Canongate at Georgia National (Private)
1715 Lake Dow Rd., McDonough
770-914-9994; www.canongate.com
STAFF: John Johnson is the PGA Golf Professional; Terry O’Leary is the Superintendent.
PAR/YARDAGE: Georgia National plays to a par of 71 with five sets of tees: Black (6,907 yards); Blue (6,497); Green (6,043); White (5,741) and Red (5,005).
COURSE RATING/SLOPE: 74.5/141 (Black); 71.8/136 (Blue); 69.8/131 (Green); 68.9/127 (White); 70.5/125 (Red).
ABOUT THE COURSE: One of the strongest courses on Atlanta’s south side, the excellent Denis Griffiths layout will give the players who tee it up in this month’s Yamaha Atlanta Open a real battle. The heart of Georgia National’s challenge is its stout collection of par 4s, which includes three holes around 450 and only one under 395. Several of the par 4s feature demanding approach shots, with the putting surfaces positioned just beyond hazards. For the most part, Griffiths has provided ample room to drive the ball, with Georgia National more of a second shot course. The greens are on the large size but are relatively gentle, with their size leading to possible three-putts for those whose iron game is less than sharp. The par 3s, only one of which is longer than 170, all have water in play, but as a group they are on the tame side with the possible exception of the third, which can play as long as 214. Two of the three par 5s are in the 525 range, with the straightaway first providing a chance to get off to a positive start. The green at the 12th, which is tucked into a corner behind a row of trees, is a tough target to hit from long range, with the rolling 18th an interesting finishing hole and the longest of the three at 558. Among the par 4s, the narrow, dogleg 8th and 15th are potentially the most dangerous, with both the 2nd and 10th also posing a challenge thanks to their length. The short 13th offers a chance at birdie, but with water down the left side and guarding the green, there is the possibility of recording a less rewarding score. Scores in various tournaments the course has hosted have not been especially low, and Georgia National should prove to be a worthwhile site as the Atlanta Open host.