Photos Andy Calvert and Amy Sullivan
Since the mid-1890s, Romans have taken to a spot overlooking the Coosa River to play countless games of golf and tennis. In 1909, that spot officially became the Coosa Country Club, a special place where many of Rome’s families have found community and comfort over the ensuing decades.
Coosa Country Club offers a wide range of amenities for members of all ages. “It’s a historic club, family-oriented; member service is the number-one priority for the staff,” General Manager and Head Golf Professional Brian Albertson says. “We definitely have some of the finest amenities to offer to the membership, with the historic championship golf course. We’ve got one of the finest tennis programs as well.”
Fun for Everyone
For the athletes in the family, the club features an 18-hole golf course, eight clay tennis courts and eight hard courts, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, and a fitness center complete with locker rooms and saunas. Members can find all the gear they need in the golf shop, which offers clothing and equipment from the top brands.
Younger athletes can enjoy lessons in swimming, tennis, and golf. The Coosa Junior Golf Academy, founded in 2010, has become very popular with young members, often sparking a lifelong love of the game. “The junior golf academy has been very special,” Albertson says. “We’ve sent countless local kids to the collegiate level on scholarship, and some on to the professional ranks.”
Coosa Country Club has plenty to offer for those who want to relax and socialize as well. The club offers five-star dining and banquet service. Guests can eat in one of the formal dining rooms or enjoy a bite at the snack bar in the middle of a game of golf. “We’ve got spaces for everybody,” Albertson says. “If somebody wants more formal, they can go formal. If they prefer to be casual, we’ve got that too.”
The club’s lounge and bar are a popular gathering place, especially on the evenings of big sporting events. When they’re not dining at the club, members can still enjoy a five-star meal courtesy of the meals-to-go program. “Members drive up, they don’t even have to get out of their car, and they get a nice meal to-go that they’ve custom ordered,” Albertson says.
Family Legacy
Coosa Country Club truly is a place for the whole family, and few people understand that more than Molly Steeves, a native Roman and fourth generation club member. Steeves grew up going to the club with her parents, and now she continues the tradition with her own daughter. “With my daughter, we have had five generations enjoy the Coosa Country Club,” Steeves says. “It’s been my favorite place in the whole wide world.”
Steeves says that in her family, Coosa Country Club is synonymous with celebration. “When we think of any special event, that’s the first place we think of going and celebrating,” she says. “My wedding reception was there, our rehearsal dinner was there, my parents’ wedding reception was there, family holidays… we’ve spent many Thanksgivings there. The Easter celebration is super cool because you end up seeing folks who are in town and grew up going there.”
According to Albertson, the club pulls out all the stops for the holidays and events, and Steeves and her husband are among many couples to celebrate a wedding there. The club provides many beautiful spaces for entertaining, both inside and outdoors. Second-floor meeting rooms are perfect for business meetings or small receptions, while dining rooms and outdoor areas offer space to party with a larger group. Those looking to host an event can work with Executive Chef Jabbaar Newton and Director of Special Events & Weddings Lucas Cook to personalize and perfect every detail of their special occasion.
“Everything they do is top-notch,” Steeves says. “Their events are fantastic.”
A History of Excellence
“It’s a really neat old club, and we celebrate the history and the tradition of old private clubs here in Georgia,” Albertson says. “It’s a very historic club in Georgia, being founded in 1909. A lot of the famous golfers of the past have come through and played here: Bobby Jones used to play here quite a bit; he founded the Masters.” The back nine holes of the golf course opened in 1932, designed by golf course architect Charles W. Hall. In 1961, George Cobb redesigned the course and added the practice range.
Throughout the history of the club’s golf program, it has hosted the GSGA Georgia State Amateur Championship seven times. “We’re set to host that again in 2024,” Albertson says. “That’ll be the eighth time, tying us with the most of any club in Georgia.”
In its 112 years of existence, the club has gone through a variety of changes and updates to continue to provide the best for its members. A fire damaged the clubhouse in 1959, after which it was remodeled. The clubhouse’s most recent remodel took place in 1998 and enlarged the building to its current 50,000 square feet. “Even then, we don’t sit on our laurels,” Albertson explains. “We just completed a $2.5 million renovation to the fine dining space. That also included a new pool pavilion complex, including locker rooms, a full kitchen and new dining space at the pool.”
Though the club has made some changes over the years, its welcoming atmosphere remains steadfast. “Of course there’s little changes that happen anywhere, but I think it’s so special to me because it hasn’t really changed,” Steeves says. “It’s like going back home. I still see my parents’ friends and my grandmother’s friends playing bridge on Thursdays. You walk in, they know your name, my daughter hugs everybody. It’s an extension of our home and family.”
Membership information is available online at coosacountryclub.org. The club offers multiple levels of membership for those looking to join the Coosa family. “It’s a wonderful place to take a step back and enjoy the moment,” Steeves says. “When you’re there, you’re present. It’s convenient, it’s in the heart of town, it’s beautiful and historic. It’s just kind of a haven for me.”
Visit: www.coosacountryclub.org for more information
