Representative image Photo: Phillip Capper from Wellington, New Zealand · CC BY 2.0
Ohoopee Match Club
Cobbtown, Georgia, United States
22 Holes · Private club — no published green fee; play is by member invitation · Links
— About
About Ohoopee Match Club
Ohoopee Match Club is a private course at Cobbtown, Georgia, west of Savannah, built around match play. Gil Hanse designed it with associate Jim Wagner, and it opened in 2018 on a large sand-based property with rolling dunes and plenty of bunkering. There are 22 holes in all, arranged as two routings instead of one fixed 18, so the course can be set up differently from round to round. The design brief was match play rather than a stroke-play total, which is why some holes carry half-par values and many offer a choice between a safe line and a bolder one. There is no public access and no published green fee. Play is arranged only through the club's members and their guests.
- Michael Walrath, an investor and entrepreneur, founded the club and commissioned the course.
- The course is walking only, and golfers play with a caddie throughout the round.
- Fairways and tees are TifTuf bermudagrass, a variety that goes dormant in winter and plays firm.
- The club keeps a small membership, and play is open only to members and their guests.
History of Ohoopee Match Club
Ohoopee Match Club was founded by Michael Walrath, who commissioned Gil Hanse and his associate Jim Wagner to build a course for match play on a large sand-based estate near Cobbtown. It opened in early October 2018. The brief shaped almost every decision: holes were designed around risk-and-reward choices rather than protecting a par, and the club offers a second routing so the same ground can be played another way. From the outset it has been a private place with a small membership, caddies, and no public tee sheet.
Signature holes at Ohoopee Match Club
Naming one signature hole is awkward here, because the routing changes. The standard round uses holes 1 to 18, while the alternative replaces holes 2 through 5 with four holes lettered A to D. The half-par holes are where the match-play idea is clearest, with short par 4s and long par 3s that invite a risky shot and reward nerve as much as accuracy.
When to play Ohoopee Match Club
Ohoopee is private, so the date is set by the member who hosts you. The fairways are bermudagrass, which goes dormant in winter and plays firm. Ask your host which routing will be used on your day, since the club can set up the course in more than one way.
Playing Ohoopee Match Club: tips
There is no public tee sheet and no published green fee, so you need to be invited by a member. Play is on foot with a caddie. Because the course is built for match play, bring a partner or an opponent, and ask in advance which routing is in use. Cobbtown is in rural Georgia, so plan your travel to the area in advance.
— FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Ohoopee Match Club
Can the public play Ohoopee Match Club?
No. Ohoopee is a private club with a small membership and no published green fee, so the only way to play is to be hosted by a member.
How many holes does Ohoopee have?
It has 22 holes, arranged as two routings. The second routing replaces four holes of the standard 18 with four extra holes lettered A to D.
What kind of ground is the course built on?
It sits on sandy ground with rolling dunes, and the soil drains freely, which suits firm bermudagrass fairways through the winter.