Every Hole at Atlanta Athletic Club Highlands Course
Overview: The Atlanta Athletic Club has a long and storied history of championship golf and strong ties to some of the best to ever play this game. The Club was founded in 1898. It was located for a number of years where the current East Lake Golf Club resides before moving out to the Atlanta suburbs of Johns Creek, GA. Bobby Jones, the only golfer to win four majors in the same year, learned how to play golf at the Atlanta Athletic Club and was a member as well. The club pays tribute to Jones throughout its property and maintains the largest collection of Bobby Jones memorabilia in the world. The club has been host to numerous majors and significant tournaments throughout its history, including the U.S. Open, multiple PGA Championships and US Amateurs, and a Ryder Cup (played at the East Lake property). The club recently announced that it will bring back the U.S. Amateur in 2030, commemorating the 100 year anniversary of Bobby Jones capping off his Grand Slam title before retiring from golf.
I have had the fortunate opportunity to be a member at the Atlanta Athletic Club for a number of years. I’ve played more rounds of golf between the two on-site courses collectively than any other course. I shot my personal best score on Highlands, and have spent countless summer evenings and days on the courses and the driving range. My interest in the game within the past few years has certainly increased and if anything has given me a greater appreciation for this fine club and all it has to offer its members and guests. Often times I just think about the fact that I am playing golf at the place Bobby Jones called his home course, which makes me smile.
The Atlanta Athletic Club is home to two 18 hole golf courses, a par 3 course and a world class practice facility. The first 18 hole course, Riverside, was recently re-designed by Tripp Davis and re-opened late in 2022. The second course, Highlands, is the primary host to most of the historic major tournaments on site. I think of it as the tournament, or the Championship course. It’s an excellent course - humbling and challenging at the same time. 27 of the 36 on-site holes at the club were designed by Robert T. Jones in 1964; Joe Finger designed the second nine of Highlands in 1971. The course was re-designed in 2006 by Reese Jones. Highlands has 6 sets of tees and plays a daunting 7,302 yards with a slope rating of 149 from the gold tees. Needless to say I do not spend my time there. I typically play down two tees from the golds to the whites which play 6,284. I would normally play from a yardage standpoint (6,400 to 6,500 yards is my comfort zone). This speaks to the difficulty of the course.
It is not often I take a in depth look at every hole on a course, but this was the right course for me to do so.
Hole 1: Par 4, 398 Yards*
Yardages are from the blue tees
The opening hole of the Highlands course is a moderate length par four. The hole dogs hard to the left and carries down a hill to the first of many greens on this course that is surrounded by bunkers. This is a great opening tee shot. A large tree sits on the left side of the fairway about where the hole turns hard to the left. The ideal play here is to clear the tee with your drive, catch the hill and be left with a short approach shot potentially inside 100 yards. Playing to the right of the tree is safe as well and should leave the golfer with a approach shot within 170 yards.
Opening Hole of the Highlands course requires immediate strategy off the tee
Hole 2: Par 5, 512 Yards
The second is a moderate length par five and one of the best scoring holes on the course. I have had more birdies on number two than any other hole on Highlands. The hole is straight away from tee box to green. Misses to the right can find awkward sloping lies or thick brush in the woods. A miss left can be similar. A good drive can get you in a position where you can consider going for the green in two. Bunkers line both sides of the green, a miss long is usually okay unless you find the slope and role back into the woods. Take advantage of this early scoring hole, because the hole difficulty increases from here.
Corey Conners teeing off number 2 during the 2014 U.S. Amateur; Conners would finish as runner up to Gunn Yang but has had the more successful professional career
Hole 3: Par 4, 445 Yards
Following one of the easier holes on the course comes one of the most difficult holes on Highlands. This long par four is the number one handicap hole on the course and plays as a highly difficult golf hole most days of the year. The fairway moves slightly to the left; anything to the right of the fairway is usually trouble. This hole is long on the scorecard and plays that way as well. Even after a good tee shot for me on this hole, I am usually left in the 160 yard range. The green here is large and fairly generous to land a approach shot though putting can add a whole different dynamic. A par on number three is always a major win.
