In the heart of Georgia’s Pine Mountain, where the Appalachian foothills rise and fall like green waves, lies a retreat that has been enchanting golfers and travelers for more than seventy years. Callaway Resort and Gardens is not just a destination; it’s a story—one written across 2,500 acres of gardens, lakes, and championship fairways. A proud member of the Georgia Golf Trail, a curated collection of the state’s top golf destinations, the resort invites golfers to enjoy both scenic tranquility and PGA-level challenge—all within the lush, garden-filled landscape that defines Callaway’s legacy.
Step through its gates, and you’re not just checking into a resort. You’re entering a world where golf is elevated by nature, and every round is an experience you’ll carry long after your clubs are packed away.
Arrival: A Lodge Among the Pines
The approach is serene. Towering pines line the road as you roll toward the resort’s AAA Four-Diamond Lodge, its timber and stone façade blending seamlessly into the landscape. Check-in feels unhurried, almost meditative, the quiet broken only by the laughter of families exploring Robin Lake nearby.
From the balcony of your room, you spot the faint outline of a fairway. Tomorrow, that patch of green will demand your focus. Tonight, though, the evening is about slow dining at The Gardens Restaurant—pan-seared trout, seasonal vegetables, and a glass of wine while the sun sinks into the horizon.
The anticipation builds quietly. Tomorrow, Lake View awaits.
Lake View Course: A Stroll Through History
The picturesque Lake View, Callaway Resort and Gardens’ original golf course, features wider fairways and more water holes, reflecting the philosophy of the Gardens’ founder, Cason Callaway, who was fond of saying that if a golfer lifts his or her head on a shot, they should see something beautiful.
Morning breaks misty and cool. By the time you step onto the Lake View Course, dew still clings to the grass, and the gardens surrounding the fairways glow with color.
Opened in 1952—the same year Callaway Resort and Gardens itself debuted—Lake View embodies founder Cason Callaway’s vision: golf that is as beautiful as it is strategic. The course winds past azaleas and hardwoods, with water shaping the play on nine of its 18 holes.
The par-3 10th is the showstopper. Standing on an island tee box, you look across sparkling water toward a green that seems to hover in the morning haze. The swing here is unforgettable—whether your ball splashes or sticks, you’ve played one of Georgia’s most picturesque holes
“The moment itself—the stillness, the view—is the real prize.”
Lake View doesn’t try to overpower you. Instead, it lulls you into a rhythm, letting the beauty of the landscape shape your round. By the closing hole, you realize you haven’t just played golf—you’ve walked through a living garden.
Mountain View Course: A Test of Nerves
If Lake View is poetry, Mountain View is prose—sharp, precise, and unrelenting.
This par-72 championship course, opened in 1965, stretches beyond 7,000 yards and carries a weightier legacy. For over a decade, it hosted the PGA Tour’s Southern Open, later the Buick Challenge. Davis Love III, David Duval, and Steve Elkington all battled these fairways, their swings echoing in the hills.
Mountain View wastes no time with pleasantries. Tight fairways, rolling terrain, and fast, undulating greens demand your attention from the first tee. The par-5 15th, with water lurking near the layup zone, is both a risk and a dare. The course rating of 73.7 and slope of 137 confirm what your scorecard will likely reveal: Mountain View is no pushover.
Yet it’s this challenge that makes it magnetic. Every hole asks a question. Every shot feels consequential. And as you walk off the 18th green, tired but exhilarated, you understand why pros once fought for titles here.
Beyond the Fairways Beyond the Fairways: Nature, Leisure, and Southern Soul
While Callaway Resort and Garden’s fairways may be the highlight of your visit, it’s the scenery beyond the greens that truly enriches the experience. The resort’s stunning surroundings serve as a vibrant backdrop, inviting guests to relax and enjoy the peaceful moments between tee times.
Begin your day with a stroll through the Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center, a glass-domed sanctuary where hundreds of vibrant butterflies flit among tropical blooms. The air is warm and fragrant, and the quiet hum of wings creates a meditative calm—a gentle contrast to the intensity of the golf course.
Later, paddle out onto Robin Lake, where the water mirrors the sky and the surrounding pines. Whether you’re kayaking solo or drifting with family, the lake offers a peaceful interlude, its stillness broken only by the occasional splash of a fish or the call of a heron overhead.
For those seeking a deeper connection to the land, the resort’s walking and biking trails wind through gardens, woodlands, and lakesides, offering scenic routes for reflection or exploration. Seasonal blooms—azaleas in spring, chrysanthemums in fall—paint the landscape with color, echoing the resort’s founding vision of harmony between recreation and nature.
As evening falls, Callaway’s culinary offerings take center stage. At The Gardens Restaurant, locally inspired dishes, such as pan-seared trout and Georgia-grown vegetables, are served with elegance and warmth. For a more rustic experience, The Country Kitchen delivers Southern comfort on a plate—fried chicken, collard greens, and cornbread served with a view of the valley bathed in sunset gold.
And if you’re visiting during the holidays, the resort transforms into a wonderland with Fantasy In Lights, one of the South’s most beloved seasonal displays. Millions of twinkling lights illuminate the gardens, creating a magical atmosphere that enchants guests of all ages.
At Callaway Resort & Gardens, the golf may be world-class, but it’s these quiet, soulful moments—among butterflies, lakes, and Southern flavors—that linger longest. It’s a place where nature doesn’t just frame the experience—it defines it.
The golf might anchor your trip, but these moments—quiet, unexpected, deeply Southern—are what complete it.
The Callaway Legacy
Cason Callaway’s original idea was deceptively simple: create a place where people could enjoy nature while playing the game he loved. He believed beauty was as important as challenge, and that golf should feed the spirit as much as test the swing.
Walking the grounds today, his philosophy is everywhere. You see it in Lake View’s gentle embrace, Mountain View’s demanding rigor, and the way azaleas bloom alongside greens as if they were part of the design.
“At Callaway Resort and Gardens, the course isn’t just the ground beneath your feet. It’s the view when you lift your head.”
Callaway Resort and Gardens: The Farewell
As your weekend comes to a close, you take one last walk through the gardens. The air smells of pine and azalea, the lake reflects the afternoon light, and for a moment, time feels suspended.
Driving away from Callaway Resort and Gardens, you’re already planning your return. Because this wasn’t just golf, it was a journey through history, through nature, and into a vision that transformed a patch of Georgia wilderness into one of the South’s most enduring resorts.
And when the memory returns, as it surely will, it won’t be your score you recall. It’ll be the feeling of standing on that island tee, heart steady, eyes fixed on the horizon, and realizing that golf here isn’t just a game. It’s an experience you’ll never forget.
Photos courtesy of Callaway Resort and Gardens
