Atlanta Athletic Club (Highlands) - Georgia - USA

Atlanta Athletic Club Highlands course is the proverbial horse designed by committee, hence the final result is a camel. As the population of Atlanta starting migrating towards the northeast, The East Lake membership became desirous of a club closer to where they lived. Hence, the Atlanta Athletic Club came into being, although it was originally called Riverbend Country Club. The original 27 holes were designed by Robert Trent Jones. The members requested a more playable 9 and in 1971 Joe Fingers obliged. These holes now make up the front nine of the Highlands Course. Later that year Bobby Jones wrote his infamous letter to the USGA requesting AAC host the US Open. Sadly, Jones passed away shortly thereafter and thus never saw AAC host a major. The Fazios where brought in to bring the layout “up to US Open standards”. Today’s 17th and 18th were “borrowed” from the original Riverbend 27 to create the track we know today.

The first hole is a welcoming par 4 dogleg left. Don’t be too aggressive of the tee or you may be blocked out, but be aware of the bunkers on the outside of the elbow. This is a well protected green with a left to right tilit. The par 5 2nd is reachable in two. Another well protected green and long right is death. The long par 4 3rd is a tough hole. To have a shot at par favor the left side of the fairway to avoid the fairway bunkers right. This green is sloped back to front, you do not want to be above the hole. The par 3 4th can range anywhere from 165 yards to 230. Water hazard creates a peninsular green with death left. Don’t be stupid, go for the middle of the green. The long par 5 5th is a three shotter. Another well protected green, but it should not be the number one handicap hole. The 6th is a good birdie oppty. Favor the left off the tees to avoid the fairway bunkers right. This is a very narrow fairway but a straight away hole with a pond front left of the green. The 7th is another long par 3 with a carry over water. While somewhat intimidating the big challenge is the BAB in front of a long narrow green. The long par 4 8th is a beast. Dogleg left with the entire left side protected by a lake and the right elbow has a cluster of fairway bunkers. A challenging uphill approach shot requires an extra club to a green protected by bunkers left and right. Long is dead. Pat yourself on the back if you escape with a par. The front ends with a very birdieable par 4. Fairway bunkers left and right with a downhill approach.

The backside also starts off with a birdieable par 4. Heck, if I can do it, anybody can. Slight dogleg right with bunkers on the outside elbow. This is a very long green, choose your iron wisely. The dogleg left 11th is a tough hole, Bunkers on the inside and outside. It is an optical illusion that you can clear the left hand bunker. Don’t go there. The green is protected by bunkers left and a pond right. The green tilts towards the water. The downhill par 5 12th hole can be reached in two and is an excellent risk/reward hole. A draw down the leftside gives you the best oppty and will avoid the fairway bunkers on the left. A pond comes into play about 100 yards out and runs up the entire right side to the green. A BAB protects the left side of the green but there is decent opening in front of the green. The 13th is short and tight. A sharp dogleg right with tall pines lining both sides of the fairway. Bunkers on both sides of the elbow can create a challenge. Too far left and you will be blocked out. The 14th is a slight dogleg right with massive BABs on both sides of the elbow. Favor the left center of the fairway. Take an extra club on your approach to this elevated and treacherous green. Tough hole.

The downhill par 3 15th is intimidating. It is the longest of the par 3s and the water hazard is protecting 80% of the green. Our group splashed 4 balls and it is rated the number 16th handicap hole?!?! It isn’t even the toughest par 3. That is the 17th, another par 3 in excess of 200 yards. It is all carry over the water that kisses the green. No bailout, just got to hit a golf shot. The 18th is a super par 5 finishing hole. Don’t try to be a hero and go for it two. Fairway bunkers line the right side and there is a large water hazard left and then protecting the front of the green. I was about 110 yards out and figured a nice pitching wedge would do the trick. I hit it well, and was giving it a nice pose. Splash!! I was stunned. I looked over at the caddy and he said, “It almost always plays one club longer. You cannot feel the breeze as it is blocked out by the clubhouse.”

Good but not great

This was a very special day. I departed from Argentina the night before and went directly to play East Lake after landing. We had lunch there and then straight to AAC to play Highlands where Keegan defeated Dufner in that playoff. The afternoon was special from beginning to end despite being in a rush and finishing the round just before dusk. We got to the Club just 30mins before the tee time with almost no time for warming up although it was not needed as we played in the morning.

