By Mike May
Instead of watching the blossoming dogwoods and azaleas on television, go see and smell them for yourself. The Georgia Golf Trail includes a series of over 20 courses from Brasstown Valley Resort & Spa in North Georgia to Jekyll Island in southeastern Georgia.
A great place to begin any pre-Masters, or post-Masters trip would be on Jekyll Island, located in southeast Georgia, just an hour’s drive north of Jacksonville, Florida.
“Jekyll Island may well be the best place in Georgia to unwind and relax while enjoying golf, fresh seafood, long walks along the beach, poolside siestas, and time off the grid,” said Georgia Golf Trail Founder Doug Hollandsworth. 
When on Jekyll Island, you can spend the night at the historic Jekyll Island Club Resort, along the beach at the Westin Jekyll Island, or at the Hampton Inn & Suites.
As for golf, the Jekyll Island Golf Club is blessed with four golf courses. The Great Dunes Course, a nine-hole layout, plus three 18-hole courses, Indian Mound, Oleander, and the Pine Lakes Course.
Walter “Old Man” Travis was the architect of the Great Dunes Course, Jekyll Island’s first golf course that opened for play in 1926.
The Indian Mound course was constructed in 1975 by course designer Joe Lee and is the shortest of the three 18-hole courses.
The Oleander Course is the most difficult on Jekyll and has hosted the Georgia Open on four occasions.
The longest of the three, Pine Lakes opened in 1968 and meanders through ocean forests and natural marsh hammocks.
After four days of golf on Jekyll, head north along I-95 to Savannah, the home antique shops, boutiques, restaurants, and one-of-a-kind nightspots.
Along the way take a slight detour to the Sapelo Hammock Golf Club in Shellman Bluff. Surrounded by tidal marshes, saw palmettos, and live oak trees, dripping with Spanish moss, this golf course’s greens are a reflection of this club’s commitment to excellence.
When you arrive in Savannah, play The Club at Savannah Harbor, which hosted the Legends of Golf event on the Champions Tour from 2003-2013. If you stay on-site at the nearby Westin Savannah Harbor, you’ll receive complimentary water ferry service to River Street in Savannah. Sample the great restaurants along River Street. 
“The appeal of the Club at Savannah Harbor and Savannah as a getaway destination is what keeps people coming back to Savannah year after year,” adds Hollandsworth.
Your seventh round of golf in seven days should be played at the Wallace Adams Golf Course, located in the Little Ocmulgee State Park & Lodge, a two-hour drive west of Savannah.
This course is nicknamed ‘Little Augusta,.’ It is dominated by loblolly pines, which divide many of the fairways, and the pine straw beneath the trees adds to the Augusta National feel.
After golf, spend the night on-site at the lodge and dine at the Fairway Grill restaurant.
If you are lucky enough to have tickets to the Masters its less than a three-hour drive from McRae to Augusta.
For more details on the Georgia Golf Trail, visit: www.GeorgiaGolfandTravel.com.
