Simanto Khandaker

Golf Journal

Golf Journal

48 Fairways | Simanto Khandaker’s Atlanta Golf Journey
A 20+ Handicap Golfer · Atlanta, Georgia

48 Courses. One Year. One Golfer.

From $50 Facebook Marketplace clubs to fairways across Atlanta —
documenting the courses, the conversations, and the slow grind to break 90.

Read My Story See All 48 Courses
48
Courses to Play
27
Current Handicap
Sub-13
Target Handicap
0 / 48
Courses Completed
The Origin Story

How a pandemic
changed my game

2020 · Atlanta, Georgia
The $50 Facebook Marketplace Clubs
The pandemic hit. Golf seemed like the only sport you could actually play. I found a used set on Facebook Marketplace for $50 and showed up to a driving range with zero knowledge, zero technique, and full confidence. Hit 2 out of 20 balls. My body ached. I put the clubs in the closet.
2024 · Muscat, Oman
The Lesson That Almost Didn’t Happen
Life relocated me to Oman. I signed up for golf lessons with an instructor — 3 sessions in. Anxiety was through the roof. My driving range comfort zone felt safe. An actual golf course? Terrifying. I kept making excuses not to go.
2024 · The Moment Everything Changed
A Friend Forced My Hand
A friend wouldn’t take no for an answer. He dragged me out to play in his league. I knew barely anything. But the foursome was supportive, patient, and generous with advice. Then it happened — one truly great hit. Clean. Pure. The ball went exactly where I wanted it to go. I’ve been chasing that feeling ever since.
2024–2025 · World Tour
Dubai. Abu Dhabi. Cape Town. Bangkok.
Playing semi-regularly across four continents — different grasses, different heat, different pace. Each course taught me something new. My handicap crept down from “unscored” to 27. I also accidentally broke 90 once. I still don’t fully believe it happened.
2026 · Home. Atlanta.
48 Fairways Begins
Back home in Atlanta with the same $50 clubs (upgraded to a Kirkland starter set). 48 courses. One per week. The mission: halve the handicap, break 90 consistently, meet the community, document every round — the good, the ugly, and the inexplicable great shots.
“One really good hit. And I was hooked.”

Golfer Profile

NameSimanto Khandaker
BaseAtlanta, Georgia
Current Handicap27
Target Handicap≤13
ClubsKirkland Starter Set
Courses PlayedDubai · Abu Dhabi · Cape Town · Bangkok · Atlanta
Best RoundSub-90 (once — don’t ask how)
Biggest WeaknessMid & short game, then stamina
Challenge StartMay 2026

The Mission

Play all 48 Atlanta-area golf courses over one year. Meet local golfers, community members, and people connected to each course. Document every round on video — the conversations, the struggles, the rare moments of brilliance. Share the love of the game.

If I can break 90 consistently, I’ll be happy.
Monthly Priority Courses

The Bucket List
First Up

One standout course per month — the ones that define the Atlanta golf scene.

