Augusta hoping to lure more tourists during rest of the year

Posted 1:41PM on Friday 12th April 2002 ( 23 years ago )

AUGUSTA - Even casual sports fans associate Augusta with the azaleas and majestic pines that line the fairways of one of the planet's most storied golf courses. When Americans hear Augusta, they immediately picture the Augusta National Golf Club, home of this week's Masters. Despite being the only city to serve as permanent host to one of golf's four major tournaments, Augusta has largely been unable use the course and its reputation to bring in tourists for the other 51 weeks of the year. An Augusta real estate developer, Wayne Millar, said ``This week it is the golf capital of the world. But next week? No way. It'll be, `Sorry, that was last week.' Augusta has missed an opportunity to sell the world golf the rest of the year.'' The club's landmarks -- Magnolia Lane, Rae's Creek and Amen Corner -- have become almost mythical to golfers. Doug Coleman is the assistant professional at The River Golf Club in North Augusta, South Carolina -- just across the Savannah River from Augusta. Coleman says, ``It's an amazing experience to play out there. Every golfer who's ever played has thought about it. It's the Mecca. Once you play there, that's it.'' Coleman has played it twice. Most golfers never will. After the gates close on Sunday, the only way anyone other than the 250 or so members and guests will be able to get a glimpse of the course is by trying to peek through a chain-link fence. Golfers have a dozen or so semi-private and public options, but many visitors say they just aren't up to par. Sensing a lucrative opportunity, Millar and a wealthy group of banking and real estate executives have proposed a 27-hole course called The Big Three Golf Club, named after golfing greats Gary Player, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. Each is designing nine holes of the private course, part of a 2,300-acre planned community along the Savannah River in Columbia County, northwest of Augusta.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/4/196110