Atlanta Area WRX'ers

[damnorcross]

49 on Monday, might hit the heated range with some old clubs. hate to hit the good ones off the mats.

[FATC1TY]

[quote name='littlepingman' timestamp='1293465127' post='2860709']
[quote name='varsityhacker' timestamp='1293464039' post='2860688']
No doubt looks like we are in for another bad winter in the Atlanta area.
[/quote]

They are actually saying the opposite for us here in Augusta. They are saying January and February are going to be unseasonably mild and dry. The local weather guy said this current snap of cold is going to be it for a while. They were right last year when they said it was going to colder and wetter than usual. I'm hoping they are right this year about the claim that it will be warmer and drier than normal.
[/quote]

Hope thats true.. That was the original forcast for this winter.. Mild..

I can't tell, as it's been colder than normal, and wet.

[varsityhacker]

[quote name='FATC1TY' timestamp='1293503630' post='2861528']
[quote name='littlepingman' timestamp='1293465127' post='2860709']
[quote name='varsityhacker' timestamp='1293464039' post='2860688']
No doubt looks like we are in for another bad winter in the Atlanta area.
[/quote]

They are actually saying the opposite for us here in Augusta. They are saying January and February are going to be unseasonably mild and dry. The local weather guy said this current snap of cold is going to be it for a while. They were right last year when they said it was going to colder and wetter than usual. I'm hoping they are right this year about the claim that it will be warmer and drier than normal.
[/quote]

Hope thats true.. That was the original forcast for this winter.. Mild..

I can't tell, as it's been colder than normal, and wet.
[/quote]

I hope I am wrong and you are right. The cold just sucks.

[FATC1TY]

63 for a high today, sunny and no rain!!!

It's Friday, and I'm off work.. I think I'll indulge in as many holes as possible before we go out to dinner tonight!!!


Happy New Year guys.

[mshills]

I played the Coweta Club today. Course is in good shape - for dormant time of year. Played poorly but was happy to be out and able to play on New Year's Eve. Nice.

I honestly don't know how that course makes money. For the rates they charge to keep the course as nice as they do, there's just no way that course is making money. Seems like it is never packed - was busy today, but not slammed.

Happy New Year everyone. Be safe.

[FATC1TY]

Dang, I was just down the street...

I've thought about heading over there for a round one day. I think it's like under $45 or $50, there isn't it?

I was over at Summergrove, and they were booked solid till around 1:30...

I wonder the same thing about Coweta Club.. Great clubhouse, and course.. They do a great job maintaining it, and it's fantastic in the spring. So cheap to play, and the membership for the club is rock bottom too.. Like Canongate "cheap" in terms of dues.

[mshills]

Shoot Fat, I'll hit you up next time I play down there if you want. My game is a mess right now with two little kids at home. I don't know how anyone maintains a low 'cap with little kids in the house.

The greens fee is usually about $50. I got very lucky and got a tee time on golfnow.com for a whopping $17 (!!!!!!!!) yesterday. Can't beat that. I have a couple of funny stories about the Coweta Club - I actually played that course on the very first day that it was open for public play. It's a completely different course now, for the better.

[FATC1TY]

Last time I played it, was maybe a year ago.

Maybe 30 that day.. Maybe. 15-20 mph winds, and we were the only group out there until later that afternoon. Greens were frozen and hard as a rock. Got more spin from the cart path!

No worries on the game, I have no children and I still can't get a low 'cap!!

[damnorcross]

can you guys give me some info on Coweta? Never played there, but have been to Orchard Hills plenty of times, so I know the area. I'm always looking for a new place to play.

[mshills]

I play there more than just about anywhere - live in downtown Atlanta means I need to drive no matter where I play, and the ride down 85S is not too bad. The course is MUCH nicer than Orchard Hills. It is a great value, and I don't know how they keep it in the condition they do for the rate of roughly $55 on weekends that they charge. They would charge far more in the northern suburbs.

Good points and notes:
[list][*]Five sets of tees mean that there's something for all abilities[*]Has all the holes that you like to see - at least one reachable par 5 and one drivable par 4 (#17)[*]Greens are fairly large and generally in great shape, even this time of year[*]Keep your driver put away early in the round - you don't need it even from the tips until the first par 5. You [u]can[/u] hit lots of drivers here, but I've found that I score better when I play smart with some 4w and hybrid tee shots[*]They've finally gotten the layout of #10 reasonable - the hole has gone back and forth from a drivable par 4 to a par 3. It's now a par 4, but beware. Don't hit it too far off the tee. Deep is lost, left is lost, and you don't want to hit the huge flat rock in the fairway. You'll see what I mean. Then club down on the second shot - big time[*]Course is never packed[*]Clubhouse is fairly new and has a nice bar area with good food[*]Really good, large practice putting green[/list]
Negatives:

[list][*]Course is difficult but not impossible to walk. I don't think that they [i][b]really[/b][/i] permit walking, but I play there so much that they let me walk if I ask to do so on a day that's not very busy[*]Missed fairways often mean lost balls - many holes are lined with thick trees and drop-offs[*]The range sucks - ancient balls and not much space[*]One really bad hole. No matter which tees I play I can't hit driver on #18, which is over 600 yards from the tips. Even from the tips if I really bust one on a dry fairway, my ball has found the ravine bisecting the fairway. Said ravine can't be carried from any set of tees either. So I am left playing the hole with 4w, 4w, short iron. Takes away the options, and I hate that. If you give me a 600 yard par 5, at least force me to make a decision on how to play it[*]Have never seen a marshal, but again not that big of a deal as I've never seen the course what I'd call "packed"[/list]

[FATC1TY]

I played out there this past Monday..

