Mike Young's Southern Hills in Hawkinsville, GA

[A.G._Crockett]

I had read about Southern Hills a number of years ago in Golf Magazine's "Thrifty Fifty" list, but had never been there until yesterday.  I had to make a trip to Macon, GA, and with Hawkinsville only an hour or so south and the day to kill, I made the trip.

Southern Hills is terrific; if you have a chance to play, do it.  Hawkinsville is not especially easy to get to, but it's worth the trip.  Just a wonderful public course, and not a weak hole out there.  Wonderful set of par 3's especially, but all of it just excellent.

And the best parts?  I walked 18 holes in right at 3 hours, and paid $14 with a logo ball included!  Not a bad day of golf in the crappiest stretch of weather in Georgia history.

Now I just have to find a decent day to get down to LaGrange and play The Fields.

[Rees Milikin]

AG,

Did you get any pictures?  Next time I'm driving up to see friends & family in Atlanta I'll stop by and check it out.  Thanks for bringing this course to my attention b/c I had not ever heard of it.

[Mike_Young]

The Dunaway family owns and operates the course and do a great job.  they may be mowing greens in the morning and in the pro shop or grill cooking burgers or whatever needs done.  Great example of a golf operation that works.

[Eric Strulowitz]

AG,

Did you get any pictures?  Next time I'm driving up to see friends & family in Atlanta I'll stop by and check it out.  Thanks for bringing this course to my attention b/c I had not ever heard of it.

It is definitely worth a stop on the way up.  I got a friend who lives near Macon, and we have played many a 36 hole day there.   It is a sporty, fun course, and a real bargain to play!

[A.G._Crockett]

AG,

Did you get any pictures?  Next time I'm driving up to see friends & family in Atlanta I'll stop by and check it out.  Thanks for bringing this course to my attention b/c I had not ever heard of it.

I didn't take any pictures; I rarely do.  And it was misting and drizzling all day, so I left my phone in the car anyway.

It's a tribute to the crappiness of the weather we've been having that I would consider 45* and drizzle to be an great opportunity to play golf.  And the 10 day forecast here in Atlanta offers little hope.

[Bill_McBride]

I had read about Southern Hills a number of years ago in Golf Magazine's "Thrifty Fifty" list, but had never been there until yesterday.  I had to make a trip to Macon, GA, and with Hawkinsville only an hour or so south and the day to kill, I made the trip.

Southern Hills is terrific; if you have a chance to play, do it.  Hawkinsville is not especially easy to get to, but it's worth the trip.  Just a wonderful public course, and not a weak hole out there.  Wonderful set of par 3's especially, but all of it just excellent.

And the best parts?  I walked 18 holes in right at 3 hours, and paid $14 with a logo ball included!  Not a bad day of golf in the crappiest stretch of weather in Georgia history.

Now I just have to find a decent day to get down to LaGrange and play The Fields.

As last year's Dixie Cuppers learned, the Fields is lots of fun in a low key style.  You'll love it.

[Steve Wilson]

This looks like another addition to my 2015-2016 budget winter break sojourn into the south.  Aiken, The Fields, Southern Hills.  Is Long Shadow up and running?

[Eric Strulowitz]

I had read about Southern Hills a number of years ago in Golf Magazine's "Thrifty Fifty" list, but had never been there until yesterday.  I had to make a trip to Macon, GA, and with Hawkinsville only an hour or so south and the day to kill, I made the trip.

Southern Hills is terrific; if you have a chance to play, do it.  Hawkinsville is not especially easy to get to, but it's worth the trip.  Just a wonderful public course, and not a weak hole out there.  Wonderful set of par 3's especially, but all of it just excellent.

And the best parts?  I walked 18 holes in right at 3 hours, and paid $14 with a logo ball included!  Not a bad day of golf in the crappiest stretch of weather in Georgia history.

Now I just have to find a decent day to get down to LaGrange and play The Fields.

As last year's Dixie Cuppers learned, the Fields is lots of fun in a low key style.  You'll love it.

I wish we had more courses like Southern Hills and the Fields in the  Atlanta area.  Just about everything built here in  the last 20 years has been associated with a real estate development and a lot of $$$ on clubhouses and extras.  One of these exceptions is Wolf Creek GC, near the airport, which I believe was also done by Mike Young.

