Travel – Reynolds Lake Oconee
Towering pines, fresh air, lakeside views and every possible amenity you could ever want. Yes, that is what you get when you travel to Reynolds Lake Oconee, nestled deep within the Georgia wilderness.
Located about 90 minutes east of Atlanta in the Oconee National Forest, this sprawling property offers world-class golf, a 19,000-acre lake, some of the most gorgeous homes you will ever see, fine dining, and a multitude of options for your stay, including a Ritz Carlton hotel.
Travel is simple from Dallas, as there are plenty of flights to Atlanta daily, which, unlike some more remote resorts, offers plenty of options getting there fast. Once in Atlanta, a quick car or shuttle rental has you on property in just over an hour. This means it’s easy to travel in the morning, make it to Reynolds and tee it up in the same day if you so choose. If you want a more relaxed travel day, you can fly in, take your time getting to the resort and then find another activity for the afternoon, or simply explore and relax before you dive into the golf.
As you retreat into Reynolds, you quickly realize just how expansive the piece of real estate is. Seven golf courses (including the newest Richland Course) a bevy of options for your stay, dining, their Sandy Creek Sporting Grounds, all nestled near the beautiful lake, where you can boat, fish, paddleboard or kayak. Your options for fun in the sun are endless at Reynolds.
The Accommodations
There are scores of options when it comes to your accommodations at Reynolds. Whether you are looking for a family retreat, a golf trip with your friends, or a romantic getaway, you won’t be disappointed by a lack of options.
For starters, there is the world-renowned Ritz-Carlton. If you have ever been fortunate enough to stay at a Ritz-Carlton property, then I need not say more. But if you have yet to see one of these majestic properties, then the Ritz at Lake Oconee is a wonderful place to amble into luxury accommodations at their finest.
The Ritz-Carlton at Reynolds is the centerpiece to this community and is located lakeside to offer views as stunning as their guest rooms. You can choose something easy and straightforward like their 1 king resort view balcony rooms or go for something with a little more space like their Executive Suite. The single king is perfect for a swanky excursion with someone special, and the Executive Suite, which offers a king bed, sofa bed, and can come with a crib, is a great way to get the whole family settled for a few nights.
Most would agree that any accommodations at a Ritz-Carlton are “signature,” but there are other places to hitch your wagon if you choose. A Lake House or Lakeside Cottage might be the way to go if you have a larger family or want the ultimate in luxury and privacy while you’re on property.
The Landing Cottages are a perfect option for your next guy’s trip. With room for four per cottage, these offer plenty of square footage, a large open floor plan, and each person has their own single room and bathroom. I have to say, these are arguably the best accommodations our group has seen in almost 20 years taking golf trips all over the country. The Cottages are clean and located in the middle of the property, making it simple to get to and from your tee times. They are not more than a few minutes from a local grocery store, making securing provisions for your group simple and easy. Everything about the cottages just screams golf trip. We enjoyed them so much, one night on property, we decided to just order a whole bunch of pizzas and have a football-watching party rather than get off property for dinner and drinks. They are absolutely perfect for your next golf adventure.
The Golf
As great as the accommodations are at Reynolds, golf is the main focal point. It is bold, beautiful and features multiple courses with architectural elements from some of the finest course designers in the world, each offering different challenges each day and course you play. While on property, we were able to play The Landing, The Oconee, The Preserve, The National and Great Waters. Each offers a different adventure that will test your full bag and keep you on your toes. It should be noted there are a couple other courses at Reynolds, bringing the grand total to seven. One is Creek Club, which is exclusively for members only, although if you know someone who knows someone, you might be able to secure a round there. There’s also the brand-new Richland, Tom Fazio’s newest design at Reynolds, which opened in October 2024. We were in town just a few weeks before Richland opened for play, but reviews over its first few months have been glowing.
The Landing
The Landing was the first course ever constructed at Lake Oconee back in 1986. It would eventually be acquired by Reynolds in 2005 and was renovated in 2013. This Bob Cupp design weaves and winds through trees, offers stunning lake views and fun elevation changes throughout, making it one of the most interesting courses on the property.
Cupp opens with a par 4, a par 5, and a par 3, each of which offer challenge before you begin your march toward the lake. No. 4 offers your first view of Lake Oconee as a backdrop to the green. A good tee shot down the right-center offers the best angle for your approach. Don’t miss left of this green, or you will need to re-load, although there are a couple of bunkers left of the putting surface that can catch balls before they meet their watery demise.
