Golf in Jacksonville

Nestled inside 180 acres of tree-lined, gently rolling grounds, the Newnan golf course springs up from the natural terrain, gracing golfers with scenic views of ridges, ravines, and waterways. The meticulously maintained fairways and greens wend along natural, wooded buffers that create a sense of public but peaceful solitude, like delivering a speech from inside a sleeping bag. Golfers hone their short game at the practice green, deliver pep talks to lazy 9-irons at the all-weather driving range, or pick up anything from tees to new clubs at the pro shop. The 15,000-square-foot clubhouse's Coweta Grill serves casual or formal dining fare and slings drinks at full bar, and a sweeping veranda overlooks the 10th tee and its hazards, including the catapult-launched Harlem Globetrotters, who slap down soaring golf balls.

Golf with friends is the best kind of bonding. There's nothing like being out in the open air, hearing the wind blow through the beautiful old trees lining the well-groomed fairways, and refusing to grant your compadres mulligans. Today's Groupon gets you one round of golf on the championship course, plus a GPS golf cart, at Durham Lakes Golf & Country Club for just $30 (normally $51–$61 before tax; note that the course offers a discount for seniors). Buy a few Groupons and make it a foursome.

Cleaved through a gallery of towering pines and hardwoods, the fairways of Lake Spivey Golf Course tumble over 6,807 yards of rolling terrain to form a challenging, par 72 layout. Two lengthy par fives—measuring in at 540 and 560 yards from the tips—bookend the front nine and demand a Herculean drive or a zero-gravity golf ball to reach the green in two. A more difficult design awaits on the back nine, with water hazards and herds of golf carts coming into play on six holes and two long par fours rated the courses first- and third-most difficult holes.

Tree-lined fairways, well-guarded pins, and slick, bent-grass greens characterize the layout from start to finish, reflecting the designers' vision for a course that requires both shot-making ability and solid course management to maintain low scores. The course also features a unique 19th hole, letting players enjoy a pressure-free conclusion to their round.

To prepare for their battle with the course's sandtraps, water hazards, and meddlesome tree elves, golfers can practice at Lake Spivey's driving range or take a lesson from PGA-certified golf pro Jeffrey Biggers. Appetites piqued after a day at the links can find relief at The Spivey Grill, which serves a menu of burgers, sandwiches, and other traditional grill fare.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,807 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 72.7 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 136 from the farthest tees
• Five tee options

Upon their arrival to Fairways of Canton Golf Club, golfers feast their eyes on the club’s bucolic 18-hole course as it unfurls across 6,515 yards of rolling terrain and scenic Georgia pines. The pristine par-72 course fosters aggressive drives into generous fairways, which lead to small bermuda-grass greens teeming with subtle slopes and trick holes that lead to another dimension in Space Jam. Dimpled orbs graze the stratosphere at the club’s practice facilities, which include a driving range, a putting green, a chipping area, and a sand bunker. Back muscles weary from a day of smashing drives or wrestling a gang of rogue golf carts can recess at the club’s onsite Canyon Grill, which slings sumptuous fare such as philly cheesesteaks, pizza margherita, and pasta with a choice of sauce.