 In the spirit of these two courses, there is a course that opened up in the NW part of town several years back, you get the same feeling.  It is called Callahan Golf Links, it is family run, and the clubhouse is modest .  You walk in the place and you are greeted like you are  part of the family.  You can play it real  inexpensive on Golfnow.com and they always run specials, and the design is amazing.  There are holes that you literally think you are at Carnoustie, and then they go up a series of hills, the course becomes a mountain course, and then you go back down to linksland.  Truly amazing.  If we had more places like this, it would do the sport worlds of good!

[A.G._Crockett]

I had read about Southern Hills a number of years ago in Golf Magazine's "Thrifty Fifty" list, but had never been there until yesterday.  I had to make a trip to Macon, GA, and with Hawkinsville only an hour or so south and the day to kill, I made the trip.

Southern Hills is terrific; if you have a chance to play, do it.  Hawkinsville is not especially easy to get to, but it's worth the trip.  Just a wonderful public course, and not a weak hole out there.  Wonderful set of par 3's especially, but all of it just excellent.

And the best parts?  I walked 18 holes in right at 3 hours, and paid $14 with a logo ball included!  Not a bad day of golf in the crappiest stretch of weather in Georgia history.

Now I just have to find a decent day to get down to LaGrange and play The Fields.

As last year's Dixie Cuppers learned, the Fields is lots of fun in a low key style.  You'll love it.

I wish we had more courses like Southern Hills and the Fields in the  Atlanta area.  Just about everything built here in  the last 20 years has been associated with a real estate development and a lot of $$$ on clubhouses and extras.  One of these exceptions is Wolf Creek GC, near the airport, which I believe was also done by Mike Young.

 In the spirit of these two courses, there is a course that opened up in the NW part of town several years back, you get the same feeling.  It is called Callahan Golf Links, it is family run, and the clubhouse is modest .  You walk in the place and you are greeted like you are  part of the family.  You can play it real  inexpensive on Golfnow.com and they always run specials, and the design is amazing.  There are holes that you literally think you are at Carnoustie, and then they go up a series of hills, the course becomes a mountain course, and then you go back down to linksland.  Truly amazing.  If we had more places like this, it would do the sport worlds of good!

I'm glad you like Callahan's; it's a hidden gem for sure. 

The difference for Callahan's is that the Callahan family has owned that land for well over 100 years; I believe an ancestor of Matt Callahan, the operator, bought the land with scrip that he was paid for fighting the Mexican War.  (If that's not the exact story, it's close.)  It had been a cattle farm, and the family converted it to golf in lieu of selling out.  Matt Callahan was an avid golfer, and it was a natural for him as a way to keep the land in the family.  I doubt there are many similar opportunities in the metro area.

I think DJ DeVictor drew the original set of plans for Callahan's; I'm not sure whether or not he was involved after that.  The first hole is kind of weird, but I don't think they could have done anything else without spending a ton of money.  After that come 17 strong holes that have, as you correctly mention, remarkable variety. 

[Mike_Young]

AG,
Thanks for taking the time to play Southern Hills.  The Dunaway family has owned the cotton coop in town for years and they have considerable land in the area.  The course is built on mostly sand and next time you are down have them show you the Indian artifacts.  There were bowls and spears and arrowheads etc all over the place....

[Sam Morrow]

If it's anything like The Fields then it's awesome. I'm being sincere when I say that The Fields was my most pleasant surprise of 2014.

[Mike_Young]

SAM,
That's sweet.....

Been meaning to ask you if you guys ever go out to a place that used to be called Colovista GC in Bastrop TX between Houston and Austin...I had heard it had closed and then heard it had reopened. 

[Sam Morrow]

SAM,
That's sweet.....

Been meaning to ask you if you guys ever go out to a place that used to be called Colovista GC in Bastrop TX between Houston and Austin...I had heard it had closed and then heard it had reopened. 

Haven't been since it reopened, it's in Bastrop, pretty much a burb of Austin.

[BCowan]

I hope the Mike Young Georgia golf trail gets rated for the Confidential Guide US..... 

[Mark Pritchett]

I played Colovista about ten or so years ago, fun course with good variety.  Pretty open first nine, then moves into a wooded area for the second.  One of the par 3 's on the back (15?) was a drop shot of around 100 yards or so.  Glad to hear the course has reopened.