If any golf club can handle adversity such as a dead green here and there, East Lake can. Remember, we're talking about a Golf Club that has been through more tough times than almost any golf club you can name.
What began as an amusement park in the 1890s with a swimming beach and hot dogs soon gave way in 1898 to the Atlanta Athletic Club. John Heisman, the Georgia Tech football coach and namesake of the trophy was named athletic director of the club and promptly installed programs for swimming, tennis, basketball and track, but not golf.
In 1904 the club acquired property in the Atlanta suburbs and hired golf course architect Tom Bendelow to layout the course now known as East Lake. By 1906 they had the first 9 holes and by 1907 all 18 were complete. That same year East Lake hosted the Southern Amateur. By 1919 and again in 1920 they hosted the Southern Open, and in 1927 the event's champion was none other than club member Bobby Jones.
Feeling their oats, in 1928 the club brought in Donald Ross to design the "new" No. 2 course.
1963 brought the 15th Ryder Cup matches to East Lake. Then in 1962 the Club sold the No. 2 course and in 1968 moved to its present home in Duluth. Unfortunately the area fell victim to urban decay and crime and by 1967 the area and the club were in total disrepair. In 1968 East Lake Country Club was formed, however the area continued to decay and by 1980 the once proud East Lake was a tired, mostly forgotten golf course.
In 1993 a local charity purchased the property as a tribute to Bobby Jones and began to restore East Lake and the surrounding community. In 1995 the East Lake Community Foundation was formed and began its collaboration with private and public organizations to offer East Atlanta residents opportunities to build a better future.
Today, East Lake is a mixed-income community with private housing as well as subsidized multi-family housing, Atlanta's first charter school, a community YMCA, family centers and much more... and Bobby Jones is smiling.
In 2000 Phil Mickelson won the Tour Championship on the East Lake course. Retief Goosen's Tour Championship followed that in 2004. In 2005 the PGA Tour named East Lake Golf Club the permanent home of the Tour Championship, so a little trouble with the greens is nothing they can't over come.
East Lake Golf Club: Par 72 – 7,242 yds
Hole by Hole Descriptions
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#1 Par 4, 424 yds:
The drive on the opening hole requires the player to be on the left side of the fairway to have the best shot at the green. Two bunkers to the right of the green and one bunker to the left of the green are ready to capture an errant shot. The deep bunker on the right makes a back right hole location the toughest. |
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#2 Par 3, 214 yds:
To score well at East Lake, players can't afford to miss the green on the short side of the flagstick. That's particularly true here. This par three plays a bit shorter than yardage, but it's a must to put the ball on the green. The green slopes dramatically from back to front and from left to right and is guarded by bunkers on the left and front. |
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#3 Par 4, 387 yds:
A fairway wood should be the club of choice on this short par four, leaving the player with a short iron to the green. The front of the green is guarded by two large bunkers that are especially difficult if the hole is cut on the right portion of the green. The green slopes from back to front and has several dominating ridges that make this green difficult to read. |
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#4 Par 4, 440 yds:
A long, straight-away par four. Players will want to avoid the two fairway bunkers on the right to set up a mid iron approach to this green. The green slopes from left to right, making the left hole locations the most difficult. |
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#5 Par 5, 561 yds:
The first par 5 at East Lake typically plays shorter than the yardage as the hole plays downhill and downwind. A good drive will leave the player with a fairway wood to the large green or a mid-iron to lay-up short of the right side fairway bunker. Two bunkers to the left and one bunker on the back right frame a very undulating green that slopes from front to back. |
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#6 Par 3, 168 yds:
The signature hole at East Lake. One of the first island holes in America, this 168 yard par three is an intimidator especially with the prevailing wind pushing the ball towards the water on the right of the green. The only bail-out is a bunker on the left of the green which provides another terrifying shot. The most challenging hole location is front right, but back left, behind the bunker, is also tough. |
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#7 Par 4, 394 yds:
The seventh is a slight dogleg to the left that demands accuracy off the tee. A fairway bunker along the right side will punish a drive straying in that direction, resulting in a difficult approach shot. The second shot must navigate two deep green-side bunkers in order find the two-tiered green, which the players are unable to see from the fairway. |
