Back in 2015, I had my first introduction to Reynolds Lake Oconee, and the Jack Nicklaus designed Great Waters. I remember the trip fondly; I was completely blown away by the beauty of Lake Oconee and the golf mecca that exists in Central Georiga. So much so, I still remember the discussion I had with my wife when I returned home. It went something like; I found the perfect place for us to live!
While we haven’t moved to Reynolds YET, just like Ray Charles sang, “Georgia is always on my mind.” The setting is perfect, Reynolds Lake Oconee is located right in the middle of Central Georgia tucked away in Georgia’s rolling lake country. Both a golfer’s and boater’s paradise, Reynolds Lake Oconee stretches across 12,000 acres of brilliant lakefront property. Reynolds Lake Oconee features six carefully crafted golf courses, but none of the courses at Reynolds take advantage of the Lake Oconee Shoreline more than Great Waters.
In April 2018, the leadership team at Reynolds Lake Oconee asked Jack Nicklaus and his design team to perform a total renovation of the course. Originally opened in 1992, at 27 years old, Great Waters was far from over the hill. Like any course at Reynolds Lake Oconee, you can always expect nothing but the best in terms of condition, service, and quality. However, the luxury golf market is a competitive one, and the membership at Reynolds Lake Oconee has high expectations. Over the past several years, one at a time, all the golf courses at Reynolds have been undergoing renovation work.
Having played Great Waters pre-renovation, I remember my exact thoughts. An amazing back 9, with a forgettable first 8-holes. Post-renovation, I was lucky enough to play the redesigned Great Waters course multiple times. The first-round back on the Great Waters course was with Chad Getz, the project lead on the Great Waters renovation for Jack Nicklaus Design. Chad was intimately familiar with every piece of dirt that moved during the renovation and an invaluable source of knowledge on the renovation work performed.
I had a chance to meet Chad on the putting green before we tee’d off, in my usual blunt fashion I told him I was excited to see what he had done with the front because my memory of the course was a weak front, followed by a spectacular back 9. I think I shocked Chad with my assessment, but even he admitted the back nine is so strong it’s hard not to overshadow the front 9.
With all that said, let’s see what Jack and the team did during the 18-month renovation!
Hole by Hole Renovation Highlights (Feel free to skip to your favorite hole or my summary)
Hole 1
One of the coolest things they did on the entire renovation was to add a new back tee to the first hole. What? No really, the back tees at Great Waters are cool and standout because instead of the traditional tee maker they used Golden Bears to mark the back tee. The back tee on the 1st hole is actually on the practice putting green! That’s right; you might be working out a few kinks with the putter on the practice green, and the next thing you know, someone’s cracking a drive down the first fairway. Simple but cool!
While the new back tee might not excite everyone as much as it does me, the most important thing they did on this hole was widening and flattening out the landing area. I can remember, hitting a great opening drive only to be rewarded with a shot that rolled down the hillside into the pine straw amongst the trees, so much for a good shot. The fact that the landing area was widened and leveled a good tee shot now has a much better chance of being rewarded.
Hole 2
The biggest difference on the 2nd hole is the widening of the fairway, The right fairway bunker was raised and moved about 10 yards farther down the fairway to account for equipment gains made since 1992.
Another significant change to the 2nd is the amount of dirt they moved between the landing area and lake, this opens up a view of the lake and gives golfers a taste of the Great Waters to come. Some of that dirt removed was used to build up the bank along the lake just short of the green to help keep balls out of the lake.
Hole 3
No significant changes here, the biggest thing you’ll notice is off the tee you now have three distinct attack options. They accomplished this by moving the second fairway bunker over to the right. With a wider fairway and the bunkers adjusted accordingly you now have several choices on how to play this hole.
Hole 4
One of the most improved holes on the course, the first par-3 at Great Waters, has changed significantly. The tee boxes are shifted to the right, closer to the cart path, and the water feature fronting the green was completely redesigned to show more water to players on the tee. The green was shifted back by about 8 yards and re-contoured to soften the slope of the green. You’ll love this hole from the tee; the new water feature is beautiful, and the shifted tee box simplifies the shot and allows you to focus on going at the pin.
Hole 5
Already a great hole, the 5th is one that stood out before and after the renovation. An “Augusta Hole,” as you walk off the 4th green and over to the 5th tee box, you’ll get a little feel of Amen Corner. The biggest changes to this hole primarily come around the green, re-contoured to help hold balls, a new greenside bunker was added to the back of the green as well. I love that all the tees were moved forward on this hole, the member-tee was shifted forward by about 15 yards. Any thought of having to lay up and making this a 3-shot hole has now been eliminated, no laying up allowed!
Hole 6
A proper par-5, the 6th saw it’s fairway widened both off the tee and in the approach area, making the hole more playable. The creek that crosses in front of the landing area has been cleaned up and makes the hole more intimidating, nothing like being able to see the water separating you from the rest of the hole. Around the green, work was done to make the landing area more visible as you hit your approach shot. Insider tip, everything on the green is designed to reward an approach played from the right side of the hole.
Hole 7
A tough par-4, the biggest change here is the removal of trees that significantly widens the landing area. Other changes included the removal of a fairway bunker and the lowering of the landing area, which now provides players with a much better view of the green as they approach.
Hole 8
The most improved hole on the entire course, before renovation work started, the members were polled on several items, and one thing was clear, the 8th was the least favorite hole amongst members. This par-3 played more like a dogleg because of the growth of so many trees around a green that a Biarritz feel.
