Hawks Ridge Golf Club - Ball Ground, GA

[Mike Treitler]

I just had the pleasure of playing at Hawks Ridge Golf Club and came away incredibly impressed with the golf course.   The course opened at #24 top modern on Golfweek years ago and has since completely fallen off.  It is not even "Next Top 100" anymore. However, it is still #8 on Golf Digests best in the state of Georgia.

I found it to have the following :
1. Excellent Variety.   Multiple risk/reward par 5's where you can reach in two with a quality shot.   A driveable par 4.   Short par 3's and long par 3's.   Some knee buckling tee shots but mostly fairly open off the tee.   

2. The course was great fun to play with fast and firm conditions and risk/reward.

3. It was challenging but completely fair. 

4. Visually, it was absolutely stunning.  I was honestly floored at the entire property.

Has anyone else played out here?   I am very curious as to why it dropped off the top 100.  It is definitely a course I could play every day.

[A.G._Crockett]

I've played Hawks Ridge. 

Simply put, I think the reason it probably went on the Top 100 initially was hype; I don't think it's a Top 100 golf course, though it is very, very good.  I'd say the par 4's are as good a set of par 4's as you'd find, but most people consider the par 5's to be relatively weak for a course of that quality otherwise.
FWIW, Hawks Ridge is pretty famous locally for money games; BIG money games.  That may not be as true as it used to be, but I've heard first hand stories of some huge sums changing hands.

[Tommy Williamsen]

HR seems like a great club to belong. It has a good membership and very nice clubhouse. The vibe is pretty neat. That said the golf course, while difficult and beautiful, just lacks something. It is a long slog over some very hilly terrain. It was a good test but lacked any charm or subtleties.