Best of Augusta 2012 - Best Beauty & Fitness

Exercise Facility
The winner is the Y. “The who?” The Y. “The why? You mean the what?” No, we don’t. The. Y. Why? Because readers said so. Whew. That was a workout. Where were we? Oh yes. Omni Health and Fitness muscles into second. Live Fit edged out Same-Day Tape Delay Fit for third.

Day Spa
There’s only one way to get to Italy (Tuscany, to be exact) and still be back home in time to nuke some corn dogs for the family: head for Tuscany: A Classic Italian Spa, a scenic region of Ponder Place Drive known for its beautiful scenery and relaxing spa treatments. Retreat Spa and Salon wins second; Serenity Day Spa ties with Spa Bleu for third. (When you say “Bleu,” be sure to stick your lips out a little in the traditional French style.)

Place To Swim
Oh lord, here we go again. The Family Y takes first place. End of discussion! The Augusta Aquatics Center washes up in second, while the new kid in town, the Kroc Center, is third.

Public Golf Course
The course named after the creek named after the man named Jones takes the—can we say green jacket? Jones Creek leads the pack. Forest Hills gets second-place money. The Patch wins third.

Private Golf Course
To get into the Augusta Country Club, the top reader pick, you need a Members Only jacket. Champions Retreat and Sage Valley are second and third.

Place To Ride a Bicycle
Strap on those training wheels—don’t be embarrassed—and pedal down the Augusta Canal, just as people have been doing since the 1800s. The awesomely awesome North Augusta Greeneway gets one place in the standings for each wheel. Downtown Augusta wins third.

Best Kept Recreational Secret
The first secret, which no longer is, finds us approaching a vehicle inspection, fingerprinting and background check at the Fort Gordon gate. Well duh. No wonder their facilities are the best kept secret. The second former secret are the Augusta Canal bike trails, upon which you may also walk or jog. Third place: New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam.

Pet Grooming
Rumor has it that most of the groomers at D’Tails Pet Grooming (French for “the tails”—they are swanky, aren’t they?) are graduates of the Vidal Sassoon School of Styling and Flea Dips. No wonder they lead the fur brigade. Suggs Kennel is fur-ious in second and the Animal Boutique takes furred—uh, third.

Barber
Speaking of fur, this time of the human variety, Durden’s Monte Sano Barber Shop is the place to get refurbished, so to speak. They are the belle of the furball. Daniel Village Barber Shop comes in next, followed by Dapper & Company Men’s Grooming.

Tennis Courts
Ladies, is there some obnoxious guy you’ve been wanting to give the back of your hand to? Then do it. Give him your backhand at Newman Tennis Center. Don’t wait another day. West Lake Country Club and Petersburg Racquet Club also earn second and third place reader recommends.