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#8 Par 4, 405 yds:
The shortest par four on the golf course is a dog leg left with bunkers and trees on the left side of the fairway that should deter players from cutting the corner. Although it often is thought of as a birdie hole, number eight has a relatively small, firm green, and is surrounded by a deep bunker on the front and thick rough on all sides. Birdies might not be as plentiful as one would think. |
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#9 Par 5, 600 yds:
The big hitter that finds the fairway will reap the rewards on the ninth hole. A long drive will provide an opportunity to reach the green in two, especially if the hole plays downwind. The second shot will be either a mid to long iron to lay up short of a fairway bunker on the left side of the fairway or a fairway wood to try and make the green in two. The green is guarded on the front by deep bunkers and anything long will be a difficult up-and-down. A very challenging finish to an excellent first nine. |
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#10 Par 5, 516 yds:
The first par 5 on the backside is guarded by three bunkers down the left side of the fairway. A good drive will leave the player with a long iron or fairway wood to lay up short and right of the green side bunkers. The green slopes severely from back right to front left, making lag putting from the back a real chore. |
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#11 Par 3, 197 yds:
Depending on the wind, the tee shot to the elevated green ranges from a 4 iron to a 6 iron for most players. The green is 38 yards deep and the back portion of the green is blind to the players from the tee. A large Oak protects the right side of the green and the front portion is pinched by a pair of deep greenside bunkers. Sidehill putts often have four or five feet of break and putts from above the hole are surprisingly quick. |
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#12 Par 4, 391 yds:
Most players will hit fairway woods or long irons off the tee on this downhill par 4. An overhanging tree and deep rough on left-side of fairway makes this hole very tough from the left side. The right center of the fairway is the ideal location, leaving a short iron to the green. |
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#13 Par 4, 439 yds:
Number 13 is a good driving hole. From the championship tee box, players will aim just to the right of the fairway bunkers. A left center fairway position is ideal. Right center is workable, but it means dealing with the right greenside bunker on the approach. Like many others at East Lake, the green is sloped from back to front, making ball position on the green critical. |
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#14 Par 4, 442 yds:
Old oaks and tall pines grow close to the fairway on both sides of this straight-away par four, making it a very tight and demanding driving hole. Longer tee shots could have a difficult sidehill stance along the right side of the fairway. The two-tiered green is bunkered on both sides, with the green running from back to front. Players placing their ball on the proper tier below the hole will have opportunities to birdie this hole. |
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#15 Par 5, 495 yds:
Three tall pines on the right side of the fairway will force the players to hit a fade to find the best position in the fairway. With a good drive, players will reach this short par 5 in two. A well bunkered green poses some problems if missed long or on the short side. One of the easiest holes at East Lake, a par here will drop a shot to the field. |
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#16 Par 4, 481 yds:
This picturesque hole provides a commanding view of the Atlanta skyline and East Lake. Equally commanding is the tee shot required to play this hole well. The fairway narrows to 25 yds wide at the 278 mark from the tee, making driving accuracy a premium on this long par four. From here a mid to long iron is needed to reach this green. Two large bunkers await any arrant approaches to a large receptive green which slopes from back to front. |
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#17 Par 4, 453 yds:
Two bunkers lie to the right of the fairway landing area on this final par four at East Lake. The approach is played to a large, undulating green that is flanked by a big bunker to the right and one short of the putting surface to the left. A predominant ridge crosses the center of this green, making it tough to get the ball close to back hole locations. |
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#18 Par 3, 235 yds:
Depending on the wind (which is usually in your face), the players could use anything from a fairway wood to a long iron on this demanding par 3. The two-tiered green doesn't leave much room for error, with deep bunkers guarding both the left and right side. Any shot that is above the hole must be treated with extra care, as this green is one of the most difficult to putt at East Lake. This hole should provide plenty of drama on Sunday afternoon. |
