| Golf & Sports |
|
Golf There are two public golf courses in Jones County and one private course at Healy Point Country Club in the River North Community off Upper River Road near the Bibb County line. Woodland Hills is a public 9-hole course with driving range and pro shop. The golf course is located on Highway 49 at Bowen Hill Road, one mile west of the Baldwin County line. Woodland Hills is open daily from 8 AM to 6 PM. Call (478) 932-5440.
Lake Jonesco Golf Course is an 18-hole, daily fee public golf facility operated by the county and located on State Highway 22 East between Gray and Milledgeville, adjacent to the Jonesco Clubhouse. The original 9-hole layout was designed and built in 1939 by the WPA in conjunction with the Jonesco Clubhouse. The original construction included two small lakes, a pavilion, a swimming and diving facility and male and female bathhouses which were used by the general public until the mid '60's. The facility is open seven days a week with summer hours from 7:30 AM until dark, and tee times are not required. The course offers annual memberships for singles, families, and seniors, and golf lessons are available by appointment. The course is suitable for all skill levels. Call (478) 986-3206 or visit the web site at: http://www.lakejonesco.com Jones Co Clubhouse The Jones County Kiwanis Club during its first year of existence in 1935 purchased 115 acres of land between Gray and Haddock for the purpose of building a community center and recreation area. The plan was to build a like for swimming and fishing, a pavilion, two bathhouses, a clubhouse, and a nine-hole golf course. The club deeded the land to the county, and with county, state, and federal funds, the work was begun. The WPA, Works Progress Administration, a post-depression New Deal agency set up to combat unemployment, furnished labor. Materials, mules, machinery, and additional labor were donated by members of the club and other interested citizens, and the stones of the walls of the clubhouse were taken from nearby Jones County fields. After flourishing as a community center for many years, the clubhouse fell to disuse and deteriorated from lack of maintenance.
In 1973 the Pilot Club of Jones County initiated a project to renovate the clubhouse to be revitalized as a community center. The county commissioners contributed county revenue sharing funds toward the project, and donations and honorariums were received from individuals and clubs. The clubhouse is owned by the county. Recreation Complexes Jones County has a full-time county recreational department. The Central Recreation Complex is located off Highway 18 East and has facilities for both individuals and groups. In addition to baseball, softball, and football fields, there are lighted tennis courts, an outdoor basketball court, and covered picnic areas with grills for cooking with charcoal. The main building at the Central Complex has a concession stand with restroom facilities. Gymnasium facilities, as well as a lighted adult softball field used mainly for Church League play, are provided adjacent to the Government Center. The South Complex was opened in April of 2000 and is located at 436 Ga Highway 49, just below Mattie Wells School. This state-of-the-art facility has two baseball fields and one softball field which are lighted. A T-ball field and intermediate baseball field are also part of the complex. A lighted football/soccer field is also available. The complex has two concession buildings with restrooms. Future plans include adding lighted tennis courts, outdoor basketball courts, covered picnic areas, and a gymnasium.
A wide range of organized youth leagues are provided through volunteer efforts in football, basketball, baseball, softball, boxing and soccer. More than 2,000 young people were served through this program during 2000. Call Bobby Wood, Recreation Director at (478) 742-3535 for more details. |