The Club House is all you can expect from a Major Championship venue, amazing. Memorabilia all over it, Trophies, Pictures, Scorecards and more nring you to great moments we have seen on TV.

The course is great from beginning to end, although the back 9 are better in creativity, design and challenge. I had a rough front 9 with too many mistakes but on back 9 I hit all 9 GIR to a great 36. We played blue tees (6900yds) but under very wet conditions and very hilly so they seemed to be like 7200yds, a brutal test for a second round of a day after 10hrs flight.

There are great holes but I have to place par 4 9th, par 4 11th, par 5 12th and 15-17-18 as the most remarkable places of the course. 12th is an amazing par 5 where the back tee is elevated like 20mts from landing area. 15th is the par 3 were Dufner sent the ball to the water: we played the third tee box and had 220yds to pin, a very difficult 4 iron. 17th is a great par 3 over the water and par 5 18th (which Pros played as par 4) is a great finishing hole where to get home in 2 you need a monster drive (which I didn't have!).

My only regrest is we played in a cloudy day and many of the flowers had not exploded yet so the potential beauty of the course was not at its highest. But a hell of an experience and a brutal challenge, playing one of these makes you see the difference with the Pros. Greens were rolling at least 12 in the stimp, some putters were just too tough for amateurs even low handicappers.

In the massive open expanse just off an Atlantan suburban freeway lies the palatial haven that is the Atlanta AC. I would describe it as a mix of traditional old golf club with modern country club facilities. The clubhouse is massive, with multiple event and hospitality rooms dedicated to Bobby Jones. When we were there there a few weeks ago there were a few parties of women golfers chattering on the veranda overlooking the two 18ths, which is unusual for the US. The dichotomous theme spills over onto the course, which is neither rawly old school or modern resort design. Fairways snake beautifully between huge engulfing white bunkers, all framed by tall manicured pines. Every now and then and artificial lake is thrown in, very blue and brick-lined, normally laying very close to green edges!! There were snack carts and marshalls out even though we seemed to be only the second group on the course. Off the tee it is great fun, challenging but still fair. There are all types of tee-shots required, 4 par fours, long par 4s, dog-legs, elevations, trees, lakes. The greens are undulating without having overly severe slopes. Lest to say they were extremely quick when we were there, 12-13 on the stimp. Like my home course, I felt the outstanding feature that separated it from other great courses was the quality of its par-3s. Each of their greens were bracketed by a lake and a bunker, all playing different lengths. Two of them will be extremely long for the PGA, goodness know how Toms holed that 5 wood, as you can easily put your tee shot in the water. Obviously, great closing hole; tough three shotter off the medal tees, will be a fantastic par-4 for the pros at 500 yards!! Choongy xx

I must say this course is quite weird. The front nine starts out wide open and has a championship type of golf feel to it. But when you start down the back nine, the entire feel of the course changes. The wide open nature of the course switches to narrow and tight. It seems to be one short dog leg par 4 after another one. Strange. Upon reviewing the course after my round, I found that the front nine was designed by Joe Finger and the back by RT Jones...and of course Rees Jones fixed it up later. So, that explains the two courses wrapped in one feeling. But that doesn't change the fact that this isn't an ideal feeling for golf course.

The AAC boasts two great courses. Many of the members favour the more traditional layout of the Riverside, but having played both of them several times, I would have to say the Highlands is the most exciting and definitely most appropriate to host the PGA Championship in 2011. There is a definite progression here, with many of the holes on the back nine making every shot challenging, from tee to green. My favourite hole by far is the beautiful par 4 11th. The fairway slopes down and round the right side of a mound, like a helter-skelter slide. There's plenty of room for the tee shot, but the approach is daunting from every angle: Severely downhill to a green flanked on its left edge by two large bunkers and on its right, by a pond. The regular pin position leaves around 5 yards to play with right of the flagstick before you get wet. Accuracy is key and there is no better feeling than nailing your approach on this hole. The 17th also stands out as a picturesque par 3 over water to a shallow green. Then prepare for one of the most nerve-jangling ends to any round, as the par 5 18th plays most of the way alongside a large lake, before demanding a hefty shot over the water to reach the green. Can't wait to see the pros play this one next year.