Bobby Jones and Forest Hills - Golf in Augusta

Life Size portrait inside the Forest Hills clubhouse

The nationwide sporting world revolves around college basketball during the annual NCAA tournament known as March Madness. In early April a worldwide audience tunes in the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National.  The significance for Lowcountry residents is that a trip to visit Augusta and play golf there is just a short drive away, and of course the very next week the golf calendar heats up even more as the PGA Tour returns to Hilton Head. Playing at Forest Hills Golf Club connects the dots of golfing history since Bobby Jones won the 1930 Southeastern Open there on his way to completing the historic grand slam that year.

Memorial Plaque to Bobby Jones at No. 1 tee

By chance, my recent visit to play golf at Forest Hills took me right by the Augusta National grounds on Berckmans Road. Looking around the newly renovated pro shop and full service grill at Forest Hills, I learned that the course is owned by Augusta University and operates as a course that is open to the public. Memorabilia on display from 2010 and 2011 commemorates their back-to-back collegiate championships when Patrick Reed was a student. Reed is better known today as a solid PGAT Tour pro, and as the fiery American during international matches such as the Ryder Cup.

            

For an enjoyable round of golf - Tee it up at Forest Hills

A large plaque by the first tee, erected by the Georgia Historical Society, spells out in great detail how this course is forever tied to the Bobby Jones Grand Slam. Jones called his 13-shot victory on this Donald Ross designed course “the best-played tournament I ever played in my life.” After a straight drive on the first tee, my scorecard after 18 holes was more like an exact opposite of Jones’ magical play. However, I can report that the course is wide-open with lots of sloping topography, large longleaf pine trees and very little water in play. The course was easy to navigate, and lots of Augustans make Forest Hills the place for their Saturday golf plans.

To view this feature story in the newspaper click on Colletonian.

To view more about Augusta click on Partridge Inn - Frog Hollow Tavern - Augusta Canal Tour

Lots of topography on this course!

For past blog entries on 2016 travels click Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center - ACE Basin NERR - Abbeville - Seabrook Island - Rembert - Boykin - Kershaw County

For past blog entries on 2015 travels click  Little St. Simon's Island - SouthWest Florida - Alabama Black Belt - N.C. Brunswick Islands - Jensen Beach, Florida

For past blog entries on 2014 travels click on Barnsley Resort - Bald Head Island - Chicago - Fontana Village