5653 Laura Walker Road, Waycross, Georgia 31503, US
(912) 285-6154
Location Map

About Laura S. Walker State Park

Georgia's Laura S. Walker State Park is located in the southeast part of the state near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and the largest nearby city is Jacksonville 90 minutes away by car. The state park is home to The Lakes Golf Course, an 18-hole course opened in 1996 and plays 6,656 yards from the back tees. Overnight guests of the state park can stay in one of six cabins, each of which are two bedrooms. There are also RV and campsites available. Off-course amenities here include a dog park, sand beach along the lake, boating, kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals.

Facts

Price Range$
Property Class★
Acres626
Year Opened1996
Number of UnitsLess than 100

Amenities & Services

RestaurantsCasual
Practice FacilityYes
MarinaYes
Beach AccessYes
Banquet SpaceYes

Rules

Is the resort pet friendly?Yes
Is resort stay required for a tee time?No

Golf courses at Laura S. Walker State Park

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
635 Reviews (635)
Reviews 17
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
Recommended
Played

Lakes coursr

GolfNow had an excellent rate for this course. Course is in great shape. Pace of play is really good.

Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
4.0
4.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 4.0
Value 5.0
Layout 4.0
Pace 4.0
Amenities 4.0
Reviews 12
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
Recommended
Played

Excellent round

Got to the clubhouse and was in line with like 3 other groups about to play; we didn't see them all day. It was great, greens were very good rolling, slow, but steady. There was one patchy spot in all 18. The fairways didn't roll, but were in excellent shape. This is a very well rounded course; some holes are pretty challenging and others very forgiving. The back nine grill staff was very nice and the hot dogs were just what we needed for lunch. It was a very nice day and well worth the money.

Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
5.0
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 4.0
Value 5.0
Layout 5.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 5.0
Reviews 49
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
Recommended
Played

Perfect greens, lush fairway & thick ruff!!!

I got to slip out this morning to play 27...only got to play the front 9... Work called.

Loved the conditions I found.

The greens are rolling smooth.

The tee boxes were trimmed nicely.

The fairways were lush.

Thank God the rough was only 2 - 3" deep...that grass is thick.

Looking forward to next weekend to try to get in 18 + holes.

Proud to wear my Lakes at Laura Walker hat.

Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart
5.0
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 4.0
Value 5.0
Layout 5.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 4.0
Difficulty 4.0
T O P 500
Reviews 100
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
Recommended
Played

Hot day at a good course

Played here for the 1st time. Very impressed with the state runned course. Worth the trip from Jacksonville. Excellent condition. Bunkers need work, but then don't hit into them

Will be back again soon

Top 500 Contributor
First Time Playing
4.0
4.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 4.0
Value 5.0
Layout 4.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 4.0
Review 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
Recommended
Played

A course with whispering pines and beautiful lakes

I have played the course several times over the past few years and it has always been in good condition. This time was the best. The greens were perfect and fairways ,the best they have ever been. I look forward to the next time I am able to go back.

Previously Played
5.0
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 5.0
Value 5.0
Layout 4.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 4.0
T O P 250
Reviews 103
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
Recommended
Played

Worth the trek...

Teeing off at 2:00 pm in Georgia can be a rather warm experience, and my afternoon at The Lakes at Laura S Walker state park was no exception; by 2:10 I had a nice sweat going. Fortunately, this really isn’t a bad place to be, if you have to be overheated. With plenty of trees and forested areas, The Lakes does offer some escape from direct sunlight, and some lovely scenery as you make your way around the course.

Relatively flat, this course relies on a lot of turns and strategically placed bunkers for defense. In particular, they are fond of having traps on the inner elbow of their doglegs so any attempt to cut a corner that comes up short will result in sand play on your second shot. Number 12 also uses a large bunker in the center of the fairway to mitigate the relative shortness of the hole.

The Par five 13th is also a good example of the angles and trees used for green protection with your third shot needing to navigate a gap in a stand of trees into a green protected on the left by approaches from the center or left hand side of the fairway and on the right from anything coming from the right. I often ignore pin placement sheets before my rounds, but on this hole it would be a good idea to know the position before beginning in order to maximize your second shot.

There are also… some other hazards to avoid… The course’s web site mentions alligators as a hazard of play and on this track, this proved to be quite true. We ran into several along the way, two of them “in play” sun bathing along the left hand side of the fairway on the 8th hole. Relatively docile in the afternoon heat, given 20 yards or so of space, they didn’t seem to really pay any attention to use at all (since the course won the 2011 “best place to hook a kid on golf” national aware, I felt comfortable with the staffs comments that the gators don’t pose any real threat as long as you give them a bit of space). There are all sort of critters living around the course, including the largest turtle population I have ever seen. In short there’s no shortage of things to see as you make your way around this course.

The victim of intense heat and not much in the way of rain when I played there, you can still see how nice this course could be with a bit more water. As mentioned above trees are plentiful and the course makes good use of the three ponds scattered across the property. The fairways, in general are fairly generous and you can certainly keep the ball in bounds with average striking; however, be aware that a truly wayward shot is likely gone as the forested areas get pretty thick and a ball hit in there is likely lost.

