
The Creek Course
The Creek at Hard Labor Creek State Park




About this course
The Creek at Hard Labor Creek State Park occupies rolling terrain in the Georgia Piedmont, roughly an hour east of Atlanta near the small town of Rutledge. Designed by Denis Griffiths and opened in 1991, the course was developed as part of Georgia's state park golf program, which brought accessible public golf to scenic natural settings across the state. The layout takes advantage of the property's wooded character and elevation changes, with fairways carved through mature hardwoods and pines typical of this region. The routing works with the land's natural contours, incorporating several creeks and low-lying areas that come into play on approach shots and around greens. Griffiths, who designed numerous courses throughout the Southeast during the 1980s and 1990s, created a layout that balances challenge with playability for a wide range of golfers. The course features doglegs that follow the property's ridgelines and valleys, and greens that reflect the rolling topography beneath them. As a state park facility, The Creek serves both destination visitors staying in the park's lodge and cabins and local golfers from the surrounding counties. The course operates within the broader amenities of Hard Labor Creek State Park, which includes hiking trails, a lake, and camping facilities. The setting provides a wooded, relatively quiet round removed from suburban development, characteristic of Georgia's state park golf experience.
Rankings
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Best in USA
Best in GA
Quick facts
- Location
- Rutledge, GA, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1968
- Holes
- 18
- Designer
- Denis Griffiths
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 6,612 yards
- Difficulty
- 75.1/132
- Course Vaults score
- 6.7
Getting there
The journey to The Creek at Hard Labor Creek State Park begins at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, roughly an hour's drive east into the rolling Piedmont countryside of central Georgia. The route traces Interstate 20 before peeling off onto quieter state highways that wind through farmland and hardwood forest, the landscape gradually softening into the kind of rural tranquility that feels a world apart from the city. As you approach Rutledge - a town of antebellum homes and unhurried charm - the final turn into Hard Labor Creek State Park signals a transition into Georgia's public lands tradition, where the course awaits tucked among the pines and lakeside contours of this beloved state preserve.

FAQ
Common questions about The Creek
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
The Creek has a Course Vaults score of 6.7 out of 10 based on 13 logged golfers.
The Creek was designed by Denis Griffiths.
Yes. The Creek is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at The Creek is 72.
The Creek plays 6,612 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at The Creek is 132.



