Oconee Course at Reynolds Plantation, Greensboro, Georgia - A Dramatic, Challenging and Playable Golf Course

Reynolds Plantation boasts six golf courses in the extended community, including the highly acclaimed Jack Nicklaus-designed Great Waters Course. According to Travel & Leisure Golf magazine, however, the Oconee golf course at Reynolds Plantation may be the crown jewel of the resort.

The course is a Rees Jones design, and Jones is known for designing some of the most celebrated golf courses in the world. According to Ron Kaspriske of Golf Digest, "(Oconee) is a course of magnificent beauty, with soothing views of the water.'' The course was also ranked among the "Best Residential Golf Courses'' by GolfWeek Magazine, and "Best Courses for Women'' by Golf for Women magazine. The course has also hosted tournaments, such as the 2007 PGA Cup, the 2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl Alma Mater and several NCAA tournaments.

Like most Rees Jones' layouts, the risk-reward options are many. The 18-hole, par-72 course plays to 7,299 yards from the longest tees, with a USGA course rating of 72.2 and a slope rating of 135 on Bermuda grass.

The course features fairways that roll and twist, with frequent downhill tee shots followed by uphill approach shots to elevated greens. Golfers will also find themselves hitting shots over sections of Lake Oconee and the corners of tree-lined doglegs where bunkers lurk out of sight. In addition to the five holes where the lake comes directly into play, the course also features interior creeks and ponds, along with heavy bunkering to add to the challenge.

The Oconee course is known for a lot of variation, with both short and long par-4s and some good risk-reward par-5s. The course is also known for its collection of par-3s. No. 5, in particular, is a picturesque hole, with a downhill tee shot with two willow trees framing a pond. And No. 15 provides another stunning hole, as an inlet of Lake Oconee and some purple mule grass provide the visual splendor.

The greens at Oconee are challenging, but tend to be more manageable for golfers who keep their approach shots below the hole. The greens tend to be well-sloped, but without any of the dinstint tiers found on some of the plantation's other courses.

As part of Reynolds Plantation, the Oconee course also features outstanding instructional facilities. The Reynolds Golf Academy is a state-of-the-art learning center spread over 16 acres, with a 6,550-square-foot campus catering to golfers of all levels. Reynolds Plantation is also one of only seven sites in the world to incorporate the TaylorMade Performance Lab swing-analysis and club-fitting technology. The lab combines nine high-speed cameras with advanced computing and motion-capture technology to analyze each golfer's swing and match it to the proper equipment.

The Oconee course features a rustic clubhouse adjacent to the Ritz-Carlton Lodge. The clubhouse is home to the Oconee Golf Shop, which was named one of the "100 Best Golf Shops in America'' by Golf World Business magazine in 2007.

For dining, the Linger Longer Bar & Grille offers classic steakhouse cuisine, free-range poultry, and more elegant fare, such as Maine lobster, fish and rotisserie entrees.

The residential community of Reynolds Plantation also offers a number of amentities for members, including exhibitions, performances, lectures, dinners and instructional events. The Lake Club is the center of social activity for members, and offers and indoor-outdoor pool, tennis, and fitness center. In the extended community, which holds five more golf courses, there are also three marinas, four clubhouses, walking trails, and several world-class restaurants serving casual to elegant fare.