The best public-access and private golf courses in Georgia, ranked

Looking to play the best golf courses in Georgia? Welcome to our annual Golfweek’s Best ranking of public-access and private courses.

Following are the rankings for both types of courses, as judged by our nationwide network of raters. The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them on 10 criteria on a points basis of 1 through 10. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings are averaged to produce all our Golfweek’s Best course rankings.

The courses on the first list allow public access in some fashion, be it standard daily green fees, through a resort or by staying at an affiliated hotel. If there’s a will, there’s a tee time – no membership required.

KEY: (m) modern, built in 1960 or after; (c) classic, built before 1960. For courses with a number preceding the (m) or (c), that is where the course ranks on Golfweek’s Best lists for top 200 modern and classic courses in the U.S.

* indicates new or returning to the rankings

Best public-access courses in Georgia

McLemore’s Highlands Course in Georgia (Courtesy of McLemore/Dave Sansom)

1. Sea Island (Seaside)
St. Simons Island (T71m)

2. Reynolds Lake Oconee (Great Waters)
Greensboro (m)

3. McLemore (Highlands)
Rising Fawn (m)

T4. Kinderlou Forest
Valdosta (m)

T4. Reynolds Lake Oconee (Oconee)
Greensboro (m)

6. Sea Island (Plantation)
St. Simons Island (c)

T7. Harbor Club
Greensboro (m)

T7. Bear’s Best Atlanta
Suwanee (m)

9. Reynolds Lake Oconee (The Preserve)
Greensboro (m)

10. King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort*
St. Simons Island (m)

11. Achasta
Dahlonega (m)

T12. University of Georgia GC
Athens (m)

T12. Reynolds Lake Oconee (National)
Greensboro (m)

14. Cobblestone*
Acworth (m)

15. Barnsley Resort (The Fazio)
Adairsville (m)

Best private courses in Georgia

Ohoopee Match Club in Georgia (Courtesy of Ohoopee Match Club)

1. Augusta National
Augusta (3c)

2. Ohoopee Match Club
Cobbtown (5m)

3. Peachtree
Atlanta (19c)

4. Augusta CC
Augusta (T81c)

5. East Lake
Atlanta (94c)

6. Ocean Forest
Sea Island (T100m)

7. Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee
Eatonton (T114m)

8. Atlanta Athletic Club (Highlands)
Johns Creek (T129m)

9. Cherokee Town & CC (North)
Dunwoody (T125c)

10. Frederica
St. Simons Island (T154m)

11. Atlanta CC
Marietta (T161m)

12. The Farm
Rocky Face (m)

13. Lookout Mountain Club
Lookout Mountain (T142c)

14. Ford Field & River Club
Richmond Hill (T178m)

15. Cherokee Town (South)*
Dunwoody (m)