Old Toccoa Farm

The vision for the golf course at Old Toccoa Farm and its surrounding housing development began just in time for a financial crisis, and the first nine holes were not opened until 2015. Four years later, the Bunker Hill company of Dave Axland—better known as the longtime shaper and bunker wizard for Coore & Crenshaw—and Dan Proctor finally completed the full 18. Those who visit this scenic region in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Georgia may concur that late is certainly better than never.

That a course is available at all on such terrain is quite miraculous. It features nearly 300 feet of elevation change from its highest to its lowest point, running alongside the scenic Toccoa River, and gravity will have a significant role to play on nearly every hole.

No. 13 may play more than 600 yards, but the descent to the river may still seem reachable. Others will appreciate the eye-candy of the mountain range in the distance at the preceding par three, somewhat a mimic of the famous “Cliffhanger” at Greywolf. Some bunkers are banes, and others are blessings...preventing your ball from screaming into the wilderness.

Still, although this course is open to the general public for six days a week (call ahead), it was built for a membership of retirement age, meaning it maxes out at just 6,700 yards. Expect the majority of the difficulty to come from odd bumps and mounds forcing awkward lies, as well as green undulations from shaper Jack Dredla (now working full-time with the club to see it through its infancy).