The Augusta area muni is a must play – especially during the Masters

For one week each April, Augusta, Ga., becomes the center of the golf universe. This is, of course, thanks to Masters. It is the most prestigious tournament in golf – and the meeting place for almost every stakeholder and fan in the game.

With so many golf nuts descending on the city of 200,000, scoring a short time can be difficult. Augusta Country Club, which is located immediately adjacent to Augusta National, is a popular venue and its tables remain packed from Sunday to Sunday. Augusta Municipal – aka Patch — has its own charm (which will only increase with Augusta National’s future investment), but fairway conditions and greens are far from what could be considered top quality. Palmetto Golf Club (Kevin Kisner’s home club) in nearby Aiken, SC, is another popular option, but without the right links, you’ll be SOL. Fortunately, there’s another great option for Masters week golf — and it’s open to the public.

Sign in Aiken Golf Club. it The Donal Ross designed Muni is a par-70 this measure is only 5,800 yards from the tip. Best of all? It only costs $35 to ride during peak times. But don’t be fooled by the pint-sized range (and the price!), this course packs a punch.

It’s the perfect course to fit your bag with its short space and compact layout, but it’s by no means a walk in the park. There are some serious elevation changes throughout the property that will get you windy in some holes. For this reason, it’s a great place to pull out a Sunday bag and bring around six clubs.

I made my first exposure at Aiken Golf Club during Masters week this year. I was in Augusta the week before for the Augusta Women’s National Amateur, and on Sunday Drive, Chip and Putt I was still in the Augusta area. A friend of mine from another publication had just flown in and was looking to play a little twilight golf.

“Have you ever been to Aiken?” he asked

It wasn’t long before I agreed to a short time in the afternoon. And from the second I stepped foot on the property, I was hooked.

Carolina pines frame nearly every hole and sand dunes feature prominently on the fairway. The road cuts through the surrounding neighborhood, but the houses on the perimeter are far from intrusive. If you’re a fan of Pinehurst Resort, Aiken Golf Club will blow your mind.

The greens are small and undulating, while the fairways are steep. If you’re not comfortable hitting uneven lies, this course will eat your lunch. Oh, and I hope you know how to hit sandy lies. If you’re lost out of line, you’re sure to end up in a junkyard.

Firm, fast fairways are daily conditions at Aiken, and Bermuda’s grainy greens make holeshots a long task. But at the end of the day, there’s not much more fun on a golf course than taking a walk through the long shadows at Aiken Golf Club.

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Zephyr Melton

Editor of Golf.com

Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. Before joining the GOLF team, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists with all lessons and covers amateur and women’s golf. He can be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com.