No. 5 is one of the most fun holes at The Landing. A dogleg left with water all along that side, firing a hybrid or three-metal into the landing zone isn’t a bad play. This green, however, is the great equalizer, sloping severely from right to left toward the water; any balls that find the greenside bunker on the right will be almost impossible to keep on the green. Play to the right side with a wedge and let gravity work for you to find the middle of the green.
After No. 5, the rest of the front retreats back into the pines and the stately homes surrounding this par-72 layout. No. 8 is another true beauty, with an elevated tee that falls into a fairway with bunkers on the left and a pond on the right. Finding the center of the green is paramount on approach, as there is a significant runoff to the right that presents a nasty up-and-down attempt.
No. 11 is one of the best par 3s on the course that doesn’t feature water. It plays uphill to the narrow green, and at a muscular 203 yards, it can be very tough to judge which club to hit. Anything short will find a pair of deep bunkers set well below the green’s surface. Miss here and you will be faced with one of the toughest shots on the entire property. It’s a fantastic par 3, that nestles into a corner near where you might be renting a cottage for your stay.
The final few holes at The Landing aren’t quite as scenic as some of the other layouts on property, but they offer opportunity to score, which is always a plus for any design. The 16th is a par 5 that offers a generous landing area off the tee and has no bunkers anywhere from tee to green. The putting surface can be a bit treacherous, with a large bowl in the middle that can make two-putts a challenge.
No. 17 is a straightforward par 3 with a pair of pot bunkers that need to be avoided, but it plays just 160 yards, so it shouldn’t be much more than a short iron for most players. No. 18 is a short par 4, but water crosses the hole about 270 yards off the tee, which longer hitters can easily reach. The green sits slightly elevated but shouldn’t be anything more than a wedge with a good ball off the tee. Bunkers surround the green, so a precise wedge is required.
The Oconee
Rees Jones, the acclaimed designer of The Oconee at Reynolds, has completed other notable projects like TPC Danzante Bay, Pinehurst No. 7, Cascata and The Golf Club of Houston’s Tournament Course. Jones was also the brains behind the Oconee Course at Reynolds, which has received awards for Best Courses in Each State from Golf Digest and Golf Week’s Best Resort Courses as recently as 2023.
The Oconee is a tree-framed beauty that offers risk/reward holes at every turn, plenty of lake views and dynamic water features. Some of the notable holes include the par-3 fifth, which plays nearly 175 yards from the tips and requires a precise iron shot to cover a pond that can swallow anything short or right of the putting surface. It’s a beautiful first par 3 on this Jones’ layout.
No. 9 is another majestic hole to round out the opening stretch. This par 4 offers a downhill tee shot that carries a meandering stream. Your first real look at the lake appears with the approach shot, giving you a preview of what you will see on the inward nine. The green butts up to the lake on the right, meaning any miss should be to the left, or you might be reaching in the bag for a new nugget. Back right pins are accessible with the left-to-right slope of the putting surface.
No. 12, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful holes at Reynolds that doesn’t have a lake view. This par 4 features a landing area that has a stream that runs almost the entire length of the hole and then opens up into a pond just short and right of the green. Although it just plays 380 yards, a pinpoint tee shot is required, and Jones offers players the opportunity to be as conservative or aggressive as they choose. Sure, you can hit driver, but is it worth it?
The final pair of holes at The Oconee will challenge even the best ball strikers. At No. 17, players are faced with a long par 5. Longer hitters can take advantage of a speed slot that will add an additional 25-30 yards to their tee shots. The extra yardage can give players the chance to get home in two. The green is guarded by a large bunker on the left and a significant runoff into Lake Oconee over the back right. It’s another of Jones’ true risk/reward holes.
The final hole at The Oconee might be one of the most challenging at Reynolds. Playing a muscular 481 from the plates, the tee ball must carry the lake and presents players the opportunity to take off as much as they are comfortable with. The approach doesn’t leave much room for error, as Lake Oconee is featured all down the left. It’s a hole where you really want to admire the scenery, but don’t lose focus, or you could be facing a big number to close.
The National
The National is the first of two Tom Fazio courses at Reynolds. Fazio, the designer of hundreds of courses worldwide, including the great Dallas National here in the Metroplex, was tabbed to design The National in 2000, and recently completed his second course at Reynolds, called Richland.