Note: These priority courses come from a curated “must-play” Georgia list and are scheduled one per month alongside the weekly Atlanta tour. Update this list once the Instagram source courses are confirmed — slot them below by month.
🥇 #1 Priority · Month 1 — June 2026
West Pines Golf Club
9090 Rose Ave, Douglasville, GA · ~30 mi from Buckhead · off I-20 W
Public / Daily Fee 18 Holes · Par 71 6,832 yds · Slope 131 ⭐ #1 Pick
Weekday: ~$56 w/ cart · Weekend: ~$65 · Bentgrass greens · Driving range (4 practice tees)
Bill Bergin renovation (2006) transformed this into one of the best-value courses in metro Atlanta. Crenshaw bent greens, rolling wooded hills, and a finishing par-3 18th that may be the hardest closing hole in public Atlanta golf. “Best value in the metro area” — GolfPass reviews.
Upcoming
🥈 #2 Priority · Month 2 — July 2026
Ashton Hills Golf Club
10400 By Pass Rd, Covington, GA · ~35 mi from Buckhead
Public / Daily Fee 18 Holes · Par 72 Desmond Moorhead design ⭐ #2 Pick
Weekday: ~$45–55 w/ cart · Weekend: ~$58 · Practice range & putting green
Named one of Golf Advisor’s Top 15 Courses in Georgia. Desmond Moorhead design weaves through dramatic terrain east of Atlanta. Known for scenic views, exceptional conditioning, and a clubhouse restaurant that surprises. The kind of course you’d drive an hour for without complaint.
Upcoming
🥉 #3 Priority · Month 3 — August 2026
Crystal Lake Golf & Country Club
Crystal Lake Dr, Hampton, GA · ~37 mi from Buckhead · I-75 S, Exit 221
Public / Semi-Private 18 Holes · Par 72 7,138 yds · Denis Griffiths ⭐ #3 Pick
Weekday: ~$55–65 w/ cart · Weekend: ~$70–80 · GPS carts · Clubhouse restaurant
Denis Griffiths (also designed Chateau Elan) borrowed from Scotland here — deceptive grass-walled bunkers, links-style sightlines, and native wetlands woven into a 7,200-yard layout. Considered the best daily-fee experience south of metro Atlanta. “Play it up a set of tees the first time.” — TripAdvisor reviewer.
Upcoming
🏅 #4 Priority · Month 4 — September 2026
Echelon Golf Club
Alpharetta / Cherokee County, GA · ~30 mi from Buckhead
Semi-Private 18 Holes · Par 72 7,558 yds · Rees Jones ⭐ #4 Pick
Weekday: ~$64–79 w/ cart · Weekend: ~$75 · 32-acre practice facility · Grass tee range · Restaurant
Rees Jones design sprawling 600 acres of rolling hills — dramatic elevation changes, natural lakes and streams threaded through 18 distinctive holes. Ranked Top 10 Georgia by Golf Advisor multiple years. “The very best public course in the greater Atlanta area” — AllSquare Golf. Bent grass greens, Tifsport fairways. Buckle up for #13.
Upcoming
🏅 #5 Priority · Month 5 — October 2026
Bear’s Best Atlanta
5342 Aldeburgh Dr, Suwanee, GA · ~35 mi from Buckhead · I-85 N, Exit 111
Public / Daily Fee 18 Holes · Par 72 6,824 yds · Jack Nicklaus ⭐ #5 Pick
Weekday: ~$87–100 w/ cart · Weekend: ~$100–120 · 6-tee grass range · Short game area · Pro shop · Nicklaus memorabilia
Jack Nicklaus handpicked 18 holes from his 300+ worldwide designs and assembled them into one extraordinary round. You’ll play replicas of holes from Castle Pines, Muirfield Village, PGA National, Shoal Creek, and Gleneagles. Golfweek Top 10 Georgia. America’s Best New Course 2005. Five sets of tees (4,725–6,824 yds) makes this playable at any handicap.
Upcoming
Honorable Mention
⛳ Any Week · Buckhead’s Own Backyard
Bobby Jones Golf Course
2205 Northside Dr NW, Atlanta, GA · ~5 mi from Buckhead
Municipal / Public 9 Holes (reversible 18) Donald Ross / Rees Jones 2021 Most Accessible
All days: ~$18–30 · Walking course · Cart available extra · Boone’s restaurant on site · Grand Slam Golf Academy
Built in 1932 — Atlanta’s first 18-hole public course. Reimagined by Rees Jones in 2021 as a reversible 9-hole layout named for Bobby Jones himself. Just 5 miles from Buckhead, it’s the most convenient and historic round in the city. Perfect warm-up course or casual Tuesday round. The price is unbeatable.
The Complete Challenge

All 48 Courses

Every course within 50 miles of Lenox Mall, Buckhead — public, private, and everything in between.

Played Upcoming Member Only
✓ Wk Course Type Dist Holes Weekday Fee My Score
Handicap Journey

The Long Game

From 27 to 13 — tracking every round, every improvement, every humbling day.

Handicap Index Over Time

Chart updates as rounds are logged. Target: reach sub-13 by May 2027.
Milestones
🏌️
Starting Point
HCP 27
May 2026 — Challenge begins
📉
First Target
Break 100
Consistently — not just once
🎯
Mid-Point Goal
HCP 20
Around Month 6 · Nov 2026
🔥
The Dream
Break 90
Consistently — once was a miracle
🏆
Final Target
HCP ≤13
May 2027 — halved from start
Watch the Journey

Vlogs & Round
Recaps

Honest. Unfiltered. A 27-handicapper navigating Atlanta’s finest fairways one video at a time.

Episode 1
Ep. 01 · Coming June 2026
First Tee Jitters at Chastain Park
Week 1. The challenge begins. Can I make it through 18 holes at Atlanta’s most beloved public course without losing all 12 balls in my bag?
Episode 2
Ep. 02 · Coming June 2026
Bobby Jones — History, Holes & Humility
Playing the reimagined 9-hole Bobby Jones Golf Course. Meeting the community. The short game struggles are very much alive.
+
New episode drops weekly Paste your YouTube URL to embed
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Round Journal

Dispatches From
The Fairway

After every round — the honest post-game debrief. What worked, what didn’t, and who I met along the way.

Origin Post
May 2026 · Pre-Challenge
Why I’m Playing 48 Golf Courses in One Year
I found my clubs on Facebook Marketplace for $50. I hit 2 out of 20 balls at a driving range. My body ached. Four years later, after playing in Oman, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Cape Town, and Bangkok, I’m back in Atlanta with a 27 handicap and a ridiculous plan: play every golf course within 50 miles of Buckhead over the next year. Here’s why…
Read the full story
🏌️
Coming Week 1 · June 2026
Chastain Park: Atlanta’s Best Municipal and My First Test
⛳
Coming Week 2 · June 2026
Bobby Jones Golf Course — A Lesson in Humility at a Historic 9-Holer
🌍
Throwback · 2024
The Round That Started It All: Playing in Muscat, Oman
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Fairway

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