| backyard traveler |
the most golf-obsessed on
either coast.
Home to a variety of
traditional and lakeside
courses, the Lake Oconee
area is an errant tee shot
away from e Creek at
Hard Labor, one of Georgia’s
eight state park golf
courses. In less than a twohour
drive, area golfers can
tee up at two more state
golf courses dened by noticeable
elevation changes
and postcard-worthy
scenery in Highland Walk
at Victoria Bryant and
Arrowhead Pointe at Lake
Richard B. Russell. Golfers
can also play a decent
round at several area municipal
courses boasting
lush fairways and challenging
greens.
e Creek at Hard Labor,
nestled in Hard Labor
Creek State Park along the
outskirts of Rutledge, is a
beautiful and demanding
course characterized by
the natural contours of the
land and distinct lack of
residential development.
e Creek oers what
many golfers consider
one of the most dicult
starting holes in the state.
Its signature hole, number
14, is testament to the
course’s unique harmony
with the local setting. A
waterwheel leftover from
a 1930s working grain mill
still churns the water along
the creek bordering the
fairway.
Aordability is the driving
factor behind golfers’
increased interest in
SPRING 2022 | LAKE OCONEE LIVING 73
The No. 13 green at the University
of Georgia golf course
provides a demanding, yet scenic,
design. Golfweek ranked it
fifth n ts est Courses ou Can
Play: Georgia” for 2021.