Henderson Golf Club Review

I went to bed excited last night because Kathy and I were going to play Henderson Golf Club today. This would be our second round of golf in a week. We haven’t gotten in two rounds in a week in almost a year, and right now we have a little time to ourselves in Georgia, so two rounds it is. I didn’t have high hopes for a great score because I had one of my best rounds two days ago. Three birdies and a bunch of pars helped me post a 75 – which means my next round would be a rough one. But you know what? I was excited anyway. 

We woke up to a fogged-in RV park. A little fog can’t stop us. I told Kathy, “Don’t worry, it will burn off.” However, as we pulled into Henderson Golf Club, the fog was just as heavy there as it was at the RV park. Not to be deterred by not being able to see the course from the parking lot, we walked into a small well equipped clubhouse. Our starter Karen, was upbeat and more than happy to help us check in for our round. She told us what her favorite hole was and gave Kathy a few tips on restroom availability. She had a great smile that was matched by an upbeat personality.

A great way to start a round.

We were also greeted by Walter – the club pro instructor. He overheard me ask for a military discount and promptly thanked me and Kathy for our service. Then he told me that he was the club instructor for PGA HOPE. I have never heard of PGA HOPE and asked more about what it was. Walter was more than happy to explain.

HOPE stands for Helping Our Patriots Everywhere.

It is a free, 6-8 week program that teaches golf to veterans and active duty military to improve their physical and mental health.

The program features:

• Expert training
• It is free of charge
• It has therapeutic benefits
• Connects veterans with peers to build social support networks after service

What a great program – and Walter is a perfect Ambassador. His pride and enthusiasm for the program is evident. It was an awesome introduction to the program HOPE.

Walter also told us all about the course and that it was a county course. He shared that the course was trying to get the county to pay for work to be done on the tee boxes, indicating that the county was doing their best to acquire the funds necessary to pay for the work. And as we all know the wheels of government turn slowly. Walter then assured us that other than the tee boxes, the course was in good condition, and we would enjoy the track we were about to play.

We stepped up to the first tee and the fog blanketed the entire course.

We could not see the fairway at all. As a matter of fact, I hit my drive towards the 6th hole fairway, thinking it was the 1st hole fairway. It was a rough start.

The fog didn’t start clearing until the 7th hole. That is when we could see what Walter was talking about. There were giant, old live oak trees everywhere. Spanish moss hanging from them like grey hairs on a wise old man.

With the fog lifted, the course started to unfold so beautifully.  There were bridges, island tee boxes, lakes, streams, trees, and beauty all around us. Henderson Golf Club used everything the surrounding land had to offer. Because the fog literally hid all of this from us for the first 6 holes, our attitude changed during the round of golf.

Although my prediction of playing a poor round after a great round came true, Henderson Golf Course was so stunning, we decided to just play golf for fun and not keep score.
Something I rarely do! 

Karen told me that her favorite hole was 18. Walter told me that 6 was Henderson’s signature hole. Since I could not see hole 6 because of the fog, I was hoping for something special out of hole 18.

Karen was right. Hole 18 was beautiful.

A large lake down the left side, with the approach doglegging around the end of the lake, and the green neatly tucked in. Down the right was large, old live oak trees guarding against any ball that came their way.

It was a great round of golf on a beautiful course. It can’t get any better. 

But it did. We decided to get a quick bite to eat. Keyano greeted us when we walked into the cafe. He chatted with us and took our order. He was friendly with a great smile. He answered a few of my probing questions, telling me his mother owned the cafe. Well, I believe today he definitely made his mom proud. We had wings and a burger – perfectly cooked and a great finish to the golf day. 

Based on our scorecard, Henderson Golf Club scores a Birdie.

If you are in Savannah, Georgia, make your way to Henderson Golf Club. You will get a really nice golf course (minus the tee boxes) at a great price. Friendly people everywhere, and good food. Did I say friendly people? I almost forgot….we came across a couple of the groundskeepers. They greeted us with a big smile and chatted with us for a minute or two. Very nice people for sure!

Fairways and Greens – We are 18 Holes and Counting

Written By:  Marc Festa

COURSE REVIEW SCORECARD

Course:  Henderson Golf Club

Type: Municipal/Public 

Date Played: 08 January 2026

HOLE	PAR	SCORE	COMMENTS
1 – Tee Time Availability	4	4	We were able to get the tee time we requested.
2 – Cost of Green Fees	4	3	We received a military discount which made our greens fees a great value for the price.
3 – Condition of Tee Boxes	4	4	A few tee boxes could use some work, mainly leveling, better grass coverage, and improved drainage, but overall they were playable.
4 – Condition of Fairways	5	5	Fairways were well maintained and neatly cut throughout most areas. Although the Bermuda Grass is dormant this time of year, the course is in good shape.
5 – Condition of Greens	4	4	The greens were smooth and rolled nicely, with only small spots of minor damage that didn’t affect play.
6 – Length of Course	5	5	Blacks: 6595 yrds; Blues: 6240 yrds; Whites: 5667 yrds; Golds: 4929 yrds; Reds: 4726 yrds; and Orange/Family: 4456 yrds.
7 – Hazards	4	4	Water is prominent on several holes, and deep bunkers guard many of the greens. The bunker sand was soft and easy to hit out of.
8 – Starter/Marshal	3	2	Our Starter – Karen – was located in the proshop. Karen was friendly, welcoming and very informative and provided a couple of vital tips about the course.
9 – High Handicap Friendly	3	3	Six tee boxes, to include super seniors, ensuring players of all ability levels find the course a fair test of their game.
OUT	36	34
10 – Practice Area	5	5	There is a driving range, putting green area, and teaching pro available.
11 – Locker Rooms	3	3	There are bathrooms available.
12 – Pro Shop	4	4	The pro shop carries everything needed to keep you looking good and your golf bag well stocked and ready for a round of golf.
13 – Location	4	4	Just a short drive from downtown Savannah.
14 – Rental Equipment	4	4	Golf clubs are available for rental. The golf carts are well maintained and have USB ports to charge your phones during a round.
15 – Food Cart	4	5	There was no food cart the day we played.
16 – Restaurant/Club House	4	3	The club house has a fully stocked bar & grill with fresh, well-prepared food, served daily. Keyano did an outstanding job of making sure our lunch was prepared perfectly and served up quickly.
17 – Parking	3	3	The parking lot is large with plenty of spaces, and not far from the clubhouse and practice areas.
18 – Customer Service	5	4	Every single employee we met provided OUTSTANDING customer service, especially Walter, the Club Pro. Walter took some extra time to talk with us and offered up his tips and insights for course management during our round. Walter’s hospitality extended beyond course strategy. He was welcoming and professional. The entire staff was friendly, the facilities were clean, and there was information readily available about course maintenance and upcoming events.
IN	36	35
TOTAL	72	69	PLAYER: Marc F.  ATTESTED BY: Kathy F.