The National doesn’t offer the stunning lake views that some of the other courses feature, but the layout is all Fazio, with fun bunkering, native, wispy grasses in abundance, tall pines and plenty of water to navigate. The National definitely has that Augusta feel with its trundling terrain and whimsical green complexes.
No. 6 is one of the best on the outward nine, playing at just over 550 yards. This three-shot par 5 offers a generous fairway off the tee, but twists and turns back to the right for your layup shot and then to a peninsula, kidney-shaped green which offers plenty of visual intimidation for a player’s third.
If there is a single hole on The National that truly transports you to Alister MacKenzie’s Augusta National, it is the par-4 10th. This significantly downhill tee shot opens up the longer the tee shot travels and plays to a large green guarded by a single bunker short left. The pines lining the fairway from tee to green really offer a great Georgia feel. It’s a great golf hole to open the final nine at The National.
As you wrap up your round at The National, you will meet one final test in the 462-yard par-4 18th. The hidden landing area also features a body of water on the right that can be reached by the longer hitters. Play to the left side of the fairway and be sure to choose enough club to carry both the bunkers and water on your approach. It’s a fun finishing hole to the Fazio gem.
Great Waters
Of all the courses at Reynolds Lake Oconee, Great Waters offers the most stunning views. This Jack Nicklaus design offers a timeless look at golf architecture at its finest and will leave you walking off the 18th green wanting more. It’s a course that must be seen to fully understand its complexity and beauty. Of all the Nicklaus courses I have seen, it is right up there with the very best the Golden Bear has ever conceived. This is the signature layout at Reynolds, and from the opening tee shot, you can see why. Course conditions are immaculate, and the design, which debuted in 1992 and was restored in 2019, has withstood the test of time to delight golfers of all skill levels.
From the back tees, Great Waters can tip at a whopping 7,400 yards, making this a true championship-caliber, par-72 test for even the most skilled players.
The first few holes at Great Waters ease you though the pines with playful elevation changes, ponds, meandering tributaries and simply stunning local flora along the way. From the gorgeous par-5 second hole to the hard dogleg left with water guarding the green at No. 5, every hole is a photograph … a work of art, and at this point, the course hasn’t even begun to show off.
No. 9 is where Nicklaus really begins to show his architectural genius on Great Waters. This par 4 that plays back to the water is a great challenge, especially on days where the breezes are up. Favoring the right center of the fairway is a must, but this offers a much tighter approach shot to a very narrow green. It can also lead to a hanging lie, as the fairway slopes right to left. If you get too cute, you could end up in the water, but there is a respite left of the green should you need a good place to miss.
No. 11 is a drivable par 4, should you be bold enough to take on the narrow landing area. Finding the fairway with an iron or hybrid is a more conservative way to play this hole, as the green cuts back into the lake on three sides, and the serpentine green is one of the most challenging on the course. Hit the front left of the green when the pin is on the back right, and you will be faced with a putt that can be near 100 feet in length. It is the shortest par 4 on the course, but make no mistake, it can pack a punch.
Of all the holes at Reynolds Lake Oconee, No. 12 at Great Waters might just be the most fun. This par 5 requires a carry over the corner of the lake and grove of pines. Unless you can hit a hard draw off the tee, you will have to challenge the corner of the water and the pine trees on the left. The fairway narrows as the hole begins to turn, climbing the hill to the left, so it can be easy to run tee shots through the fairway into the pine straw. The second shot, whether you are attempting to reach the green in two, or choose to lay up, is completely blind, which makes choosing a line tough if you haven’t played it before. A pair of bunkers sit on either side of the green, so be sure to avoid those to score. It’s a gorgeous hole and one of the best par 5s at Reynolds.
More lake views appear behind the green at No. 13 which is a downhill par 4. The par-3 13th hole gives players one of the most complete looks at the lake while at Great Waters. Anything short or right of the green will drown, so play to miss in the collection area left and be very mindful of wind direction as you prepare to fire your iron into the green.
As you turn for home, No. 16 presents players with one of the most challenging back-to-back shots on the inward nine. The tee shot must avoid pines both left and right, but finding the fairway is only half the battle. The approach, which even with a good tee shot can still be a mid-iron, will usually be fighting the breeze coming off the lake. And with nothing behind the green to block the wind, balls can routinely come up well short. But, hit one flush and you can send your approach long into the water. Left is also dead, as the lake comes into play there, as well.
