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Course Profile
East Lake Golf Club
East Lake measures 7,112 yards from the championship tees and plays to par 72. The most talked about hole on the front nine is the 165-yard, par-3 sixth, which plays from an elevated tee to a diagonally angled peninsula green stuck out in the lake. Lest you think this is one of Rees Jones' flights of modern fancy, understand that this particular green complex existed on the original Bendelow course, where it served as the green at the par-5 16th. Bobby Jones usually struggled with the par-3 sixth. Seeking club selection advice, Jimmy Demaret once asked Jones, "What did you use on this hole?" Jones responded, "A water ball."
East Lake's back nine boasts one superior hole after another, but the finish is unforgettable, beginning with the uphill, yet very reachable 495-yard 15th. Hole number 16 plays downhill but into the wind, and enjoys sensational views of not only East Lake itself, its waters glistening in the late afternoon sun, but also of the Atlanta city skyline.
The 453-yard 17th is simply a marvelous hole. With the lake on the left, breezes from the left and bunkers to the right, the 17th requires a long and accurate tee shot. The intriguing green is sloped back-to-front on the first half, then right-to-left on the back portion, making for interested putting and causing havoc with approach shots. Finally, the 18th hole is a terrific closer, an uphill, into-the-wind 232-yard par-3.
Over the years, East Lake has given birth to 21 regional and 21 national golf champions and is the only course in history to have produced two British Amateur champions: Bobby Jones in 1930 and Charlie Yates in 1938. The course has hosted 17 major championships, most notably the 1950 U.S. Women's Amateur, 1963 Ryder Cup, 101st United States Amateur Championship in 2001, and the 1998 and 2000 PGA TOUR Championship. Also, East Lake will host the PGA TOUR Championship and the Southern Amateur in 2002.
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