The fourth is one of the most difficult holes on Highlands and is the number one ranked course handicap
Hole 4: Par 3, 165 Yards
The par three fourth is the signature hole on the front nine of Highlands. You can make a case for a number of signature holes on the back. It is certainly one of the most visually appealing holes on the front nine as well. A large lake requires carry onto the green. The first water carry of the day, but not the last. The green has multiple tiers and while large in nature, pin placement can make two to three club difference from the front to back. On a windy day, the fourth becomes a very difficult hole. Misses to the right of this green are okay on this hole with a small bowl area to chip or put out of. The green slopes towards the lake. The miss to stay away here is long in the back bunker which provides a nearly impossible bunker shots at times with sections of the green sloping towards the water.
Number four is one of the front nine signature holes
Hole 5: Par 5, 541 Yards
The fifth hole is the second par five on the front nine. Tee shot is straight away and the hole dogs to the right. As is the case on many of Highlands holes, sand is prevalent throughout much of this hole including the green. The approach shot is straight away but again has sand surrounding almost all aspects of this green. While this is not as easy of a hole as the par 5 second, if played well, it should certainly be a hole the golfer has a good look at birdie or par. Even if you miss the fairway on this hole, recovery to save your score is feasible.
Another good early scoring hole, the par 5 fifth
Hole 6: Par 4, 403 Yards
The sixth is a straight away par four. The hole does not play long and golfers should be left with anything from an eight iron to a wedge for this approach shots. Bunkers line the right side of this hole and a large tree on the left often comes into play for me and at times and is viable to block out approach shots. A small lake is tucked to the left side of the hole and can certainly come into play, especially with a back left pin placement here. Misses to the right or off the back will usually leave the golfer with a tricky chip off tight grass back up onto the green. Tight lies off the greens on Highlands are common place. The green is a another large one and it is a hole you have to be careful not to walk away with a three put on.
Nelly Korda teeing off on the par 4 6th; tees were brought forward on this final round of play to shorten the hole significantly.
Hole 7: Par 3, 179 Yards
The second par three of the front is another beautiful hole. A large multi tier green provides many different avenues on how this hole can play. When the pin is on the right side of the green misses right are common place with a bowl area where the golfer can chip up hopefully to make par. It will also play much shorter with a pin placement on the right side of the green. A small lake sits in front of the hole but is far enough away from the green to where it should not come into play. While this par three may play somewhat less difficult than the third, it’s still a hole where you feel good walking away with a par given some of the complexities that can come with pin placement.
Another visually appealing par 3 on the front nine
Hole 8: Par 4, 421 Yards
The eighth is one of the more intimidating shots off the tee the golfer will face on the front nine. A large lake lines the first half of the left side of the fairway as the hole moves up to the left. The play here is to try and hit a nice draw into the fairway without finding the water. Usually misses right off the tee are okay but will create a long approach shot. The eighth is certainly a hole that certainly makes the golfer think on the tee box. If you can find the fairways here, the approach shot is usually fairly manageable distance with another large green. Stay away from large set of bunkers on the left side of the green. This is great golf hole. Try not to take on more of the lake that you think you can.
Tee box view from number eight, how much of the lake to try and clear is the question
Hole 9: Par 4, 407 yards
The front nine closes out with a par four that carries back towards the clubhouse and runs parallel to number one. The fairway on this hole elevates and then slopes down again before rising to a slightly elevated green. A good tee shot here will either be up the left side or for big hitters they can carry the downward slope of the fairway to be left with a short approach to the green. The front nine of Highlands is a perfect start, but the back nine is really where you get a great run of championship golf holes.
Green to fairway view of number nine
Hole 10: Par 4, 405 Yards
The start of the back nine of Highlands is a par four with a hard dog leg right. Big hitters will play a fade over the dog leg and tree line and be left with a short distance to the hole. The other play is down the fairway which is safe but can be left with a longer approach shot if some fade is not on the shot which can help take a good bit of distance off the hole. A drive straight and long can be okay as long as it’s not too long, golfer will likely find themselves on or at bottom of a hill or in a bunker. The approach shot here is a fairly straight forward one, the miss to stay away from is left with out of bounds far left and large bunkers covering most of the left side of the hole.
