Atlanta golf and weather

[Martin Toal]

Heading to Atlanta early December. Looking for suggestions for public/daily-fee courses for a game. Not an attempt at access-whoring.

Will be staying in the Buckhead area of town and probably using taxi to get around.

What is the weather and ground conditions like then?

[Fred Gray]

Odds are poor.

I live in North Alabama and we have the same weather/soil as Atlanta. Too much clay for good drainage.

Here the southern end of the smokies once the rains start, the ground will be soggy until sometime in March or April.

Temp will be hit or miss, might be 60 might be 40. Public access near where you are is a challenge.

I was in Atl a few weeks ago and played Wolf Creek with 2 nice guys from western Kansas, they paid about $50 for a cab ride out. Doing a cheap rental car for a day is much cheaper and easier than a cab.

It is unlikely you will have golf worthy of the effort and expense. The privates will have better drainage but even there odds of a nice day that time of year are about 1 in 3.

Sorry

Fred

[jeffwarne]

Martin,
1st, rent a car. Each cab ride will be more than a the rental per day.
Second pm Mike Young-he can help with multiple daily fees he's involved with/designed in that area.
Not sure how far LaGrange is (1 hour?) but he's got one there called The Fields.

or drive to Aiken  2 1/2 hours -play Aiken Golf Club and Palmetto-sand based, no overseed-will be good in Dec.
pm me if you need help at Palmetto

[Kenny Baer]

Lived in Atlanta my entire life; odds are better than 1 out of 3 that the weather will be bad in early December.  Agree there is not much good public golf but the weather is typically fine that time of year; average temp in mid 50's would be my guess.

[Martin Toal]

Thanks guys. I will wait until a bit closer to the time before deciding whether to tale the sticks or not.

[John Kavanaugh]

Thanks guys. I will wait until a bit closer to the time before deciding whether to tale the sticks or not.

One of the great things about this type of thread is that fellow GCAers will not only get you out at a private club they will lend you a set of sticks.  I know that when I travel I always throw in a glove, some golf worthy shoes and a sleeve of balls just in case.  In every instance I have enjoyed playing with no love clubs more than my own.  Even went on eBay in many a failed attempt to recreate the magic.

[Martin Toal]

Thanks guys. I will wait until a bit closer to the time before deciding whether to tale the sticks or not.

One of the great things about this type of thread is that fellow GCAers will not only get you out at a private club they will lend you a set of sticks.  I know that when I travel I always throw in a glove, some golf worthy shoes and a sleeve of balls just in case.  In every instance I have enjoyed playing with no love clubs more than my own.  Even went on eBay in many a failed attempt to recreate the magic.

Thanks John

I will probably only make plans when I get out, because I have stuff to do at the conference, so happy to await good weather and play at a daily-fee on spec. I have done the golf shoes and a glove thing myself, and have also taken the entire set and never got them out of the travel case! The last time I got a set of rentals, I was given a set of Callaways with regular graphite shafts, and set out with some trepidation, but they turned out to be pretty playable and I ended up getting a similar set of Callys, albeit with different shafts a couple of months later.

I always feel slightly reticent about posting requests for suggestions lest it be seen as disguised access whoring, although if the annual meeting ever shifts to Monterey or somewhere near a Doak, I might be tempted to make an exception!

[A.G._Crockett]

Wow; what a pessimistic view of Atlanta weather and golf in December!  1 in 3 chance of good golf weather?  Couldn't disagree more, or I have a VERY different definition of good weather for golf.  I've been in Atlanta for 35 years; year-round golf is one of the BEST things about being here.

Rainfall in Dec. is BELOW average for Atlanta, and the average daily high/low is 54/37.  It is rare that there are even frost delays in Atlanta in Dec., and average means that for every day that is 45, there is a day around 60.

As to the turf conditions, the bermuda has gone dormant by Dec., but the soggy conditions are really yet to come for the most part.  Dormant bermuda is a great surface until root action completely stops, and often in Dec. there is still a little bit of green showing in the bermuda.  

Public courses in the Buckhead area is MUCH more of a problem than the weather, but with a little bit of a drive that is doable as well.  Wait until later in the morning when rush hour has died down and the temperature has come up, and go play golf.  If you DO decide to come and know more about where you will be staying, PM me and I'll suggest some courses.

[Mac Plumart]

Thw weather will be good enough to play.

PM me if you want a game.

[Jeff Shelman]

I know nothing about the actual topic, but I like Mac's optimism.

That is all.

[A.G._Crockett]

Martin,
To echo Mac, at my club all we do in the winter is move our weekend points games back to 10 am instead of 9 am, and that's just to avoid issues with frost delays so the early groups that go out before the men's group can still go.  Even that only comes into play in Jan and Feb for the most part.  Honestly, on Christmas Eve in Atlanta you are as likely to be in shirt sleeves as in heavy coats. 

Take Mac up on his offer; he plays at a great course that's only a short drive from Buckhead.  I'd make the same offer, but my course is about 30 min farther out than Mac's, and daylight won't allow me to get there after work on a weekday.  If you're around for the weekend, let me know as well.

[A.G._Crockett]

I had to bump this back to the front page again; couldn't let the last few days pass without adding to the thread.

