The best golf courses to play if you're not playing at the Masters

For golf fans, few weeks of the year are as anticipated as Masters Week. The energy on the course transmits itself through the television, and Augusta National Golf Course – home to this 85-year old tournament – has become a magnent for lovers of the game.

But don't let that make you overlook some of the South's other great golf courses. Here are six to put on your list.

Augusta Country Club

Best for: Imagining your own green jacket

What it costs: $2,500 for a foursome, plus caddie and tip

Right next door to the tournament, Augusta Country Club bills itself as “the only course you can play in the Augusta area where you to get to hit shots over Rae’s Creek and hear the roars from the Masters Tournament.”

You’ll need a formal, written introduction from your own club to get on the greens during Masters Week, but the chance to play next door to the pros is worth it. It’s not just for the thrill but for the jovial atmosphere that surrounds with the club’s more than 1,000 members present.

Palmetto Golf Club

Best for: Golfing purists and bucket-list checkers

What it costs: US$300 per person, light lunch included

The Palmetto Golf Club near Aiken, S.C., is the Southeast’s oldest, continually operated 18-hole golf course in an original location – probably the second-oldest in the U.S. But that’s not why you want to stop there. You’ll want to play here because of its great golfing ground, which takes advantage of the land’s contours, and because of its rich golfing pedigree on both the playing side (Harry Vardon and Ben Hogan, to name two) and design side (Alistair MacKenzie, designer of Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters Tournament, did work here, too.) 

The Golf Club at Cuscowilla

Best for: Mid-handicap fans of firm, fast greens and minimalist courses 

What it costs: US$250 per round

If you're looking for a place to hunker down for a week and call home base, this residential community 70 miles east of Atlanta might be your best bet. Ranked the No. 1 Residential Golf Course in Georgia by Golf Magazine, Cuscowilla was designed by one of today’s “it” firms: Ben Crenshaw (himself a Masters champion) and Bill Coore’s Coore & Crenshaw. There’s also tennis, boating, a fitness center, two pools, spa services, and the Waterside Restaurant.

Situated on Lake Oconee, Cuscowilla has a range of private, beautiful homes available for rent during the week, starting at $1,800 nightly. Other options include Lake Villas (US$1,500 a night), Golf Cottages (US$750 to US$950 per night), and suites and studios (US$450 to US$550 per night).

Champions Retreat Golf Club

Best for: Soaking up the energy (and parties) of the week

What it costs: Foursomes are available each day of the week, for a group rate of US$2,750, and include a forecaddie, an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet, lunch, a cart, and alcohol

This year’s inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA) is not only an occasion to celebrate women’s golf and showcase female golfers at Augusta, but it’s also a chance to show off Champions Retreat. A private club for 51 weeks a year, Champions Retreat has annually opened its doors to visitors for one week of golf, food, and parties.

This year, though, it holds the distinction of hosting the first two rounds of the ANWA before the women play the final round at Augusta National. It has three nine-hole courses – Palmer’s Island Nine, Nicklaus’s Bluff Nine, and Player’s Creek Nine - named for the big three legends of golf who each designed a layout bearing his name. Homes and cottages on the property are often booked a year or more in advance, so contact the club for more information.

The Aiken Golf Club

Best for: A relaxed round

What it costs: During Masters Week, the daily rate jumps from US$32 to US$100

With today’s equipment, a course measuring just 5,800 yards is almost a pitch-and-putt. Then again, most amateur golfers overestimate their abilities, even when presented with hard evidence from their scorecards. Aiken Golf Club has the legacy of Donald Ross designs in its bones and is a fine place to stretch your legs before you head over to the big course to watch the pros play.

Cateechee

Best for: Groups that want to get big air, like at Augusta, without the crowds

What it costs: Rounds start at $75 for nonmembers

It’s a two-hour drive from Augusta, but what awaits visitors at Cateechee are dramatic drop-offs from elevated tees and panoramic views of nothing but Georgia forests. Devoid of houses, the 420-acre course is devoted solely to golf, with each hole shielded from the others as it cuts through the virgin forest.

The club has a variety of lodging options that range from suites in the main clubhouse (US$169 nightly) to a private golf cabin off the 10th hole (US$400). A three-story house on Lake Hartwell can also be rented for US$750 a night and further requires a US$300 cleaning fee.

Bloomberg Pursuits

Bloomberg Pursuits curates the best in cars, food, drinks, travel, watches and more for the modern globally-minded executive, and is republished under licence by Executive Traveller.