Atlanta Athletic Club - Highlands Course

AAC has a long championship lineage. After my first round there, I can see why: it’s a worthy tournament golf course.

You are eased into the round on the Highlands course by a short opening par 4 that makes you decide how to attack the sprawling tree at the inside corner of the dogleg, a gentle par 5, and another plank-straight par 4. Once you reach the tee of the par-3 fourth hole, however, the intrigue of the round begins.

Hitting fairways are paramount. You need to have the proper angles and want to avoid the myriad of fairway bunkers that pockmark the inside and outside of the elbow of doglegs.

The par 3s shine bright. All involve water hazards, and are strikingly beautiful holes. The pair on the back are superb and falling within the final four holes set up a marvelous finishing stretch, though there isn’t a weak hole on the inward half.

Perhaps my favorite hole was the 11th, a bobsled-worthy par 4. A good risk/reward hole, you can fit a 3-wood between the bunkers, or attempt to blast one past the cart path into the flat part of the fairway at the bottom of the hill. The second shot is to a green that is pinched in by a pond on the right and a cluster of bunkers on the left, which really offer no bailout because the green pitches away from them toward the hazard and is really quick. That is a theme. Much like the green-side trap left of the par-5 12th, if the pin is on the front of the green, one would have to play away from the hole because sand shots will likely roll into the hazard. I like this interesting bit of strategy that is imbedded into the design.

Another hallmark of the Highlands course is the closely-mown areas that surround the greens. Not since Pinehurst have I encountered such challenges getting up-and-down. It makes you think you need to chip balls, but you need exquisite hands to pull these shots off because you are normally short-sided in these situations and have little room to work with. Still, it takes excellent judgement to putt from there.

The closing hole is the perfect ending to a fun round. The sprawling clubhouse is a stunning backdrop for what will be a nice full wedge on approach if you have navigated the par 5 appropriately.

Greens were quick.

The practice area is stunning and the range is rivaled only by TPC Sawgrass in my travels.

AAC is my home course, and it never gets old playing Highlands. The host of 3 PGAs, the 1976 US Open, and the 2014 US Am, Highlands is a difficult but fair test of your game. With strategically placed bunkers and water all throughout the golf course, you have to constantly be focused. There are no ‘easy’ birdies, and pars can sometimes feel just as good as a birdie. The conditions are as good as anywhere in the US. The greens are firm and fast year round, and the fairways are pure. In my opinion, Highlands is the 2nd best course in Georgia behind Augusta National. Off the course, the practice facilities are world-class, especially with the new chipping greens on the north tee. 2 fantastic courses and great ways to improve. I’m very lucky to be able to spend everyday here.

The course was nothing short of spectacular. They had the U.S amateur here as well. When I came here to play I was amazed how organized the clubhouse was however it is ranked one of the top clubhouses in the country. The chipping area is great and putting is fast. The driving range has titelist range balls. The course was very I mean very nice. The rough was deep and the putting greens where fast. I loved everything about the course.

Wow, Atlanta Athletic Club is incredible. Everything here is way more than I expected. The clubhouse is massive yet still holds its intimate history. The practice facilities are second to none in Georgia. And the course couldn't have been in more pristine condition. As expected, the greens were rolling at PGA tournament speeds which only adds to the difficulty of the course. The quality and condition of the course is top notch. Although we only played the Highlands course (home of the 2001 and 2011 PGA Champs), Ive heard some actually prefer the non-PGA course!

Its quite exclusively private so I hope I get the chance to play here again someday!

Always an excellent experience. Staff is great, greens are best bermuda in the state, course difficulty is not for hackers. Obviously, this is one of the finer facilities and golf experiences in Georgia, if not the country.