Harbor Club Advances to 3rd on Golfweek’s “Best Courses” List
Members of Harbor Club have another reason to be proud of their community, as it is quite the honor to move up on the ranking of any prestigious list. Ranked 4th last year, we are extremely pleased to announce that Harbor Club Golf Course is now 3rd on Golfweek’s 2016 State-by-State Best Courses You Can Play in the state of Georgia.
Not many golf courses made the cut to be included on this list. In fact, only 15 golf courses in Georgia were qualified. Even more, the courses that ranked first and second are not open for daily play by non-members, but Harbor Club is. So, what were those qualifiers? Here are just a few:
- Variety of golf holes
- Memorability of golf holes
- Overall land plan
- Golf course conditioning
- Golf course ecology
- The “Walk in the park” test
You may be wondering what the “Walk in the park” test is. As you may have imagined, it is defined as “the degree to which the course is ultimately worth spending 4 hours as a compelling outdoor experience.” You gain enjoyment not only from the game itself, but delight in the aesthetics and design of the course as well. There was a great deal of input from Golfweek’s ranking panel, of which there were many. Stemming from seven countries, there were a total of 675 voters who contributed to the results. With so many golf courses in Georgia, how did Harbor Club’s course make the cut? There are multiple reasons. Skillfully designed and created by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish, our unique course touches the shoreline of beautiful Lake Oconee six times and skirts four creeks and several ponds. In addition, the superintendent, Jeff Miller, and the head golf professional, Keith Kelly have worked very hard on a recent comprehensive enhancement program that included:
- Expanded turf conditioning practices
- Irrigation system upgrades
- Extensive planting of flowering shrubs and trees
- Underbrush removal to open up view corridors
- New cart paths
- New sand bunkers
- Meticulous maintenance of bent grass greens (for an excellent putting experience)
All of their efforts have made one of the best golf courses in Georgia even better. Harbor Club general manager, Brandon Matney, congratulated them both for “earning the praise of the discerning Golf week ranking panelists.” Want to experience the Harbor Club Golf Course for yourself? Call or visit us today and inquire about our limited number of VIP Golf Passes. Not only do we have a fantastic golf course, you can enjoy a delicious meal at our Clubhouse restaurant and browse leading-edge items at our well-stocked golf shop. Easily book a tee time by calling us at (706) 453-4414 or reserving online. Remember — non-resident golf memberships are also available for an award-winning experience.