Chateau Elan  

- BRASELTON, Ga. - What started as a winery two decades ago has transformed into one of the South's best golf resorts.

Chateau Elan resides on 3,500 acres about 45 minutes north of Atlanta. Mixed among acres of vineyards, the vision of Don and Nancy Panoz, are 54 holes of championship golf, and another executive nine, that will tantalize and tease any player.

Your senses will drink up the natural rolling settings of the unbridled country and savor the serenity of the resort and its European-style 16th century theme. It's an elegant retreat from the cruel winter months for Midwesterners, and a simple escape for locals from Atlanta and its surrounding metropolis. The resort is virtually right off highway I-85, making it accessible from all angles.

The transformation to a golf resort actually started with the par-71, 7,030-yard Chateau course in 1989. Architect Denis Griffiths designed it, and then added the Woodlands course in 1996. The Chateau course mingles with three lakes and two creeks, flirting with water on 10 holes. The 6,851-yard Woodlands, which is the most demanding off the tee with some tough carries, also has 10 water holes. Both courses are fun and more affordable than many other resort courses.

The crown jewel of the resort is the private Legends course, generally considered among the top courses in Georgia after opening in 1993. It is named after three golf greats, Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead and Kathy Whitworth, who assisted architect Griffiths in its creation. The foursome built the Legends as a tribute to the world's greatest golf holes by recapturing the spirit and challenge of holes from Pinehurst, St. Andrews, Merion, Augusta National, the Olympic Club and many other great designs of the 1900s.

The result is a roller-coaster ride of 6,898 yards, with dramatic downhill tee shots to tight tree-lined fairways and even more ominous uphill approach shots to elevated greens. Elegant homes line a private neighborhood, which is protected by two gated entrances leading to the clubhouse.

The par-3 course remains a great stop for families with children, but it's fun for any player, no matter how good or bad. After your rounds, the service, lodging and food at the resort are top of the line.

Of the myriad restaurants at the resort, the Versailles, named after the Palace de Versailles, serves as the centerpiece of the Inn under a grand three-story glass ceiling. The Clubhouse Grill at the public clubhouse is casual, while Paddy's Irish Pub, believe it or not, was shipped all the way from Ireland in 1997!

With 275 guest rooms at the inn and thousands of square feet of meeting space and two ballrooms, the resort can cater to weddings, business trips and other large groups, yet it feels small enough to be intimate. Multiple pools, the spa, a tennis center, jogging trails and parkland settings for volleyball, horse shoes and cookouts will keep any non-golfer busy.

And let's not forget why the resort was born. The winery annually produces some of the world's finest wines. Wine-tasting and winery tours are popular distractions. Just don't drink too much of the good stuff at dinner. It might produce a crooked swing the next morning.

For more, visit www.chateauelan.com.