Episode 104: Ohoopee Match ClubSituated on the outskirts of a tiny town in rural Georgia, about an hour west of Savannah, the Ohoopee Match Club was opened in 2018 and founded by tech investor and entrepreneur Michael Walrath. Walrath clearly values innovation, and with his club wanted to both respect the traditions of our game whilst also moving private golf in a completely new and exciting direction. With the exception perhaps of venerable old British clubs like Prestwick or the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers at Muirfield, Ohoopee is unlike any other pure golf facility we have seen.Scorecard and pencil golfers may struggle with the experience here, because Ohoopee Match Club was unapologetically setup for match play golf. The course was designed by Gil Hanse and his partner Jim Wagner, and features 22 holes set across a vast disused hunting plantation near the Ohoopee River. Hanse and Wagner had previously been engaged to work on a combined golf and motor sport venture on the site, which ultimately fell over when the Global Financial Crisis hit. They knew the land had the space, the seclusion and, crucially, the sand necessary to create the sort of high-quality, privileged establishment that their client desired. Walrath agreed, purchasing the 3,500-acre property in 2016 and engaging Hanse to build him a unique match course that he could share with a group of his golfing associates, as well their friends and guests.Aside from a pure sandy base, heath-like ground cover and mature collection of oak trees and loblolly pines, Hanse and Wagner were also blessed with spacious golf corridors, subtle elevation changes and some dramatic natural features such as dunes and a large lake. Most importantly, they were armed with a directive from Walrath to essentially throw standardization out the window and focus instead on creating holes that were fun, sporty and likely to prove pivotal when played in a head-to-head situation.The result is an unconventional design full of half–par holes and countless risk versus reward situations. The golf is charming first and challenging second, with holes that can be generally tackled as aggressively or as conservatively as the golfer chooses. Starting beneath an elevated clubhouse and beside the property’s main lake, the routing changes direction regularly as it takes golfers on an absorbing journey through a generally sparse, scrubby woodland. The course does emerge briefly into an open meadow at the 10th, before returning into the trees from the 13th hole. Interestingly, this open section houses four additional holes, which can replace the 2nd through 5th and form part of a shorter, alternate loop known as the Whiskey Routing.Although Ohoopee has a small membership and focuses more on matches for its members and guests than red carpet for the raters and rankers, it has managed to establish a devoted following among the cognoscenti, many of whom regard it as the most significant course in the Hanse/Wagner portfolio. It’s certainly their most original creation, and the perfect vehicle to foster, or further strengthen, genuine bonds of golfing mateship and camaraderie. The whole facility is world-class and even those who prefer stroke play to match should jump at the chance to play Ohoopee, should the opportunity arise.Stay PLUG'd!Social: @pleaseletusgolf on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and FacebookPodcast: Listen/Subscribe/Review Please Let Us Golf, The Podcast, on your preferred podcast streaming serviceShop: Head over to pleaseletusgolf.com to Shop the best logo, apparel, and accessories in golf. #golf #golfer #golfing #golfers #golfaddict #golfswing #golflife #golfdebate #pleaseletusgolf #golferslife #golfreviews #podcast #golfpodcast #sportspodcast #golfadvice #golftips #golfcourse #golfpod #georgiagolf #Top100golf #privategolf #exclusive #ohooppe #matchplay #rorymcilory #onion #vidaliaonion #golfcourse #golfcourseranking
