Barnsley Inn & Golf Resort at Barnsley Gardens 
Adairsville, GA 



Reviewed: 2001
Barnsley Inn & Golf Resort at Barnsley Gardens
By Ian Thompson


It never seemed like we were going to get there. 'Round one more bend; just 2.1 more miles to the next directional marker. But get there we did and what a pleasant surprise it was to arrive at Barnsley Inn & Golf Resort at Barnsley Gardens near Adairsville, Ga.

This place is literally in the middle of nowhere, but not far from a couple of somewheres: 60 miles northwest of Atlanta and 52 miles from Chattanooga, Tenn.

Some history is in order and I quote from some promotional literature to paint the picture.

In the 1840's, Godfrey Barnsley, an Englishman who'd made his fortune in the south as a cotton baron, purchased 10,000 acres of woods in Bartow County on which to build a stunning Italian-style manor and English Gardens for his beloved wife, Julia, and their six children. He named the estate Woodlands. Godfrey was one of the most affluent men in the south and Julia Scarborough Barnsley of Savannah was a shipping heiress. All their good fortune, however, could not stave off Julia's declining health.

Although Woodlands offered Julia a respite from Savannah's harsher climate, she succumbed to consumption and died four years after moving there, before work on the gardens and manor was finished. The grief-stricken Godfrey ceased construction and turned to spiritualism in an effort to communicate with her. According to legend, a year after her death Julia appeared to him in the gardens and instructed him to finish the work on the estate for their children and future generations.

Allow me to speed the story along. He did complete the manor, but shortly thereafter saw his fortune lost in the Civil War. He returned to his office in New Orleans.

His daughter Julia (there is a Julia in every generation) struggled to rebuild the property. She is said to be the inspiration for Margaret Mitchell's Scarlet O'Hara in Gone with the Wind.

But the sad saga continued and the family's fortune never did take a turn for the better. In 1906, a tornado blew the roof off the manor, forcing the nearly destitute family to move into the kitchen wing. Then in 1935, one of Godfrey's great grandsons murdered his brother during a dispute over control of the property. Descendants of Godfrey and Julia occupied the estate until 1942, when it was auctioned.

The manor, already in ruin, fell into further disrepair. In 1988, Prince Hubertus Fugger of Bavaria purchased 1300 acres of land in northern Georgia. After buying Barnsley Gardens he discovered the estate's history. Engaged by the stories, he and his wife Princess Alexandra, restored the gardens and in 1992 opened them to the public. A few years later he decided to build a resort and he chose to create an authentic 19th Century village in keeping with Godfrey's original vision for the land.

Hence the tale of Barnsley Gardens is up-to-date.

Prince Fugger has been sensitive to the history of Barnsley Gardens by spending more than $3.5 million to restore the formal gardens maintaining the Andrew Jackson Downing design instituted by Godfrey Barnsley.

The resort has 33 cottages all built and based on Downing's principles and they are connected by pathways. Foot traffic is more prevalent within the confines of Barnsley Gardens than motorized traffic. Three restaurants are on site including The Rice House, Woodlands Grill in the clubhouse for the golf course and a Bavarian Beer Garden.

This getaway destination also has tennis, fishing, walking trails, swimming, fitness center, spa and billiards, as well as the golf course which I shall get to in a minute. There is a 5000 square foot Pavilion used for meeting space and even a chapel with weddings taking place either there or outdoors beneath a rose-covered arbor and receptions in the ruins of the manor.

Yes, this truly is a unique place and it really opened my eyes. I knew nothing of its history; just that they had a good golf course. So let's finally talk golf.

The Jim Fazio (brother of Tom) design opened approximately two years ago and was in immaculate condition the day I played it. Quite mountainous in terrain it stretches through the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is hilly, with substantial distances between some tees, and it is definitely a course enjoyed more from a cart. There is, and will never be, any residential development on the course, which naturally adds to its inherent beauty.

Fazio had the pick of more than 1000 acres on which to design the course. He used 378 acres, a stunningly large amount, but it was available so he used it and has produced a very solid test of golf. Very little dirt was moved to enhance the site, and Fazio more routed the course than built it as Mother Nature had beaten him to it. The lushness of the grass almost hurt my eyes it was so bright and there was a very obvious attention to detail in the upkeep of the course.

Many of the holes are worthy of focus, none more so than the quartet of par threes. If you play these four gems in 12 strokes or less you will gain at least a couple of shots on the field.

They begin with No. 3, as you enter a densely forested area after the openness of the first two holes. Referred to as The Alley this one-shotter requires a long iron to a small green, surprisingly small given that from the back tees it measures 204 yards. There is a fall off to the right so the natural aiming point is to the left, but a bunker on this side could see some action.

Complete this hole and wind onward and upward to the next tee. The cart path zigs and it zags through a canopy of trees 'til you reach the summit and the par 5 fourth.

Reach the tee on the second par 3 - No. 8 - and all you can say is Wow! Dubbed The Descent and quite rightly so this hole measures 262 yards from the back tees, but plays substantially shorter than the yardage on the scorecard. This is because it drops down close to 100 feet to a green that looks no bigger than a thimble. The one place you can't miss is left as the green drops off into a hazard and trees.

The next par 3 is another Wow! hole. The 14th drops as sharply downhill as No. 8 and standing on the tee you have a panoramic view of Wolf Cave Mountain in the distance. Dry Run Creek feeds into a pond which will catch any shot short or right. Stand on the green, once you have safely found it in hopefully just one shot, and look back up at the majesty of the hole behind you. Again it measures over 200 yards on the card, but will play considerably less.

The final two holes at Barnsley Gardens are enough to test anyone's mettle. The 17th is the final par 3; while it is the shortest of the four it may well be the most challenging. The reason why is two-fold. First, it comes so late in the round when pressure invariably mounts and a mid to long iron is not most golfer's specialty. Second, there is trouble all around. A small pond to the right of the green is very much in play especially as the green and ground to the right of the green slopes in this direction. Also a shot missed left or long is not good either as the terrain slopes away from the putting surface into trees and scrub. Also a bunker short will see some action. Simply put a solid, straight shot will only suffice or you could wrack up a big number.

The pressure mounts on the finishing hole. Trouble abounds on this par 4 and you get to see a lot of it before even reaching the tee as you drive adjacent to part of the hole to get back to the tee. Water down the left is in play, where it narrows the landing area considerably, but the right side offers no bail out either as trees and tall grass await. Four fairway bunkers also lurk. Your second shot will be uphill to a two-tiered green with a false front so now is not a time to under-club. Par on this hole will leave you with a smile on your face heading to the clubhouse.

What a fine golf course in unique surroundings. It will take about two and a half hours to get there from Birmingham, but is undoubtedly worth the drive. Golf Digest ranked it the 13th best golf course in Georgia; very commendable given the multitude of fine courses in the Peach State.

Various packages are available and the daily golf rate is $85 Monday-Thursday and $100 Friday-Sunday. Call toll-free 1-877-773-2447 for more information.