Nobody was a fan of this hole, so Jack Nicklaus and the team decided to do a complete redesign. First, many of the trees that had matured since 1992 needed to be taken out, this was critical as it opened up the hole and provided golfers with a direct route to the hole from the tee box. Three new greenside bunkers now protect a green that features drastic slopes that players can use to feed the ball towards the pin, but a poorly played shot will still run away.
This long, challenging par-3 is now a hole everyone can look forward to playing; you could play it hundreds of times and never get tired of attacking the pin and hoping for just the right bounce.
Hole 9
The 9th was one of my favorites before the renovation when I say favorites; I mean all-time not just on the Great Waters course. The 9th is where Jack introduces you to “Great Waters” and Lake Oconee. The biggest change here is the fact that the fairway plateau and landing area have been lowered 8-10 feet making the water visible from the tee.
Before the renovation, you stood on the tee as if you were on the edge of the earth, you knew there was water down there, but you couldn’t see it. Do you hit driver, 3-wood, 5-iron it was all a complete guessing game? Now you can at least see what awaits, an insider tip from the 9th tee attack the bunker and tree on the left if you can hit driver over the left bunker, your left with less than 100 yards into the green and take water completely out of play.
Coming into the round, I didn’t think there was anything they could do with the 9th that would be much of an improvement, but that’s why I don’t design golf courses! The fact that they lowered the fairway plateau and showcased Lake Oconee from the tee makes this one of the best holes in the country.
Hole 10
The 10th has always stuck out in mind as the oddball of the back nine; it’s an inland hole as you make the turn. From the tee, you’ll notice the most change as several trees were removed on the left to widen the fairway. The coolest change is the fact that they moved the second fairway bunker forward and into the middle of the fairway. I know what you’re thinking, a bunker in the middle of the fairway, come-on! No really, it looks impossible from the tee, but a good drive over the right fairway bunker is the way to play this one. Trust me; more folks will end up over the bunkers than in them.
Hole 11
Risk/Reward on the short par-4 11th. The most fun on the course and the start of a prolific stretch of golf holes. You see it all from the tee box on this one, depending on pin location, I like hitting driver and trying to get down as far as you can. With the slope to the right, you can miss a little right and still end up on the fairway just short of the green.
The most impressive part of this hole is the green; it’s enormous, and based on pin location the entire landscape of the hole changes. Both rounds I played the pin was on the right side; I would love to play this hole with a far-left pin.
Hole 12
The first of two par-5s on the back nine. The biggest change here comes in the form of convenience, the right side has a large slope, and previously golfers would have a hard time trying to scale down the slope to the fairway. A new cart path allows golfers to drive down the slope and have easy access to the fairway. Around the green, work included reducing the size of the front bunker and taking trees away on the right of the green to allow more natural slopes to come into play.
Hole 13
Already a great lake hole, Jack and his team made this one even more stunning. A lot of work was done on the 13th to lower the landing area 5 feet, which in turn makes the lake viewable from the tee box. The best change to this hole was moving the green, previously the 13th green featured a back bunker between the green and lake, that bunker is now gone, and the green was shifted back 15 yards to the edge of the lake providing a stunning visual.
Hole 14
Most of the work on fourteen came on the green, the left 1/3rd of the green was eliminated to create a fairway hollow bailout and improve access to the green from the cart path. To balance out changes to the left side, major changes on the right side included making the green deeper and better able to hold shots into the green.
Hole 15
Most of the work here was done to help improve scoring, already a great hole changes to flatten the fairway will help to reward good shots off the tee which previously would have rolled into the trees. The green was raised about 1 foot and has a strong false front that is now surrounded by three smaller bunkers.
Hole 16
The hardest hole on the back nine didn’t need much work, but several trees were removed to widen the fairway. Around the green, the back greenside bunker was reduced in size while the large front bunker was split into two smaller bunkers. This hole is still as tough as ever!
Hole 17
One of the most picturesque holes on the course, the closing par-3, almost brings a tear to your eye as you know the round is almost over. Still, one of the best views as you play your shot over Lake Oconee into the green. Around the green trees were removed to reduce shade, and the overall green size slightly reduced. Relax and enjoy this one, the round is almost over, but one special treat awaits.
Hole 18
As good as finishing hole as there is, the 18th didn’t need renovation, but the biggest change comes as Jack and team shifted the fairway towards the lake’s edge and added two fairway bunkers. From the tee, you’re now trying to blister one along the edge of the lake for a chance to reach in two. A subtle change, but one that elevates this hole to iconic status.
Summary
A common theme of the renovation was capitalizing on the number one asset, Lake Oconee. Whether it was moving dirt or removing trees, Jack and his design team did a great job making sure golfers could enjoy the stunning views of Lake Oconee that exist out on the course. After 26 years, the landscape matured, and Jack’s team did a great job of removing trees that had grown too large for the course and flattening fairways as needed.
The other change made to every hole on the course was the installation of new forward tees. I talked about some of the new back tees, but new forward tees were installed on every hole to provide a better experience for all golfers and not just low handicappers playing off the back tee.
Jack Nicklaus and project lead Chad Getz did a fabulous job with the renovation work, and after 18-months, the members at Reynolds Lake Oconee are chomping at the bit to get out there and discover all the golden nuggets left by Jack and his team.