Bobby Jones would have loved the Champions Retreat Golf Club.

At least that’s what Arnold Palmer (Stats | Bio) said during a Monday visit to the soon-to-be-finished course.

On the day Augusta celebrated Palmer’s 50th start in the Masters Tournament, the sports icon traveled to Columbia County to check the status of the nine holes he designed.

"The more time I spend out here, doing what I’m doing today, designing and playing gives me the opportunity to learn more about the game and what it’s going to take to continue to improve it," he said as a backhoe dug irrigation trenches through the course.

To the untrained eye, the course seemed nothing more than cleared swaths of land and piles of dirt. But to Palmer it was much more.

"I see the undulation, the mounds. I see the sand traps and the things I don’t like, so I’ll change them," he said.

Palmer teamed with Jack Nicklaus (Stats | Bio) and Gary Player (Stats | Bio) to each design nine holes in the private course, set to open this fall. Nicklaus and Player are expected to review their holes today.

Champions Retreat is one of the first courses to use three different designers to compose 27 holes.

"Getting Palmer, Nicklaus and Player together is unique, but we’ll do anything for the money," he joked, adding that he believed the course will be a great addition to Augusta’s golf scene.

Palmer said he’s seen golf evolve in his 50-plus years as a pro, most notably players’ ability to strike longer drives, which requires lengthened courses .

Still, the biggest challenge he faces as a course designer is to create holes that are exciting for scratch golfers, but not overwhelming for the high-handicappers.

"We want to give the higher handicapper the opportunity to not get into so much trouble," he said. "Give them a place to lay up, or an escape route."

Though this is his last Masters Tournament as a competitor, Palmer said he plans to return to Augusta regularly to play Augusta National Golf Club and Champions Retreat. "It’ll be neat when he comes out to play," said Shea Stancil, associate golf professional at Champions Retreat. "I just wonder if he’ll play Nicklaus’ and Player’s nine, or just his?"

Reach James Gallagher at (706) 823-3227 or james.gallagher@augustachronicle.com.