Harbor Club - Georgia - USA

Harbor Club is a nice course. Well-maintained, well-designed, good fairways and greens, and nice staff. If it wasn't for the other great courses in the Lake Oconee area, this would be a solid destination course. But the other courses are a legitimate comparison and as such, this course is second tier compared to them.

To their credit, they know they can't compare with the Reynolds courses or Cuscowilla for that matter. So they are content to offer a wonderful golf community and a nice golf experience. This may not be the course you brag about to your buddies but it will be one that you enjoy playing and may even get a chance to brag about your good score as it is not s difficult as the other area courses.

It is amazing at much golf is located in the area in and around Lake Oconee. And so much of the existing attention is paid to the several courses at Reynolds and clearly the work of Coore and Crenshaw at Cuscowilla.

Harbor Club is often vastly undervalued because they neither have the marketing hype which Reynolds bumps out constantly nor the star power that C&C provide given their golf course design efforts.

Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish were a superb duo for the years they worked with one another. They really emphasized playability but not to the point of dumbing down the finished efforts.

The Harbor Club does have homes scattered about the property but the routing and the manner by which the holes work their way is carried out so well.

Driving the ball is a big-time item at the Harbor Club. Once cannot be missing too far to either side and in this day of smash mouth golf where power can be overly rewarded -- that inclusion is what elevates the experience.

Weiskopf / Morrish created a number of courses where hole variety is central in their finished efforts. Adjustments are a common reality and golfers are always being pushed to stay on their toes. The talented duo does not beat golfers over the head with harsh insertions -- there's alternatives provided but to score low you have to earn it -- nothing's given away.

The outward half works you into the round with the fairly benign 1st hole. That changes with the difficult long par-3 2nd. The outward half gives golfers plenty of opportunities to score and it's best to do so because the inward half is very quick to take it back.

The short par-4 7th is a scenic wonder -- beckoning players to make a bold move while still permitting other routes for success.

The back nine ramps up matters considerably. Some will opine that the tree canopies can be pulled back a bit and I won't quibble with that. But as I said at the outset - it's good to see accuracy get included as a high priority item. The final three holes end the round in spectacular fashion. The long par-4 16th requires the wherewithal to work the ball from right-to-left off the tee and to approach from the left side for the best angle. The short par-3 17th is 180 yards but it takes a high caliber deft touch to secure the green for a birdie putt.

The concluding hole at Harbor Club belongs on the short list of great hole from The Peach State. The split tees add so much versatility and the naturalness of the hole's presentation is a powerful emotional connector. The menacing creek works its way the entire length down the right side - tempting players to get as near as possible in order to provide for the optimum angle into the green. The putting surface sits on the far side of the aforementioned creek and the test for the approach is utterly straightforward and daunting. Truly, a capper before working one's way to the 19th hole.

Harbor Club is certainly a layout to play when in the area and a clear triumph by Weiskopf and Morrish.

M. James Ward