474 Scales Creek Rd., Homer; 706-677-3333
STAFF: Larry Loggins is the PGA Head Professional/General Manager; Sam Houston is the Superintendent.
PAR/YARDAGE: Scales CC is a par 72 with five sets of tees: Black (7,205 yards); Blue (6,368); White (5,609); Yellow (5,203) and Red (4,781)
COURSE RATING/SLOPE: 74.4/138 (Black); 71.2/133 (Blue); 67.8/125 (White); 67.6/120 (Yellow); 68.4/122 (Red).
ABOUT THE COURSE: Scales Country Club opened for play in 1999 as Scales Creek, but the course was sold four years later and re-named Hammer’s Glen. The Scales family recently re-acquired the course and returned it to a slightly shortened version of its original name. Whatever the name, the course has been considered one of the best in northeast Georgia since it opened, sporting an excellent Mark McCumber design that has not changed a great deal over the years. McCumber’s quality layout features a distinct contrast between the two nines, with the tree-lined front nine tighter than the back, which makes up for its more generous corridors with the bulk of the hazards in play. There is a sizeable difference in yardage between both the black and blue tees as well as the blues and whites, but several of the back tees are no longer used, considerably reducing the tour-length numbers from the tips. From the blues, Scales CC is a very playable layout that will test all aspects of your game without placing excessive demands on any particular one. Thanks to the rolling terrain, Scales CC does not play quite as long as its yardage thanks to the slightly downhill nature of a number of the holes, among them a pair of scenic but perilous par 3s on more hazardous incoming nine. The back nine also includes a back-to-back pair of short-ish par 4s with all sorts of trouble (11 and 12). The sharply dogleg right 11th requires a well-placed tee shot and a precise approach to avoid a pond that zealously guards a tiny hourglass shaped green, with an imposing bunker away from the water presenting a scary escape shot with water looming just off the putting surface. The greens complexes are not especially difficult, although a number of approach shots have to deal with an obstacle or two, in part due to the terrain, which results in some drop-offs along the edges. The course is easily accessible from the northeast Atlanta suburbs and is worth the ride thanks to the quality of McCumber’s layout and the reasonable rates.