Approach shot view (with a good tee shot) from number 10
Hole 11: Par 4, 421 Yards
One of the signature holes on the Highlands course and also one of my favorites is the par four eleventh. It is a incredibly challenging golf hole. The hole dogs left and requires a downhill tee shot to the left side off the hole. Tee shots can often clear the downslope and leave the golfer inside 100 yards. If you are left on the top part of the fairway, which will be the case more times than not for me , you are looking at one of the most difficult approach shots on the course. . The approach shot is fun, nervy, and thrilling. Misses long here are okay. Misses left can turn into danger, particularly into the sand. Similar to number four, everything on this green funnels towards the lake. The safe play here is finding left side of the green, or even at times missing short. A par on this difficult and majestic golf hole is a fine score.
One of my favorite approach shots and views on Highlands is on the par four 11th
Hole 12: Par 5, 495 Yards
Number twelve is another manageable par five and the last par five until the closing hole on Highlands. Tee shot is straight forward with bunkers on the right and trees on the left. This hole dogs hard to the left. Depending on the angle of your second shot you may have a clear look to consider a long play closer to the green or be forced to layup. A lake lines the right side of the hole and comes into play about 100 yards from the hole and in. The green here is a bit tighter but is fairly long top to bottom. Keep the approach shot here on the left side of the green.
Tee box on the par five 12th
Hole 13 : Par 4, 364 Yards
The thirteenth is the shortest par four on the course. Players may hit anything from a five iron to a driver here off the tee. This hole moves to the right and the golfer should be left with a very manageable approach shot. This green also seems to play fairly tight (maybe it’s my perception) and there are really no major risks here from a miss standpoint.
The 13th is one of three dog leg right par fours on the back nine
Hole 14: Par 413 Yards
The fourteenth follows with another dog leg right par four. This hole is longer than the thirteenth and plays to an elevated green. Misses to the left or the right on both sides off the fairway can leave you in the sand. The elevated green is a large complex one. Misses short and left here can leave you hitting from a brutal set of bunkers. Misses right and long are more common place and leave you with a chip or put out of a gully onto the green.
Approach shot view on number 14, stay long or right here with a miss
Hole 15: Par 3, 204 Yards
The fifteenth is one of the signature holes on the course and starts a great stretch of finishing holes. Out of the four par fours on the course, I think this is by and far the most intimidating and difficult. From the whites or blues the hole can play anywhere from 165 to over 190 yards. The tee shot plays slightly downhill. A lake lines the hole from the front middle all the way up the right side. A miss right on this hole is almost always disaster. A far right pin placement here is not to be touched by the average golfer, with intention. I may sound like a broken record, but walking away with a par here is a great score. One of the most famous shots on this hole was David Tom’s hole in 1 from 245 yards helping seal victory in the 2001 PGA Championship.
Maybe the best view on Highlands, from the tee box of the par three fifteenth. Also maybe the most difficult par three on the course.
Hole 16: Par 4, 373 Yards
The sixteenth is a very similar hole design and feel to number fourteen. This par four dogs right and plays to an elevated green. Depending on where you play your approach shot, you may not know where your ball lands until you are up on the green. One of the few blind approach shots on the course.
Summer views of Highlands can be quite stunning, 16th fairway here
Hole 17: Par 3, 186 Yards
Number seventeen is another fun par three. An elevated tee shot plays down over a sizeable lake. Clearing the lake will put you on the green, anything short will be in the drink. I think this is my favorite par three on the course as it’s a very playable hole but also requires a accurate golf shot. During the 2011 PGA Championship, Jason Dufner made a critical bogey here to further open the window for Keegan Bradley’s comeback victory.
Number 17 continues the theme of par threes over water
Hole 18: Par 5, 528 Yards
The finale is an excellent finishing hole in the form of a long par five. The tee shot is straight away and then the hole moves to the left where water comes into play on the left side of the hole and then ultimately front facing for your approach shot. Your approach shot is a memorable one and leads into the back of the clubhouse. You’ll have someone watching you play in on mot days of the year. The approach shot is always a nervy one with yet again requiring clearance over water, a theme throughout a round on the Highlands course. During the 2011 PGA Championship, the tees were pushed all the way back and the hole was played as a incredibly long par four. There were a few golf balls that went into the lake during the tournament.
The closing hole on Highlands is challenging and intimidating
Summary: The greens on Highlands, when rolling strong, are very quick. The sand is more than plentiful. Fairways are long and in the summer months are a beautiful sight to be hold. Highlands is a Championship level golf course. It will humble any golfer, but also improve their game at the same time. It has hosted historic tournaments and has a pipeline of more to come in future years. The Atlanta Athletic Club is a very special place as is this golf course.
Course Rating: A-