Course Review | The Creek at Hard Labor

Who knew hard labor could be so much fun? The Creek at Hard Labor – one of eight courses operated by the Georgia State Park system – isn’t as tough physically as it is mentally, as it challenges you to think around the course rather than automatically pull out the driver on every tee.

That’s not to say there aren’t ample opportunities to hit it far, particularly in the final three-hole stretch. But The Creek at Hard Labor is a shotmaker’s golf course, according to Karl Gross, PGA Head Golf Professional / General Manager.

PHOTO GALLERY: Views of The Creek at Hard Labor

“It’s narrow at times,” Gross said. “You don’t need the driver all the time.”

GETTING THERE: From Atlanta (51 miles) or Augusta (104 miles), take Interstate 20 to Exit 105, Newborn Road. Then follow the signs to Hard Labor Creek State Park. The course is approximately two miles north of Rutledge. From Athens (29 miles), take U.S. 441 South, turn right on Ga. 188 in Watkinsville and follow the signs to Hard Labor Creek State Park.

ABOUT THE COURSE: Near the site of a former Civilian Conservation Corps camp during the Depression, the golf course has been in operation since 1968. Not long ago, the two nines were switched, which puts the hardest hole on the course up first.

Many of the holes on the front nine will test your ability to shape long and medium iron shots. For example, No. 2 is only 313 from the white tees, but the preferred landing area is on the right side of the fairway, giving you the best angle to the green.

MEMORABLE HOLES: It’s No. 13 where the whole issue of risk-reward comes into play. From the elevated tee, do you lay up shy of the three bunkers on the right side of the fairway and make it a three-shot par-5? Or do you opt to drive over them, leaving you with a tricky downhill lie to an elevated green? Walk away with par here, and you’ll feel like you’ve accomplished something.

The signature hole is next, a relatively straightforward 175-yard par-3. But with the working waterwheel on the creek to the left and front of the hole, you have to make sure you have enough club to get there.

“Our biggest problem now is finding someone who can service the waterwheel,” Gross said. “There are only two people in the entire South who work on those now.”

But it’s the final three holes – the three hardest on the back nine – that leave a lasting impression. The course widens enough to need a driver, especially since you’ll be facing a long second shot. But the ability to keep it on the correct side of the fairway is still critical.

“It’s a really good finishing trio of holes,” Gross said. “You’ve got to hit it relatively long, but especially in the right spots. The holes themselves aren’t difficult, it’s just putting them together.”

Racking up pars on any of the finishing holes will definitely require some hard labor.

CLAIM TO FAME: According to the scorecard, No. 1 at The Creek at Hard Labor has been voted by golfers who have played the course as “Georgia’s toughest starting hole.” Given the variety of courses in the state, it's probably more of a boast than fact. But that doesn't make it any easier when you're standing on the tee.

The tee shot is blind, with trees on either side of a fairway that slopes hard left to right. Oh, and there’s a large lake at the bottom of the hill for anybody who dares to hit it too long. Couple that with a narrow, elevated green surrounded by bunkers and as the course guide says, “bogey is a good score.”

“On busy days, we’ll have a starter out there suggesting what club to hit and where to aim,” Gross said. “Depending on the tees you play, you don’t want to take too much club.”

WHAT TO SEE: Rutledge’s historic downtown is only one block long, but hasn’t changed since it was founded in 1871 as a railroad stop. It’s filled with gift shops, restaurants, an historic pharmacy and hardware store. Nearby communities of Social Circle and Madison offer more shopping and dining.

KEY COURSE DETAILS

Address: 1400 Knox Chapel Road, Social Circle, GA 30025

Phone: (706) 557-3006

You can make reservations online through the GaStateParks.org website at //gastateparks.org/The-Creek. Golf course rates include green fee, cart fee and tax. It’s $35 before 2 p.m. on weekdays, $29 after 2 p.m. Weekends range from $36-45. Ladies play for $25 on Tuesdays. Rates are higher for Masters week.