After a final par 3 that must carry more water, comes the final test of the day. No. 18 is a relatively short par 5, offering players one final chance to score. At just 495 yards, should you find the fairway, you could have a green light. But as is the theme for most of the back nine at Great Waters, the lake is eyeballing you the whole way in. Water left from tee to green eventually spills in front of the green complex. If you are sitting on a lead, you might consider laying up, but if you are playing from behind, you have an opportunity to be aggressive and try to make up a shot or two. It’s a wonderful final stanza at Great Waters.
Nicklaus outdid himself with this design. It is challenging, yet playable for any skill level (when the appropriate tees are chosen) and offers some of the best course elements and views of any Nicklaus layout I have seen. If you can only play one course at Reynolds, be sure to make it Great Waters.
The Activities
Of course, for the golfer, teeing it up is top priority, but at Reynolds, there is so much more to do and see, especially if you are traveling with family. There is an on-site spa at the Ritz-Carlton that offers massages and other treatments, seven outdoor pools, any of which are great for catching some rays with a beverage of your choice. They also offer pickleball, tennis, fitness classes, and 21 miles of hiking trails that will get you up close and personal with the Georgia pines and all the local animal life.
The Sporting Grounds is perfect for the outdoor enthusiast. They offer sporting clay shoots, archery, fishing outings and even a jeep off-road course. If you want a day away from the course, any of these activities is great for some stress relief and an afternoon of great entertainment.
And you can’t complete your trip to Reynolds unless you can truly appreciate the massive lake that is the centerpiece of the development. Lake Oconee is over 19,000 acres of fun and endless possibilities, from the fishing just mentioned, to boating, jet skiing, kayaking or paddleboarding. You can inquire upon booking about any number of great experiences to add on to your stay and fantastic golf.
The Dining
We have dedicated a lot of time to the golf at Reynolds, but in addition to the great accommodations, they offer some great dining, as well. On night one, we sauntered our way into Eighty8 Kitchen + Cocktails for some beverages and dinner after our round. It is perfect for some causal drinks in the bar or for a great dinner. In addition to an ice-cold beer or a Maple Ridge Old Fashioned, the pimento deviled eggs were a hit as an appetizer, and the crispy red snapper is hard to beat for a protein-packed meal that won’t fill you to the brim. Eighty8 also offers breakfast and brunch to fuel up pre-round.
Overlook is another great option, especially if you are craving seafood. Their firecracker fried shrimp were gone almost as soon as they hit the table, and they offer a crisp and fresh wedge salad to work on before your meal. Offerings like grilled swordfish, grilled trout or pan-seared halibut all came out to the table, and each looked amazing. If you aren’t the seafood type, they also offer a great double smash burger, grilled pork chop and a 6 oz. tenderloin with truffle parmesan fries. Don’t forget to finish off your meal at Overlook with a blondie sundae or a slice of peanut butter pie.
We also checked out Essê while on property, and it was another great culinary delight. The Szechuan shrimp were packed with chili oil flavor, and were so well received, we ordered another two plates for the table after the first two were devoured in less than five minutes. Crispy pork dumplings were also a great way to start the meal, served with some delicious Korean BBQ sauce.
The grilled skirt steak was a popular choice among the group, served with smashed garlic potatoes, crispy onion straws, asparagus and some knee-buckling house-made steak sauce. The pan-seared salmon is another menu item we saw being brought out of the kitchen regularly, and those at our table who chose it, raved about it. Essê also offers any number of wines by the glass or bottle, plenty of beers to choose from and their own selection of signature cocktails.
Final Thoughts
Reynolds Lake Oconee might not boast the same panache as some other highfalutin’ golf destinations you might have seen on social media like Bandon Dunes, Sand Valley or Pinehurst, but Reynolds definitely belongs in the conversation with those properties. For starters, it is very easy to get to. Flights aren’t crippling expensive, and you can travel and play in the same day, which is a huge plus for those who can’t spend five or six days away from work or family. There are also plenty of options for your stay, which can make this trip more economical. Of the resorts just mentioned, I would estimate that Reynolds comes in at half or less than half the price than any of the aforementioned properties. That makes it a more budget-friendly place compared to some of the other heavy hitters. If you are a trip planner, it should be added to your rotation or put on your list of places to see sooner rather than later. You won’t be disappointed.
Reynolds Lake Oconee. Great golf, great accommodations, great friends, great fun.
For more information on Reynolds Lake Oconee, please visit www.reynoldslakeoconee.com.