East Lake Golf Course, a name that echoes with the history of the sport, resides in the vibrant city of Atlanta, Georgia. This iconic course, a Donald Ross masterpiece, is more than just a meticulously manicured landscape, it’s the hallowed ground where legends have walked, the permanent home of the PGA TOUR’s finale, and a beacon of community revitalization. This article not only pinpoints its location but also explores the rich history, the challenge it presents to the world's best, and the remarkable mission that defines it.
To be perfectly clear, East Lake Golf Course is located in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s nestled in a historic neighborhood just a few miles east of downtown, giving it a unique character that blends urban proximity with classic, parkland golf. Founded in 1904, it wasn't just a place to play, it was part of the fabric of Atlanta's development and a hub for the city’s passionate golfers.
Today, East Lake is a private club, meaning you won't find it on your typical golf booking app. Its exclusivity, however, isn't just about prestige. It’s deeply connected to its primary roles: serving its membership and hosting the top 30 players in the world for the TOUR Championship each year. When you hear the name "East Lake," your first thought should be Georgia golf, the FedExCup Playoffs, and one of the most exciting finishes to the professional golf season.
The story of East Lake is inseparable from the story of golf's greatest amateur, Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones, Jr. He didn't just play at East Lake, he was shaped by it. It was here, on these very fairways, that a young Bobby Jones learned the game that would lead him to win the Grand Slam in 1930.
The course itself has a pedigreed history. Originally laid out by Tom Bendelow in the early 1900s, it received a transformative redesign from the legendary architect Donald Ross in 1913. This is the version of the course that truly cemented its place in golf history and the one whose core principles are still present today. Ross’s philosophy revolved around using natural terrain to create strategic challenges. His greens are famously tricky - often crowned or sloped to repel shots that aren't perfectly struck and placed.
As a coach, I see the genius in this type of design. It doesn't just reward power, it rewards thought. A Donald Ross course, and East Lake in particular, forces you to think from the tee box about where you want your approach shot to land on the green. Merely hitting the fairway isn't always enough. You need to be on the correct side of the fairway to have the best angle of attack. This is one of the pillars of sound golf - your setup and strategy on the tee box are just as important as the swing itself. The great Bobby Jones honed his strategic mind on this very puzzle.
Since 2005, East Lake has been the permanent home of the TOUR Championship, the final leg of the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup Playoffs. This single fact elevates its status from a historic club to a modern-day coliseum where the season-long race for golfing supremacy concludes.
For casual fans, the format is thrillingly simple. The top 30 players who battle their way through the preceding playoff events arrive in Atlanta for the final showdown. To add another layer of drama, the tournament uses a "Starting Strokes" format. Based on their FedExCup points standing, players begin the tournament with a pre-assigned score. The leader starts at -10, the next player at -8, and so on, down to players starting at even par. The player who finishes with the lowest total score at the end of four rounds is crowned both the TOUR Champion and the FedExCup Champion.
This event brings the world's best golfers to Georgia every year, all vying for the enormous multi-million dollar prize. It makes for compelling television and has cemented East Lake's reputation as a course that rigorously tests every facet of a professional's game under immense pressure.
Watching the pros tackle East Lake is a masterclass in course management. Since you and I can't just book a tee time, let's look at how a smart golfer - a pro or an aspirational amateur - would approach a couple of its signature holes. Thinking this way can help your game on any course you play.
In 2016, the nines at East Lake were famously reversed for the TOUR Championship to create a more volatile and exciting finish. The old #6 became the new #15. This breathtaking par-3 plays over 200 yards entirely over water to what is essentially a peninsula green. From a coaching perspective, this hole is a mental test far more than a physical one.
The course finishes with a demanding par 5 that can produce everything from an eagle to a heartbreaking double bogey. Reaching over 600 yards from the championship tees, raw power is helpful, but placement is everything.
Perhaps the most inspiring part of the East Lake story has little to do with fairways and greens. In the mid-1990s, the surrounding East Lake neighborhood had fallen into disrepair. A visionary plan, led by philanthropist Tom Cousins, was put in place to use the golf club as a catalyst for community-wide transformation.
Profits from the club, along with corporate sponsorship from the TOUR Championship, are funneled into the East Lake Foundation. This foundation works to revitalize the neighborhood by providing high-quality mixed-income housing, an excellent charter school for local children, and other wellness and community programs. Their motto is “Golf with a Purpose.” Owning a membership at East Lake means investing directly in the well-being and future of the surrounding community. It’s a model of how the sport can be a powerful force for social good, making East Lake stand out even among the most heralded courses.
In summary, East Lake Golf Course is far more than just a top-tier course in Atlanta, Georgia. It's a historical landmark central to the Bobby Jones legend, the high-stakes final stage for the PGA TOUR, and an incredible story of urban renewal and charitable spirit.
That kind of strategic, thoughtful golf required by a Donald Ross design is something we all can strive for on our home courses. Having an expert plan in your pocket for a tricky hole or just understanding the smart shot when you’re out of position can make all the difference. We built Caddie AI to give you that same kind of on-demand strategic brain, analyzing any situation on the course to help you make smarter decisions, play with more confidence, and take the doubt out of your game, whether you're in Georgia or anywhere else you love to play.
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