Griffin Golf Course south of Atlanta is an enjoyable, affordable winner
GRIFFIN, Ga. -- Griffin Golf Course is a comfortable, quiet place to enjoy a round of golf.
Located less than an hour south of Atlanta, the venerable municipal course is part of a vanishing breed of affordable, playable public facilities. There may be few bare patches here and there, and conditions aren't what you'll find at the high-priced country club around the corner. But who says they need to be?
Griffin won't ever host a U.S. Open qualifier, but it's a good place for most people. During a recent visit, there were several groups of regulars, some of them watching (and taunting) their friends as they finished. There was a husband and wife, a foursome of women, and a father and son, all enjoying the day. Griffin appeals to every skill level and is very friendly toward juniors.
Griffin is a solid golf course that most people will find enjoyable. It isn't long, only 6,430 from the back tees and 6,187 from the white, and plays to par 72. But the fairways have been shaped, either by nature or by tractor (or a mule, back in the day), to ensure few flat lies. And the greens are small and tricky.
"I've been playing here 40 years," said Jack Finley, a local resident. "I know it, and I like it. You rarely find a place out there where you can put your feet flat."
Griffin G.C.: The course
Griffin G.C. was built in 1932, making it one of the older public golf courses in Georgia. Although no one really knows who the architect was when the course was built, it is believed that Seaton Bailey, a local businessman and philanthropist who donated the land, had a hand in the design.
"Whoever did it knew what they were doing," said Charles King, the PGA Professional at the course. "There's a good mix of holes, a good variety, and there's something different on every hole."
The original nine holes winds its way around the city park. The second nine, which was added some time in the 1940s, heads in the other direction and is also devoid of the intrusion of homes. The club embarked on a revitalization project in 1992, adding some ponds and improving the drainage.
King, who will celebrate his 10th anniversary at the course in February 2015, has seen the installation of an irrigation system and transition from bentgrass to Champions Bermuda greens in 2011. He's also seen the club adopt standard maintenance practices that help keep the course playable all year.
The course has some nice elevation changes, an assortment of doglegs that go both left and right, and enough water to keep things interesting. There are plenty of mature trees throughout the property, and there's often a forest or a hazard on at least one side of the fairway.
The main defense of the short course is the greens. They're in good shape and roll true. But they're also quite small, which places more importance on approach shots. And these greens aren't flat; they slope in various directions, and some have multiple levels and undulations. The 13th green can only be described as diabolical.
The front nine starts with a short par 4 that goes up the hill, with the driving range on the right. The second hole is a dogleg right played from an elevated tee that requires a drive over a hill. The approach to the green requires a player to carry a creek that eventually winds to the right side.
Griffin's third hole is the most difficult on the front side. The last 100 yards head straight up the hill to the elevated green, which is small and sloping. You can definitely get some funky lies if your tee shot strays or your approach comes up short. The fourth hole is a few yards away, with an elevated tee leading to a thin green guarded by bunkers.
The par 3s on the front are short but interesting. The sixth plays 171 yards from the back, but a large tree on the left side keeps you honest. The eighth, a 163 yarder, plays slightly downhill and is nicely framed by trees.
The finishing hole is a short par 5 with an ample landing area. This is a good place to think birdie and carry momentum on the back nine.
The second nine has fewer dramatic elevation changes and offers more rolling terrain. It also features the no. 1-handicap hole, no. 11, a 552-yard par 5 that plays backwards. Because of the presence of a pond on both sides of the fairway, a player will normally need to layup off the tee with a mid-iron, then belt a fairway wood up the fairway, which gradually heads up the hill.
The 14th hole is one of the most interesting on the course. It plays along the course's highest ridge, and at 304 yards, it could be driven by a big hitter. But that option doesn't exist because of a huge bunker with a pair of steep walls that protect the green. The putting surface on the other side of the bunker is smaller than most, making this short hole no pushover.
The best hole on the back may be the 15th, a 532-yard par 5 that plays from an elevated tee. The fairway is plenty wide, but there's trouble on the left, and the right is dotted with large hardwood trees. The trouble here is a pond that's about 110 yards in front of the green. An aggressive player needs two outstanding shots to have a chance at eagle here.
The finishing hole is a slight dogleg left, with a creek that fronts the elevated green. A par on this 407-yard par 4 is a good score.
Griffin Golf Course: The extras
The practice areas are limited by the space. There are only 12 stations on the driving range, which is enclosed by large nets that stretch the left and right sides. Likewise, the putting green is small and cozy.
The course is easy to walk. There are only a couple of hills that can be considered severe, but the greens and tees are within steps of each other in all but a couple of instances.
While the facility is completely open to the public, players may purchase a yearly pass for unlimited green fees. Residents of Griffin get a $300 break on the annual fee.
Griffin Golf Course: The verdict
If you don't go here expecting country club conditions, you'll come away with an enjoyable day.
The course is short but challenging. The greens are small and testy. The staff is friendly and easy to work with.
With a fee structure that makes it affordable for anyone, the Griffin Golf Course is a winner.
October 28, 2014
Stan Awtrey, Contributor
Stan Awtrey spent 25 years as a sports writer with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is editor of Golf Georgia, the official magazine of the Georgia State Golf Association, and writes a weekly column for PGATOUR.com. His work has appeared in dozens of newspapers, magazines and Web sites.