$30 bucks and friggin EMPTY.. Caught a group of Asian guys, who I think didn't speak much if any English, and wouldn't let our twosome play through as we were running out of daylight.

Ended up hitting into them on the downhill #10.. They hacked it up and we didn't think they were there, and we ended up blazing some long irons down the hill to the ravine, and once past, it was wide open again.

It's a nice course, really nice shape, and it's entertaining to play. Front 9 is straight forward. Par 5's are set up nice for risk/reward, not too long, or short.. Really have to decide what you want. It's a tough course, with a premium on short game if you miss the green. Requires some local knowledge on the slope of the fairways, and blind shots.. Shot shaping is needed, but you can get by without it if you know where to play your shot. Narrow fairways, nice rough, and the bunkers aren't bad.. Lots of shots that will leave you with ball above/below you feet too.

Good elevation changes that require you to judge club selections, too.

#18 is a crappy hole. Ranks up there close to the worst finishing hole with #18 at The Lion, in Bremen. It's long, uphill, and if you nut one on the first tee, with the wrong club, take your medicine.

My only wish, was that it didn't have so many blind shots. Has a few more than I find acceptable, especially for new players on a new course.

Other than that. Great course. I plan to hit it up in the spring when it gets all green and lush. It's a good layout when you ball strikin' is on.

[Yepyukon]

So did anything happen with the ATL golf outing? I am interested if someone is still getting one together. It is even getting bearable outside to play!

[FATC1TY]

I never heard/saw much about it. Then again, I wasn't planning on anything.

I'd be game for something early spring before the fair weather guys get out and crowd it up, since we'd have to play somewhere public.

[damnorcross]

Thanks for the info on Coweta. I live in Norcross so it's a haul to get there, but nice to know that there is another alternative in the Newnan area. Will definitely think about checking it out this year.

[FATC1TY]

I'm a Canongate member, and they just released better guest pricing for 2011.. It's only now $55 for guest at their courses in the ATL area. Beats the hell out of $70, which was a rip off.

I'm game to play anywhere..

[dannytmc]

I recently joined Canongate as well. I think it's a pretty good gig and the 26 course options are great. Weekday guest rates are actually decent - although more expensive than deals that can be found on golfnow or ezlinks. Weekend rates are still a bit steep ($75ish), but compared to other nice courses in other states, it's a relatively good deal. Still, it beats scrounging for tee times online. Also, the range and club houses are great for just warming up or practicing.

If there was to be a GA forum outing, I'm sure we could arrange a weekend outing for weekday pricing if we got a group of 8 or so.

[FATC1TY]

Guest rates have dropped, per the e-mail I got a few days ago.

$45 for weekday, $55 on the weekend. They aren't $70-75 anymore for a weekend guest rate.

The guest rate was out of line, severely out of line. I would play elsewhere if I played with a folks that weren't members.

[optionstraderbc]

I wish I lived back in the city (Atlanta/Vinings). I am stuck p in Blue Ridge for another year. I have 2 buddies I visit often that live in (Windermere/Cannongate) and they have been notified the course may go back to a public course as of April. They have lost so many homeowner memberships and I am shocked they have survived the past 2 years with just Cannongate and resident members they have left. IMO Windermere is one of the nicest tracks in the Southeast and I have hacked around quite a few.Keep me posted on any get get together and if you decide to head up here to "Deliveranceville" let me know. Old Union and Brasstown Valley are 20 mins away and nice tracks.

[dannytmc]

For Canongate, I think the 45/55 guest fees depend on which is your 'home' course. They vary across clubs/regions. I think it makes for a bit of confusion, unless you are up to date on all location pricing. Seems like Smokerise just changed their fees as well.

I think the course up north are charging 50/60 weekday/weekends, which is reasonable, but still a bit steep. If a golfer can go to Stone Mountain and pay full price of $39 on weekdays (MUCH less on golfnow/ezlinks), that's a pretty good deal.

[Trock]

[quote name='Futurestraderbc' timestamp='1294570376' post='2884154']
I wish I lived back in the city (Atlanta/Vinings). I am stuck p in Blue Ridge for another year. I have 2 buddies I visit often that live in (Windermere/Cannongate) and they have been notified the course may go back to a public course as of April. They have lost so many homeowner memberships and I am shocked they have survived the past 2 years with just Cannongate and resident members they have left. IMO Windermere is one of the nicest tracks in the Southeast and I have hacked around quite a few.Keep me posted on any get get together and if you decide to head up here to "Deliveranceville" let me know. Old Union and Brasstown Valley are 20 mins away and nice tracks.
[/quote]


Futures,

How is Old Union? I didn't know there were any golfer north of me here in Jasper!!

