Nestled in the rolling hills of Rockdale County just beyond the Newton County border within the Georgia International Horse Park, Cherokee Run Golf Club welcomes golfers with its luxurious greens, challenging bunkers and beautiful azaleas.

The course, developed by the Arnold Palmer Design Company and opened in 1995, has seen changes over the past years, culminating in a top-notch experience for the avid golfer.

With the Masters in full swing this weekend, Cherokee Run Director of Golf Tommy Moon said the club has seen not only the level of play increase around the course, but golf as a whole benefit in the area thanks to the yearly major event.

“Golf is a $1.5 billion industry in the state of Georgia and the Masters is a big part of that,” Moon said. “We owe a lot to the tournament, especially here on the road to the event.”

With golf’s top competitors migrating to Augusta National for the four-day event, Moon said Cherokee Run has the opportunity to show off its beauty and design, inspiring golfers from all over the world.

“During the week we always have a lot of different players come in – from Scotland, Germany, France, the Netherland and Australia,” he said. “It’s a game that brings people together from all over. We’re fortunate to have a nice club here to show off and a club that people appreciate.”

While it may be the Masters Tournament that brings people to the area, Moon said it’s the Cherokee Run course that keeps bringing them back.

“We usually see an increase in play during the 10-day stretch that makes up the Masters Tournament,” Moon said. “But, we always have people come back that maybe weren’t planning on it. We had a couple from England that traveled to Atlanta from Boston that stopped by to visit the course. They didn’t even play, they just came to visit and purchase some of the club’s merchandise because another couple told them about the course. They wanted to be part of the Cherokee Run experience.”

The course, owned and operated by the City of Conyers, is an 18-hole championship par-72 course, spanning 7.016 yards with 96 strategically placed bunkers. The course features Zoysia fairways and, after its recent redesign, dwarf Bermuda greens.

“A lot of work has been put into the course over the last three years,” Moon said. “We’ve done everything we can to make the course look and play as well as it possibly can.”

The course’s signature hole, No. 12, is a par-3 that presents bunker challengers in front and back of the pin. Golfers will need to clear a front bunker, while placing their shot perfectly on the green to avoid the back two bunkers that are surrounded on the side by dogwoods and azaleas.

“Our signature hole is just kind of the course in a nutshell,” Moon said. “When golfers come out to the course, we want it to be a tough, challenging experience. We’re a championship-level course and we want it to play that way. When they get done on the course, everything else we provide is here to make them comfortable. We’ve raised our level of customer service so that our players can enjoy their day.”

Moon said that he sees Cherokee Run as a destination course for golfers in the area.

“We strive to be the type of course that people want to come to,” he said. “Whether they be from Conyers, Covington, Atlanta or from all over, we want to give them an experience they talk about.”

The course has even offered a Masters package for the tournament this week, providing a $90 playing option that includes green and cart fees, range balls, a course cap, breakfast and lunch and a custom tin tee gift that includes a divot repair tool, hat clip and ball marker.

For more information on the club, or to book a tee time, visit Cherokee Run online at cherokeerungolfclub.com or call 770-785-7904.