An exclusive North Georgia golf club sold. It’s part of a big trend in golf.

Hawks Ridge Golf Club, an 18-hole course about one hour north of downtown Atlanta, has been acquired for the first time in its more than 25-year history.

Escalante Golf, an owner and operator of golf properties across 17 states, is the buyer. The group plans to make improvements to the property, with details disclosed at a later date. Golf course architect Tripp Davis, who completed an extensive renovation of Atlanta Athletic Club’s Riverside course in Johns Creek in 2022, has been recruited to create a master-plan for the club.

Escalante declined to provide a sales price.

Hawks Ridge, located in Ball Ground, is Escalante’s second investment in Georgia, following the 2019 acquisition of The River Club in Suwanee.

Opening in 1999, the invitation-only Hawks Ridge was the brainchild of friends and business partners Mike Nixon and Joe Jillson. The pair began the search for the land after selling a large share of their national subcontracting materials company, Q.I. Corp. They landed on 550 acres of rolling North Georgia hills, and hired architect Bob Cupp to build a course and practice facility, along with a par-3 course.

Other amenities at Hawks Ridge include a clubhouse, restaurant, training center, helipad and a pair of four-bedroom member cottages.

After years of waning interest, golf saw a surge in play in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic. Golf participation has grown by 41% over the past six years, according to data from the National Golf Foundation, and players are becoming increasingly younger and more diverse. National rounds played reached an all-time high in 2025.