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Atlanta’s best golf courses: The top-ranked courses in Atlanta

January 21, 2019

When fans begin to touch down in Georgia for the 2019 Super Bowl, they’ll discover a state ripe with golf of all kinds. Of course, the Peach State is home to the world’s most famous golf course, Augusta National Golf Club. And if you’re able to score a tee time there, well, that makes one of us. But greater Atlanta has plenty else to offer in terms of course options, from upscale private clubs to affordable public-access golf. Whether or not your squad made its way to the Super Bowl, you can score an easy win from Atlanta’s best golf courses, below.

Note: Most courses on this list are private. Good news! You can find a list of the best courses with public access here.

ANSLEY GOLF CLUB (Settindown Creek), Roswell, Ga.

The most underrated course on this list is this gem in nearby Roswell, designed by Bob Cupp. The relatively flat piece of land lends itself to walking, particularly the front nine, which winds its way around the Little River. But don’t confuse flat for boring; there’s plenty of strategy (and difficulty) here, big trees and large native areas are everywhere, and the neighboring farm and winery doesn’t hurt, either.

HAWKS RIDGE GOLF CLUB, Ball Ground, Ga.

Another Bob Cupp design, Hawks Ridge exists within a private community north of Atlanta that places value on seclusion and player experience. The hilly, expansive no-tee-times track provides a stern test as a frequent U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying host. Plus, they filmed a bunch of Skechers ads with Matt Kuchar there…

ATLANTA COUNTRY CLUB, Marietta, Ga.

This old school track was founded in 1964 and feels even older, as the course is surrounded by historic Civil War sites. The Chattahoochee River and Sope Creek wander their way around the property, and elevation changes plus hole variety make it one of the area’s most fun courses to play.

ATLANTA ATHLETIC CLUB (Highlands Course), Johns Creek, Ga.

Atlanta Athletic Club’s Highlands Course is the site of Keegan Bradley’s 2011 PGA Championship win and many historic events over the last half-century. The rough is penal, the back-to-front sloping greens are demanding, and the finishing stretch is a brutal test. But you’ll be sure to find one of the area’s best-conditioned courses every time out, ensuring you’ll enjoy this test of golf.

Atlanta Athletic Club Keegan Bradley
Keegan Bradley during a playoff at the 2011 PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club.

EAST LAKE GOLF CLUB, Atlanta Ga.

You know this one the best from its appearance at the Tour Championship each year, and you particularly know the 18th fairway after Tiger Woods turned it into a free-for-all golf festival last September. While the course doesn’t necessarily pop on television, there are plenty of quality holes. But if you play this GOLF Top 100 course from the back tees, prepare for a test: East Lake is relentless. And if you find yourself at Bobby Jones’s home course, take the time to check out the memorabilia in the clubhouse.

East Lake Golf Club
No. 15 at East Lake Golf Club.

PEACHTREE GOLF CLUB, Atlanta, Ga.

Bobby Jones and Robert Trent Jones got together for this GOLF Top 100 course in 1947 chasing the magic Jones and Alister Mackenzie had created at Augusta National. Time stands still here, despite the proximity to major urban development, and there are reminders all over the property of its history, starting with the clubhouse: The 1857 plantation home was spared during General Sherman’s Civil War burning of Atlanta because he and his troops spent the night there. Peachtree is an oasis, and a player-friendly golf course — challenging for the good player while still playable for the beginner. Forgiving fairways, dense stands of trees and massive, undulating greens are the defining features on the parkland course.

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