considered for your Georgia getaway.

The Woodlands Course flows over hills and through rural woodlands, while the Chateau Course is situated amid the valley’s lakes. Both courses are immaculately groomed to country club standards, but they keep green fees affordable and provide a solid offering of stay-and-play packages at the adjoining resort villas.

Sea Palms Golf Course on St. Simons Island

The stunning Sea Palms Golf Course is located on St. Simons Island off the Georgia coast.

Sea Palms, one of the strongest courses ever molded by renowned architect George Cobb, is a lovely layout with a gorgeous finish that has just undergone extensive renovations.

Sea Palms is a destination course with beautiful greens and lots of water to test your nerves, ranking among the greatest resort golf courses in the country. However, the green fees are half of what you’d think, and staying at the adjoining hotel is remarkably reasonable.

Sea Island

Sea Island offers great group packages for golfing getaways of 11 players or less.

Throughout the year, Sea Island is also the host of many golfing events and classics. While these are always great to attend, they do limit play on their stellar courses and they recommend you consult said schedule before planning your visit.

Little Fishing Creek Golf Course in Milledgeville

Little Fishing Creek Golf Course is difficult to beat in terms of value. It was designed by South African golf icon Gary Player and costs less than $16 to play, even on weekends and holidays.

For that price, you would expect monotonous golf and poor conditions, but Little Fishing Creek in Milledgeville has several unique holes that make the most of the naturally gorgeous environment in which it is built. They declare themselves “the best golf course in Middle Georgia,” and it’s hard to disagree with them.

Callaway Gardens

While not exceptionally cheap by any stretch of the imagination, Callaway Gardens offers very good stay-and-play packages. Standard green fees are around $69.

Callaway Gardens offers significant discounts on green fees for veterans of military service.

If you want to challenge take on the Mountain View Course while the beautiful Lake View Course is a better option for the high-handicapper.

Highland Walk at Victoria Bryant Park

Highland Walk Golf Course in Victoria Bryant State Park in Royston, Georgia, offers low fees and allows you to golf to your heart’s delight on a budget.

It’s just a few minutes north of Athens, along Interstate 85. Built on steeply undulating hills, the tree-lined course is stunning and features comparable dramatic elevation changes to those that make Augusta National so famous. The tree-lined fairways are especially beautiful in late fall when the leaves change colours.

It will set a player back between $32 and $40 to play the challenging course.

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