Editor’s note: Tyler Strong is the business editor of The Augusta Press and noted golf novice. He partnered with his friend and former NCAA Division III college golfer Guille Henegar to visit some of the courses Augusta has to offer and share their experiences — Strong as a local Augustan but newcomer to the sport, and Henegar as an experienced golfer and relative newcomer to the CSRA.
TS: I set the line at six water balls for myself as Guille and I climbed to the first tee at the River Golf Club, just over the bridge in North Augusta. On this day, I only piped one ball into the water, but this number didn’t account for swamp balls.
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Guille is too humble to tell you himself, but he was coming fresh off a victory at the 2021 Club Championship at Forest Hills Golf Club. I was fresh off not picking up a club since the last time we played, well over two months ago. That said, I found a lot to like at the River Golf Club, a remote but beautiful course framed by the Savannah on one side and the downtown Augusta skyline on the other.
The main differences between this course and Forest Hills were the number of water hazards and the forced carries dotting the fairways. Even for someone who plays from the front tees (me), it was paramount to strike a solid first shot to set up an easier approach into the greens with the water and marshland acting as obstacles along the way.
This course was perfect for a novice to work on fundamentals like achieving a higher ball flight to contend with the forced carries. The variety in hole layouts and oft-elevated greens also challenges golfers to strike well on chips out of bunkers and around the greens. The putting surface here felt tough at times, so chipping well was clearly an advantage.
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Personally, I enjoyed the aesthetics and style of golf demanded at the River Golf Club more so than at Forest Hills. This track will be one I’m keen on revisiting sooner rather the later to continue honing those fundamentals and to enjoy the beautiful scenery framing the course at the same time.
GH: The River Club in North Augusta is certainly a different experience from our last course, Forest Hills Golf Club. It’s a more residential, almost resort-like course just steps from the Savannah River. The style of golf required here is more penalizing for lower ball hitters, or those who would prefer to run the ball onto the green. It requires more “target golf” with approach shots, as some of the greens are sectioned off with slopes that work the ball away from pins.
The course offers some nice views of the rolling hills, beautiful homes and glimpses of the river. Given the terrain — and the bunkering — each hole stands out on its own. There isn’t a sense of having played the same type of hole twice. The one thing about the course that I am not a big fan of is visuals of the forced carries. For many golfers, the ability to hit higher tee shots is not a given. Even though it might take a bad shot to find some of the water in front of the tee, it is the visual of having to hit over it that might make it challenging for some.
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The green complexes are sloped, but not too challenging. The speed isn’t too quick, so players can be confident with the putts that they hit. Overall, I do enjoy the course, but the general resort feel and lack of opportunity for creative shots into the greens are why I prefer the style of golf at Forest Hills over this course.
The practice facility is great, however, with ample room to drive, chip and putt. The grill is a nice draw, too, with a good selection of salads, sandwiches and drinks if you need a little something pre- or post-round.
Tyler Strong is the Business Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at tyler@theaugustapress.com Guille Henegar is a Contributor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at guille.henegar@gmail.com.
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