Golf Tips
Best Of The SoutheastDidn't make it to the Masters? It's ok, we have the next best thing. |
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| By Charlie Schroeder | |
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Page 1 of 3  Don’t worry Augusta isn’t the Southeast’s only exclusive layout. If you crave manicured fairways and first-class facilities (that are open to the public), then tee it up on one of these top-notch Southeast resorts. After all they’re just a short drive from Augusta National and a heck of a lot easier to get on.
GeorgiaReynolds Plantationwww.reynoldsplantation.com (800) 800-5250 The Golf: Reynolds boasts five pristine courses (four of which are open to the public) designed by some of the game’s most talented architects (Jack Nicklaus, Rees Jones, Tom Fazio and Bob Cupp to be exact). Many holes border Lake Oconee, including nine on Nicklaus’ Great Waters course. Fazio’s “National” layout features 27 holes routed through thick forests. Accommodations: Guests can stay at either the Ritz-Carlton Lodge (voted one of the “World’s Best Places to Stay”) or at one of the Plantation’s fully appointed cottages. Golf School: Reynolds Plantation is one of only seven facilities to host a TaylorMade Performance Lab. Students are exposed to the latest in swing analysis technology and clubfitting. In addition, the Reynolds Golf Academy, headed by Charlie King, sports a 6,550-square-foot facility. Diversions: The award-winning 26,000-square-foot spa at the Ritz Carlton offers more than a dozen massage treatments, including the “Up-to-Par Sports Therapy,” designed to treat injuries. Distance to Augusta National Golf Club: 79 Miles  Sea Islandwww.seaisland.com (888) SEA-ISLAND The Golf: There are three championship golf courses on the premises, including the Retreat, designed by Sea Island resident Davis Love III. The Seaside Course underwent a renovation by Tom Fazio in 1999 and Open Doctor Rees Jones operated on the Plantation back in ’98. Traditionalists will love the nod to Merion, as wicker baskets sit atop its pins. Accommodations: Sea Island boasts three options, including the 80 year-old Cloister (rated one of the Best Hotels in the World), Lodge (with 40 guest rooms and suites) and Cottage rentals (one-third of Sea Island’s 500 homes are available to rent). Golf School: Sea Island’s nine-person instruction staff, headed by Davis Love III’s coach Jack Lumpkin, offers clinics, schools and individual instruction.  Diversions: Take a ballroom dance lesson with dance instructor Audrey Wood, ride horses at the 13-acre Sea Island Stables or enroll in an etiquette class taught by Jennifer Daniel, graduate of the Washington School of Protocol.Distance to Augusta National Golf Club: 211 Miles |
