4100 Old Alabama Rd., Johns Creek; 770-475-1803;
www.thecountryclubofthesouth.com
STAFF: Steve White is the PGA Head Professional; Shawn Koch is the PGA Director of Instruction.
PAR/YARDAGE: CC of the South plays to a par 72 with five sets of tees: Black (6,982 yards); Gold (6,585), Blue (6,244), White (5,743) and Red (5,027).
COURSE RATING/SLOPE: 74.2/142 (Black); 72.6/138 (Gold); 70.9/132 (Blue); 69.0/126 (White); 70.4/124 (Red).
ABOUT THE COURSE: After undergoing some financial struggles which resulted in the club going into bankruptcy, Country Club of the South is well on the way to re- establishing its reputation as one of Atlanta’s premier country clubs. ClubCorp has acquired the facility, providing some much-needed stability, and a recent renovation has greatly enhanced both the appearance and quality of the outstanding Jack Nicklaus layout. For much of its history, the club has struggled to keep its bent grass greens healthy throughout the year, and the recent renovations included a replacement of the putting surfaces, with the new ones in superb condition. The removal of a sizeable number of trees surrounding the greens should make it easier to keep them quick and smooth, which will be welcomed by the membership, which has grown considerably
over the past year despite the continuing fragile state of the economy. The club hosted a Senior (now Champions) Tour event in its early years before space limitations forced the event to seek a new home. It remains a terrific test of golf, both for elite players and its membership, with the nicely spaced number of tees providing at least two options for just about every level of player. By modern standards, CCoS is not especially long, but is on the tight side, requiring some precision off the tee, with a number of creeks snaking through fairways and bordering greens. CC of the South is more a second shot
course, with Nicklaus devising some intriguing greens complexes that still have plenty of movement. The number of hazards that border them and some demanding, strategically- placed bunkers combine with greens configurations to put considerable pressure on both approach shots and your short game. There are some bunkers you definitely want to avoid, with Nicklaus using them to protect corner pin positions that offer little room on otherwise ample-appearing putting surfaces. His layout includes a terrific variety of holes, and remains one of the most entertaining private club designs you will play.