The staff was exceedingly friendly/welcoming and the pace of play was great (although in the heat of the day the course was fairly sparsely populated). As you might guess by the 6000 yard length and 68.9/119 rating/slope (from the whites where I played, it does stretch to 6600/71.9/122 from the back), it’s not the toughest course you’ll ever play; but, sometimes, it not about the challenge. If I had it to do over again, I’d make sure I got an early morning start time for my round; however, other than that I think The Lakes is well worth you time.

Idaho Advisor
Top 250 Contributor
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Walked
4.0
4.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 4.0
Value 5.0
Layout 4.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 5.0
Difficulty 3.0
Reviews 3
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
Recommended
Played

Great course here in the swamp!

You'd be hard pressed to find better golf anywhere with a price under $40.00 (really cheap when booked with Golfnow-$14.00). When the extreme weather we have here in south ga hasnt taken its complete toll, the course will be in excellent condition. It can be quit a challenging course, unlike most courses under $40.00 that simply allow you to slam a driver out to straight away, wide FW's. It isnt very long, but if shots stray to far right or left it is a penalty (gone in the woods and water!). The best feature, IMO, is the solitude the course offers; no homes, highways, trains, etc, just you and the course, with each hole seemingly all by itself as well. I highly recommend this course to every golfer out there. You're doing yourself a disservice if you love golf and dont give The Lakes at least a single play.

Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart
5.0
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 5.0
Value 5.0
Layout 4.0
Friendliness 4.0
Pace 4.0
Amenities 4.0
Difficulty 4.0
Reviews 2
Handicap 25+
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
Recommended
Played
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
5.0
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 5.0
Value 4.0
Layout 5.0
Friendliness 4.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 4.0
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
Recommended
Played

The course is fun & interesting

Reasonably challenging and unique layout. Course in good condition despite lack of rain. Recommend, and will play it again.

Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
5.0
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 5.0
Value 5.0
Layout 5.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 3.0
Amenities 5.0
Reviews 49
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
Recommended
Played

Greens are back...quick & firm

The greens at Laura Walker have returned.

Smooth & slick.

Fairways are greening up.

Tee boxes were aerified this past week...should be great by First of April.

Keep your eyes peeled for the Big Gator!!!

The only complaint is that the Waste Bunkers are in serious need of attention.

Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
4.0
4.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 4.0
Value 5.0
Layout 5.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 3.0
Difficulty 4.0
Review 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
Recommended
Played
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
4.0
4.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 4.0
Value 5.0
Layout 5.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 3.0
Reviews 77
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
Recommended
Played

NICE COURSE

WISH IT WAS CLOSER TO MY HOME. NICE COURSE AT GOOD PRICE. SOME GREAT HOLES.

Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
4.0
4.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 4.0
Value 5.0
Layout 5.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 4.0
Amenities 3.0
Reviews 10
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
Played

Staff was the best

Course has good layout. Staff was excellent. Course is in rough shape. If not for staff would have been a wasted day. If the course was in better shape it's worth the ride.

Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
3.0
3.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 3.0
Value 4.0
Layout 4.0
Pace 4.0
Amenities 4.0
Reviews 17
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
Recommended
Played

Enjoyable course for average golfer

Greens were in fair shape as well as fairways. Nice layout for the average golfer. Not too long but still challenging.

Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
3.0
3.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 3.0
Value 5.0
Friendliness 4.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 3.0
Reviews 14
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
Played

Dead hardpan greens

Dead hardpan greens were our biggest complaint

Bumpy and hard greens can't hold an approach shot and are lousy to putt also. Should spend some extra $ and overseed greens for the winter. Rest of course was good with pleasant staff.

Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart
2.0
2.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 2.0
Value 2.0
Layout 4.0
Friendliness 4.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 4.0
Difficulty 4.0
Reviews 17
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
Recommended
Played

A Beauty for the Money and Worth the Drive

We drive past several courses in NE Florida to play this course a few times per year. The fairways are in good shape and the layout is scenic. The greens are good but somewhat slick with the winter weather. Staff here is always friendly and helpful.

Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart
4.0
4.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 4.0
Value 5.0
Layout 4.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 4.0
Amenities 4.0
Difficulty 3.0
Reviews 11
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
Recommended
Played
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
5.0
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 3.0
Value 5.0
Layout 4.0
Friendliness 3.0
Pace 4.0
Amenities 4.0
Reviews 18
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
Recommended
Played
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart
4.0
4.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 4.0
Value 5.0
Layout 5.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 4.0
Difficulty 3.0
Reviews 4
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
Recommended
Played

Fun to play

My son and I, had a great day, greens were nice. Really fun to play, will be back soon to play again.

Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart
4.0
4.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 4.0
Value 5.0
Layout 5.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 5.0
Amenities 4.0
Difficulty 3.0
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
Recommended
Played

Nice course.

Nice peaceful course.Golfer friendly layout except for # 8 & 17. Much much improved. Give it a try when in the area.

Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
4.0
4.0 out of 5 stars
Conditions 4.0
Value 5.0
Layout 4.0
Friendliness 5.0
Pace 4.0
Amenities 4.0
Now Reading