In the middle of Georgia’s lake country, you’ll find one of the best golf courses in the state at Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee
On the Sunday morning of the 2018 Masters, I found myself driving up to Lake Oconee, Georgia. After spending the past several days back & forth between Augusta and home in Orlando, I needed to make my way to Lake Oconee for a golf tournament. That Monday, the 2018 Golf Writers Association of America tournament was being held at Reynolds Lake Oconee. I couldn’t check into my condo at Reynolds until Monday so I needed a place to play and stay on Sunday.
Prior to this trip, I had already made several visits to the Lake Oconee area but had never ventured outside of Reynolds to play golf. Over the years, I had heard a few whispers about nearby Cuscowilla but the fact that they only have 18 holes of golf compared to 117 at Reynolds’s, they tend to get overshadowed. However, I came to find out, what Cuscowilla lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality.
Cuscowilla is a private, residential community nestled in the middle of Georgia’s lake country, just 70 miles east of Atlanta and located along 7 miles of Lake Oconee shoreline. The quality of golf at Cuscowilla is second to none in Lake Oconee, in fact, Golf Digest ranked the Coore-Crenshaw design as the 11th best in Georgia. In addition, GolfWeek named Cuscowilla the #1 Residential Golf Course in the state of Georgia for the second consecutive year, and the #30 Residential Golf Course in the US for 2018. With all that great press we thought it was time for Golf Aficionado to pay Cuscowilla a visit and experience it for ourselves.
I’m a self-proclaimed Coore-Crenshaw mega fan; I travel the globe and always make sure to fit in a round at any nearby Coore-Crenshaw design. Looking back, I have had a chance to play several of their designs. In fact, this past year I’ve played Bandon Trails, Bandon Preserve, Lost Farm, and Streamsong. In my opinion, Bandon Preserve is a masterpiece and the best par-3 course on the planet. Out of the 18-hole designs, Lost Farm at Barnbougle is by far my favorite.
However, even as a mega fan, I don’t always fall in love with their work. For instance, Streamsong Red is the Coore-Crenshaw design I’ve played the most but I much prefer Streamsong Blue, a Tom Doak design. Don’t even get me started about Bandon Trails, it was by far my least favorite course at Bandon Dunes, the course just didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the resort. So up until my visit to Cuscowilla, Coore-Crenshaw was batting .500 with me.
You’ll find yourself feeling as though you walked through the tall Georgia pines and stumbled upon this 18-hole layout that feels as if it just belongs
For those of you not familiar with the design work of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw let me give you a little perspective. Coore-Crenshaw are the leaders of the minimalist design movement that has risen in popularity over the past 20 years. They look for pieces of land that are naturally gifted for golf and move as little dirt as possible when carving out their design. The minimalist design characteristics couldn’t be more evident at Cuscowilla. Throughout the round, I found myself imagining walking through the tall Georgia pines and stumbling upon this 18-hole layout that feels as if it just belongs.
The real challenge on this course starts at the 6th tee, This long par-4 playing at 465 yards will be difficult to reach in regulation, plan for a bogey and hope for par but avoid a double or triple at all cost
From the back tees Cuscowilla measures 6,847 yards, that might not sound too intimidating, but factor in that the design only includes two Par 5s this Par-70 layout is more than long enough. From start to finish, deceptive fairway mounding and shaggy-lipped bunkers will leave you with comparisons of a Scottish designed course. Out of the gate, you’ll be treated to a gentle start, the first real challenge comes as you reach the 6th tee. This long par-4 playing at 465 yards will be difficult to reach in regulation, plan for a bogey and hope for par but avoid a double or triple at all cost. On the back nine, you’ll find the biggest challenge at #14, Cuscowilla’s biggest hole, the ginormous 600 yard Par-5. This double dogleg will test your long game and might have you going driver, 3W, 3W, and wedge. Nonetheless, enjoy the journey this hole is a lot of fun.
Cuscowilla is a great course yet it’s unique in that you can’t quite put your finger on which hole stands out as that signature hole. To be honest, I think Coore-Crenshaw see that as an amazing compliment. Each hole stands on its own and makes a case as being the signature. Some folks prefer the short Par 4s on #5 and #12 that tempt you into trying your hand at driving the green, I mean who doesn’t love a shot at a hole in one on a par-4.
A round of golf at Cuscowilla should be cherished, the design is in touch with nature and a perfect example of allowing the land to define the course and its routing. The holes offer a variety of challenges, some short, some long, some over water, some straight, some crooked, and some bunker laden. Throughout the round, the scenery will vary, you’ll play down tree-lined fairways, towards and around Lake Oconee, and hit approach shots into bunker protected greens. The greens are some of the best you’ll ever play, fast and true the green complexes are well thought-out and provide plenty of variety with generous room to place pins. The bunkers are picturesque and the Georgia red clay and bunker sand mix together to form a rich red sand composite.
Cuscowilla Course Rating 4.6 out of 5
Cuscowilla is a real Georgia peach of a golf course, I can guarantee the next time I’m in the area I’ll stop by to play a round and so should you! A textbook example of minimalistic design and world-class greens, Cuscowilla is sure to make even the harshest critic a Coore-Crenshaw mega fan. Don’t be scared to rip and grip it or break out that Texas wedge around the greens. This course has it all and will have you asking for a replay.
Rob Spellman, is an avid golfer and publisher of Golf Aficionado Magazine, he is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America and the Golf Travel Writers of America.
