About 25 miles west of downtown
Atlanta
off I-20 in rural Paulding County is The Georgian Resort, being developed by Grand
Cypress Development, whose worldwide portfolio includes Grand Cypress Resort in
Orlando and Peachtree Tower in downtown Atlanta.
Grand Cypress founder and head, Herman Vonhof, a Netherlands-born Atlantan, wants to raise
Atlanta's image as a golf destination. Some 3.2 million business travelers a year come
to Atlanta for meetings, staying an average of almost three days. Vonhof's aim with The
Georgian Resort is to stretch those visits.
Tom Fazio designed the first of two courses on the resort's 1,150-acre tract. The course,
called The Frog,
is managed by Marriott International, which will also manage a four-star 508-room resort hotel and complex
slated to open in 2001. The complex will include a conference center, golf academy, tennis and spa
facilities, an equestrian center and hiking trails. Some 300 select home sites will be developed around
the second 18, also to be designed by Fazio. With options on 650 acres, Vonhof may build yet
two more courses on site.
Opened in November 1998, The Frog is a 7,000-yard (73.7/137 slope from the tips) par 72
moderately hilly layout designed primarily for resort play. The holes wind through thin stands of
oaks, pines and other native trees. There are several lakes on the course whose holes run closely adjacent
to each other. A few quirky design features seem uncharacteristic of the architect. The opener is
a 457-yarder that features a blind approach shot from the right side of the fairway. The landing area
between a lake and fairway bunker on the par 5 4th would be considered narrow by U.S.
Open standards, and the 361-yard 6th is so steep it can almost be driven. Popular with guests, The
Frog is well suited to outings of groups with widely varying abilities. And although not one of
Fazio's best, it is nonetheless a fun course to play. 
Atlanta Golf
