Nationwide Tour returns to Kinderlou Forest Golf Club with South Georgia Classic – Golf update
The Nationwide Tour will be returning to the Peach State for two events featured in two weeks of May. The South Georgia Classic sponsored by First State Bank Trust Company is scheduled to start from April 28 at the picturesque Kinderlou Forest Golf Club.
The Davis Love III designed Kinderlou course is rated eighth at the difficulty level on the Nationwide Tour and boosts some tough holes which demand a lot of precision off the tee. The 7,781 yard Kinderlou is lined with rolling greens mowed out of fine Bermuda grass and winding fairways. The Par-72 course includes no less than 73 sand bunkers and just one water hazard. Paul Dickinson recorded his lowest score of 64 on the course in his first round in 2007 which is still the record there.
From 1863 to 1924, the course along with much of the land surrounding it was owned by the McRee family who successfully managed a thriving farming business on the 20,000 acres of land. The business yielded intensive business activity in and around Georgia with visitors coming over from all across the country for shopping, trading and other purposes. The business included livestock farming, trucking, industrial manufacturing units of beer and cigars, a sawmill and molasses fermentation. Kinderlou is named after Louisa McRee, sister of George McRee, who took care of the family of four sons after their mother’s sad demise. “Kinder” in German is for children while “Lou” comes from her first name.
The family started selling off the land in the 1920’s and Spain’s Langdale Company bought the 600 acre of land in 1950. The course is located on the same site but still retains the name “Kinderlou” as part of the agreement with the previous owners of the estate.
The course has hosted three events on the Tour. The Par-4, 3rd is one of the toughest of holes on the course. The hole is at the bottom of a hill and is surrounded by thick forest on its edges. A hardwood is mostly recommended although no eagle has ever been scored on this hole. Another one of the tougher but interesting holes is the Par-5, 11th which gives the golfer multitude of options to launch his approach.
Canada’s Bryan Decorso won the first Nationwide challenge at the Kiderlou in 2008. Decorso, former Golf Channel commentator, won with a score of three-under, 69, with a three shots lead over Greg Owen and Bryce Molder. Garth Mulroy of South Africa won the 2009 episode of the tournament defeating the runners up Chris Tidland with a one shot lead. Mulroy had a final round score of three-under, 69. Last year’s South Georgia Classic was won by Australian Ewan Porter who triumphed over Jhonattan Vegas of Venezuela with a one shot lead. He had a final round score of two-under, 70 to bag the winner’s share of $112,500.
The event is sponsored by the First State Bank Trust Company since 2008. The total purse of the event is $625,000. The strong field includes the likes of Bubba Dickerson who recently won the Chitimacha Louisiana Open, Mark Brooks who has won seven times on the PGA Tour, Steve pate, and Jim Gallagar Jr.
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