[optionstraderbc]

[quote name='Trock' timestamp='1294785207' post='2889605']
[quote name='Futurestraderbc' timestamp='1294570376' post='2884154']
I wish I lived back in the city (Atlanta/Vinings). I am stuck p in Blue Ridge for another year. I have 2 buddies I visit often that live in (Windermere/Cannongate) and they have been notified the course may go back to a public course as of April. They have lost so many homeowner memberships and I am shocked they have survived the past 2 years with just Cannongate and resident members they have left. IMO Windermere is one of the nicest tracks in the Southeast and I have hacked around quite a few.Keep me posted on any get get together and if you decide to head up here to "Deliveranceville" let me know. Old Union and Brasstown Valley are 20 mins away and nice tracks.
[/quote]


Futures,

How is Old Union? I didn't know there were any golfer north of me here in Jasper!!
[/quote]


1.5 yrs old. Sweet Dennis Grifiths track:

http://www.olduniongolf.com/

[scs1070]

Just cant pull the trigger on Cannongate. None of the courses are close to my place in Smyrna.

[dannytmc]

I guess 'close' is a relative term... how far would Eagle Watch (Woodstock) or Chapel Hills (Douglasville) be from you? I live in town, right by Emory, and outside of Smokerise, I'm driving at least 30 miles to the closest Canongate course and I feel like it's not really an issue. I guess when I lived in NY, I had to drive at least that to get to a decent course, unless I was playing a city muni.

I think the pricing, quality of courses and ease of getting on a course is a real bargain.

[Body_Visions]

Old Union is great!



When is this get-together?

[optionstraderbc]

[quote name='scs1070' timestamp='1294788283' post='2889723']
Just cant pull the trigger on Cannongate. None of the courses are close to my place in Smyrna.
[/quote]

Living in Smyrna /Vinings the 4 yrs I did was golf challenging with traffic and all. I have a friend that lives at Windermere and I would just crash at his place and play early. From Vinings I would also venture to The Frog and The Lion.

[FATC1TY]

Smyrna would probably be closes to Chapel Hills, Mirror Lake and then The Frog.

I joined because I'm in Newnan, and live ON a CG course. I am less than 15 minutes from all the PTC courses as well, and around 45 from the Douglasville area courses.


I think the course conditions are lack luster, but we all had a bad year on conditioning. The value overall is there, but I'm of the thinking that it's just convenient. During the warm months, I'm playing atleast 9 after work, if not 18 if I cut out early, and easily 18 every weekend. No less than 8 rounds a month.



Most rounds in the ATL are going to be atleast $50.. or more easily. So it's a decent value, if you play enough.

[dannytmc]

[size=2]Any course with bent greens had a very brutal summer. While I'm not fan of bermuda greens, when cut down, they are blazingly fast and do run true.

Of the 23-26 or so Canongate courses, I've played about half. It seemed to me that the courses north of 285 seemed to be in better condition than those in the south, tee to green, with the exception being River Forest and the Frog.[/size]

I think the twi-light deal and the kids deal make it an offer to good to pass up.

[FATC1TY]

The PTC courses are pretty well kept up. The other courses get played so often they show some wear and tear from time to time late in the season.

Whitewater CC has bermuda greens that are so fast the guy in the pro shop laughed when he asked if we knew what the greens were running. They were SO FAST that I was nervous as could be even just chipping. One of my better putting days though!

Smokerise is a decent track. I played it when I live in midtown a few times before it got a weed problem and everything went to hell in a hand basket out there. I played it last year and it was nice other than the lack of collars around the greens and the work going on around the place.

[dannytmc]

I played Planterra recently and enjoyed the layout. I've heard a lot of good things about Braelinn as well. My membership director did tell me about the adventurous greens at Whitewater. I'd venture a guess that all of the Canongate courses have to have a minimum level of service and maintenance for them be considered a part of the 'family'.

I first played Smokerise before they officially joined and I really did not enjoy the course because of all the blind shots...but I have since come to enjoy it quite a bit. I will say that of the courses I've played so far, Olde Atlanta and River Forest are my favorite tracks. When I lived in the northeast, I'd drive at least an hour - hour and a half to play courses like these and pay at least $100 for the experience.

[zripp3]

Same here. I'm on the Mableton/Smyrna line and am itching to pull the trigger on all the membership emails I get. I play on the I-20 courses mostly (buddy is a member) and Chapel Hills is about :30 and Mirror Lake about :40 when there's little traffic. Agree that that's pretty good for this area but I'd never be able to play on weekdays because of outbound traffic and rarely ever use the range for the same reason. Those are selling points to me. I'm settling for hitting ranges on Windy Hill and playing the weekend "deals" around town at courses about the same time away from home. When I last ran the numbers I needed to play about 7 times/month to match 4 rounds at public courses - and I usually can't get out every weekend anyway with 2 little ones at home.




[quote name='scs1070' timestamp='1294788283' post='2889723']
Just cant pull the trigger on Cannongate. None of the courses are close to my place in Smyrna.
[/quote]