Toccoa Re-opens Golf Course

Golfers are now teeing off at the Links at Lake Toccoa.

City officials joined other dignitaries, business leaders, and community members on Thursday to cut the ribbon and re-open the city-owned golf course off of Black Mountain Road that has been closed for around a year.

Toccoa Mayor Terry Carter said it was a very exciting day for the city.

Carter said it is about more than a golf course, but about creating an area that the whole community can enjoy and be proud of.

“We want it to be more than a golf course,” said Carter. “We want it to be a city park, something everyone can enjoy whether you play golf or not.”

To that end, commissioners talked about future plans for the facility, which include trying to add a walking trail, making the venue ready for weddings and other meetings and events, and adding more activities for the lake.

Carter said it is about creating quality of life, something he says is important to economic development.

That is echoed by City Commissioner Gail Fry.

“This is going to be a facility of which our community can be proud of,” said Fry.

Besides re-opening the nine-hole course, the city also unveiled the newly renovated pro shop that includes a grill and a meeting space.

Carter said a lot of work went into that pro shop and it is a facility everyone can be proud of.

“We thought it was going to be a coat of paint, some ceiling tiles replaces, but once we pulled out the ceiling tiles, we realized what a diamond in the rough we truly had in that facility,” said Carter.

The pro shop building once stood and was used at Camp Toccoa, said Carter.

He said beams were restored and the original flooring is there.

There were numerous ceremonial tee shots to open the course, including from former NBA star and Toccoa native Dale Davis, and former NFL players and Toccoa natives Leonard Wheeler and Evan Oglesby.

During the ceremony, the American Legion also retired a 48-star flag found in the old pro shop that will hang in the new pro shop.

The Links at Lake Toccoa is now open to the public year-round.

However, that is not all this weekend that is marking the opening weekend.

On Saturday, the city will host a fishing tournament at Lake Toccoa for all ages from 8 a.m. to noon.

Only bankside fishing will be allowed and there is no fee to participate, but a fishing license is required.

Prizes will be awarded in a number of categories, including youngest participant, oldest participant, largest fish, smallest fish, and the most fish caught.

Registration will be located in the parking lot at the pier.

For more information on the fishing tournament, call 706-282-3297.