Georgia's Currahee Club rises on Golfweek list of best golf courses

(TOCCOA, LAKE HARTWELL, Ga.) - The stunning mountain golf course at Currahee Club has advanced an unprecedented 20 spots in one year, up to #42 on the list of "Best Residential Courses in the United States," according to Golfweek magazine's recently released annual golf course rankings. Currahee also affirmed its lofty ranking as the #3 "Best Residential Course in Georgia."

The 7,200-yard championship golf course is the centerpiece of an award-winning 1,200-acre private community framed by both Lake Hartwell and the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, just a short drive to the historic town of Toccoa, Ga.

"This very flattering recognition from Golfweek confirms Currahee's place among the elite and established residential communities in the country," says Currahee Club managing director, Andrew Ward. "It is a testament to an inspired land plan, the hard work of a dedicated staff and the ongoing support of residents, club members and the local community."

Currahee's soaring new ranking comes on the heels of an 18-month golf course enhancement program driven by the community's new ownership group, Arendale Holdings. The enhancement program was overseen by the Currahee golf management team with an assist from the original course architect, Jim Fazio, who made several site visits to Currahee through the enhancement program.

To showcase the enhanced Currahee Club golf course, the community hosted over 20 Golfweek course raters in a planned event last June, during which the raters played and evaluated the course over two days. Jim Fazio was on hand to answer any architectural questions the raters posed. Response from the raters to the revitalized Currahee course was overwhelmingly positive and contributed to the 20-spot leap in national ranking.

Golfweek's eclectic ranking panel consists of 675 voters from seven countries. They rely on 10 criteria to rate a golf course, including overall land plan, variety and memorability of golf holes, conditioning and ecology, and the "Walk in the park test," which rates the sense of the course as worthy of spending four hours on it.

In addition to the golf course enhancements, the community recently added the compelling and finishing touches to its national-class collection of club amenities with the grand opening of the five-acre Currahee Sports Club and Amenity Campus, offering a broad collection of family sports and recreational facilities.

The community also is the proud home of the 2013 Southern Living Showcase Home, a warm and inviting four-bedroom residence overlooking Hole #17 - the dramatic "Quarry Hole" at Currahee Club. The Showcase Home is one of many new residential offerings at Currahee, which has established a burgeoning home builder program offering myriad architectural designs - from cottages to estate homes - in a variety of price ranges.

For club membership or real estate information about Currahee Club call at 706-827-1700 or visit online at www.CurraheeClub.com.

Contact: NEOhioGolf@yahoo.com