Augusta-area muni is a must-play – especially during the Masters

For one week every April, Augusta, Ga., becomes the epicenter of golf. This, of course, is thanks to the Kings. It is the most prestigious tournament in golf – and the gathering place for almost all participants and fans in the game.

With so many golf nuts descending on a town of 200,000 people, hitting a tee time can be difficult. Augusta Country Club, which sits next to Augusta National, is a popular destination and its tee sheet is always full from Sunday to Sunday. Augusta Municipal – aka The Patch – has its charm (which will only grow with the future investment of Augusta National), but the conditions of its fairways and greens are far from what could be considered a great level. Palmetto Golf Club (Kevin Kisner's home club) in nearby Aiken, SC, is another popular option, but without the right links, you'll be SOL. Fortunately, there's another great golf option for Masters week – and it's open to the public.

Enter Aiken Golf Club. This Donal Ross-designed course is a par-70 that measures 5,800 yards from the tips. Best of all? It costs just $35 to walk during peak hours. But don't be fooled by the pint-sized yardage (and price tag!), this course packs a punch.

It's a great tutorial for putting together your bag with its short yardage and compact design, but it's by no means a walk in the park. There is some serious elevation change throughout which will have you gasping for air in a few holes. For that reason, it's a good place to pull out the Sunday bag and bring about six clubs.

I got my first exposure to Aiken Golf Club during this year's Masters week. I was in Augusta the week before the Augusta National Women's Amateur, and on Drive, Chip and Putt Sunday I was still in Augusta. A friend of mine from a different book had just flown in and wanted to play a little golf.

“Have you been to Aiken?” he asked

It didn't take long for me to agree to an afternoon tee time. And from the second I stepped on the material, I was hooked.

Carolina pines frame almost every hole, and the sand dunes are prominent on the course. The course goes through the surrounding area, but the homes on the edge are far from distraction. If you're a fan of Pinehurst Resort, Aiken Golf Club will blow your mind.

The greens are small and consistent, while the fairway has tons of slope. If you're not comfortable getting rid of uneven lies, this lesson will eat your lunch. Oh, and I hope you know how to get rid of blatant lies. If you stray from the line, you are sure to end up in a dirty place.

Hard and fast fairways are daily conditions at Aiken and the grainy Bermuda greens make holing a long task. But at the end of the day, there's not much more fun you can have on the golf course than spending a walk among the long shadows at Aiken Golf Club.

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Zephyr Melton

Golf.com Editor

Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. Before joining the GOLF team, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists in all disciplines and covers youth and women's golf. He can be reached at [email protected].