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Genesis Scottish Open

The Renaissance Club



    The Golf Club at Cuscowilla

    The Golf Club at Cuscowilla

    640 Old Phoenix Rd

    Eatonton, GA 31024

    United States

    Overview

    Cuscowilla was one among the first group of jobs Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw took on after the opening of Sand Hills, the No. 8 course on America's 100 Greatest Courses ranking, and a design that vaulted the duo to the top of the profession. The sites couldn't be more different. Cuscowilla is located on the shore of Lake Oconee, a large manmade reservoir that's home to the five courses of Reynolds Lake Oconee. To give an example of how Coore and Crenshaw think differently from other architects, they recommended the developer of Cuscowilla use the majority of the shoreline for homesites. Most architects would fight for water holes, but they preferred the more rolling uplands for golf rather than the flatter land on the water. Nevertheless, two holes do play along the lake, the Cape-like 10th with a downhill drive across an inlet, and the miniature par-3 11th to an elevated green, but the other parts of the design are stronger. The first six holes comprise one of the most rhythmic and engaging opening runs of any course in their remarkable portfolio and include the uphill drivable, split-fairway par-4 fifth that is now something close to a template hole. Late in the round, the loop of 15, 16 and 17 is almost as strong. Cuscowilla was also shaper extraordinaire Jeff Bradley's coming-out party, and early showcase of his distinctive style of grassy, gnawed-edge bunkers, replete with Georgia's red clay sand.

    About

    Holes 18
    Length 6947
    Slope 130
    Facility Type Private
    Designer Ben Crenshaw/Bill Coore, ASGCA

    Awards

    Best Courses in Every State

    ranking history:

    100 Greatest Public: Ranked for 16 years from 2003-'18.
    Highest ranking:
    39th, 2009-'10.

    Best in State: Ranked 10th, 2013-'14. Ranked tied for 10th, 2011-'12. Ranked 11th, 2017-'20. Ranked 12th, 2015-'16. Ranked 14th, 2021-'22, 2025-'26. Ranked 16th, 2023-'24.
    Previous ranking:
    16th.
    2025-'26 ranking: 14th.

    Golf Digest Logo Panelists

    Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists

    4.1

    100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES

    Shot Options
    7.1223
    Character
    6.9377
    Challenge
    7.0587
    Layout Variety
    7.1227
    Fun
    7.0071
    Aesthetics
    6.9481
    Conditioning
    7.0309

    Reviews