Our History

The beautiful Mill Creek valley at the foothills of Mt. Sinai is rich with history. The land, which in years past, once felt the footsteps of the Cherokee Indians and heard the thunder of Civil War cavalry, is now the heart of a golf club and residential community known as The Farm.

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The Farm is the realization of a dream. It began when Bob Shaw, as a young man standing at the top of Mt. Sinai, was convinced that the rolling lands below were perfectly suited for a championship golf course. Years later his dream began to take shape when the former McArthur farm of some six hundred acres became available for purchase in 1984 and was acquired.

By early 1985, Tom Fazio, considered by many to be the leading classicist of modern golf course architects, was asked to design a championship golf course. Upon visiting the site, Fazio was won over by the unusual natural beauty of the setting and the unyielding commitment to excellence portrayed by the club's founder, Robert E. Shaw.

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Actual construction of the golf course began in June of 1986 with the removal of trees, rough grading, and course layout. Members and their guests were able to enjoy full play of the golf course in June of 1988.

In the spring of 1991, The Farm added to its club facilities with the opening of the Guest Lodge, nestled in the woods overlooking the 10th fairway. Members enjoy entertaining friends and business associates in the warm and comfortable environment provided by the Guest Lodge.

Committed to the support and promotion of amateur golf in the South, The Farm has hosted major amateur tournaments. The club agreed to become the host for the annual Carpet Capital Collegiate Classic, a tournament of national significance that is recognized as one of the premier tournaments in collegiate golf. Since the first Classic was contested in 1989 through 2019, numerous collegiate All-Americans and members of United States Walker Cup Teams have competed for their respective teams.

The club was the site of the 1990 Georgia State Amateur Championship with a tournament field including several past State Amateur Champions and two Walker Cuppers (Allen Doyle and Danny Yates). Allen Doyle claimed his sixth Georgia State Amateur Title, an all-time record in the annals of the Georgia State Golf Association. In 1993, The Farm hosted the Southern Amateur Championship, one of the nation's most prestigious tournaments. The champion was Justin Leonard of Dallas, Texas a former U.S. Amateur champion and a member of the victorious 1993 Walker Cup team. In 2005, The Farm was the site of the 51st U.S.G.A. Senior Amateur Championship won by Mike Rice sinking the last putt on the 36th hole of match play.

The Farm has also hosted the 1996 Georgia Women's State Amateur won by Kim Lisi, the 1997 Georgia State Senior Championship won by Bill Ploeger, and the 2013 Georgia State Juniors won by Marcus Byrd.

The success of these tournaments and the club's established reputation for hospitality is directly due to the support of active and loyal members. The Farm looks forward to continued servant hospitality to its members and guests, continuous improvement of the world-class golf course, and to the continuation of traditions that come with the passing of seasons among friends and associates.