Played golf north of Atlanta (Crystal Falls in Dawson County) on Wed, Fri, and today.  Each of the first two days I was in shorts; started the rounds with a windshirt and took it off at the turn and played the back nine in shirt sleeves.  Both days were around 65 for the high.

A cold front moved through on Friday night, and we had our FIRST frost delay of the season this morning; today in Nov. 25th for those not close to a calendar.  The frost delay pushed the start of play all the way back to 9:45 am!  My only adjustment was long sleeves and an extra layer.

Don't know, of course, what December will bring, but I'd say the chances are good that the weather will be good enough to permit golf.  Just my opinion...

[Jud_T]

drive to Aiken  2 1/2 hours -play Aiken Golf Club and Palmetto-sand based, no overseed-will be good in Dec.

If you have the time or can tack a couple days on this sounds like the ticket to me from the cheap seats...

[Mac Plumart]

If a road trip is an option, the choices ballon.  But with this,

Will be staying in the Buckhead area of town and probably using taxi to get around

I'm unsure Aiken/Augusta is an option.

Martin?

[RJ_Daley]

Martin, are you reluctant to rent a car because we drive on the 'wrong' side of the road?   

[Martin Toal]

Martin, are you reluctant to rent a car because we drive on the 'wrong' side of the road?   

Not at all. I quite like driving in the US which is much more civilised than in the UK, usually. Although some of the cars are curiously dated. I hadn't been in a car with a bench seat in front since my fathers 1964 Ford Zephyr until I rented a Buick something or other at LAX in 2005.

I tend not to rent a car unless I need one to get around on a daily basis and this conference has a coach transfer system from all the hotels involved.

[Brent Hutto]

It is amazing how much more functional and efficient the cars I rent from Hertz when traveling in the UK versus what Hertz rents out to me on USA trips. We had one of those damned Buick sedans for four days on a trip in 2008-ish and I'm not sure my lower back and right hamstring has recovered yet. And what a saggy, pitching ride any time the road curved or sloped. It is quite an obvious difference how much more demanding the EU/UK car market must be than that of USA consumers.

[Sean_A]

It is amazing how much more functional and efficient the cars I rent from Hertz when traveling in the UK versus what Hertz rents out to me on USA trips. We had one of those damned Buick sedans for four days on a trip in 2008-ish and I'm not sure my lower back and right hamstring has recovered yet. And what a saggy, pitching ride any time the road curved or sloped. It is quite an obvious difference how much more demanding the EU/UK car market must be than that of USA consumers.

Brent

Its incredible how the two markets are so different.  I always hate the cars I get in the US.  I even drove a Focus and it was loads different to our UK one.  For one, the gas mileage was about half!  It also didn't turn corners like ours or stop like ours.  Mind you, it was just as uncomfortable!  I like bench seats!

Ciao

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

Thanks guys. I will wait until a bit closer to the time before deciding whether to tale the sticks or not.

So what are the exact dates, and what plans have you put together as time gets closer now.

Just wondered in case my travels find me in ATL that week (Like they are probably going to on Thursday of this week)

Look forward to hearing more about it.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

The locals will let you know, but in my experience early December can be wonderful or far to cold and wet to play golf. It is a coin flip.

[A.G._Crockett]

I keep bumping this, and I know I'm coming across as the Chamber of Commerce or the Board of Tourism or something, but...

Today is Dec. 1st.  At this moment, it is 65 degrees in the ATL.  I teed off this morning at 9 in shirt sleeves and a wind vest, and by the 5th hole was wishing that I had worn shorts as my two playing partners had done.  The vest was gone at the turn, and I had a light sweat going with a golf shirt and long pants.  Drove home with the windows down.

Is it like this EVERY day in Dec.?   Of course not.   But bring your clubs and we'll take our chances.

[Eric Strulowitz]

I keep bumping this, and I know I'm coming across as the Chamber of Commerce or the Board of Tourism or something, but...

Today is Dec. 1st.  At this moment, it is 65 degrees in the ATL.  I teed off this morning at 9 in shirt sleeves and a wind vest, and by the 5th hole was wishing that I had worn shorts as my two playing partners had done.  The vest was gone at the turn, and I had a light sweat going with a golf shirt and long pants.  Drove home with the windows down.

Is it like this EVERY day in Dec.?   Of course not.   But bring your clubs and we'll take our chances.

Yes indeed.  I played today also, it was 70 degrees where we were and it is supposed to in the 70's the next 2 days, and in the 60's the rest of the week.  Very few players out today, maybe the big SEC game has something to do with it.   

Having  lived in Atlanta for over 20 years, really very few days you cannot play.  Even our cool and cold days are nothing like what our friends to the north encounter.  45- 50 degrees is great weather to play, just put on a sweater or light jacket, yet I know quite a few guys that think this is cold and will not play.

[Martin Toal]

So I played golf today in Atlanta. Thanks to Mac for arranging for me to play at Rivermont Country Club and for giving me a ride there and back. It was a pleasure to play with him, and with Ben and Wade who I met when we arrived.

Nice course, nice weather and great company, what's not to like.

Also great to see 2 guys playing hickory. Ben made it look very easy indeed with a smooth 74. I wish I could hit the ball like that with titanium and graphite. lots of chat about golf courses and clubs along the way too. Fun day and well worth bringing the clubs over. Thanks guys.

[Mac Plumart]

Great time today!!

[A.G._Crockett]

Great time today!!

I'm glad it worked out!