Tour Championship: 10 observations on East Lake’s restoration

ATLANTA — The top 30 finishers in the FedEx Cup standings have returned to Georgia for this week’s Tour Championship, the final event of the regular season that will award $100 million in bonus money.

But a new golf course will greet them.

East Lake Golf Club, the historic Atlanta course where Boby Jones first learned how to play, underwent a tremendous restoration over the past year. Renowned architect Andrew Green led the project and brought in the bulldozers immediately after Viktor Hovland won last year’s FedEx Cup. He discovered photos of the course from 1949 and used those as his template, gathering traces and hints to paint his latest masterpiece.

Green recently revamped Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester ahead of the 2023 PGA Championship, which received rave reviews. He is excited to see what the players will think this time around, too.

But traces of anxiety lurk in the back of his mind.

“I think it just comes with the territory,” Green told reporters about whether or not he has some concerns.

“You don’t know what you have until you tee it up. The golf course has matured amazingly since Jun. 15th, when the last piece of sod went down. But at the same time, it will need to mature to see the full effect.”

The course looks fantastic, which is a remarkable accomplishment considering that Green and the East Lake team completed this project in less than a year. But there are still some areas where you can see pieces of sod, a reminder that this golf course is brand new. The greens will take time to mature, too, as fresh putting surfaces are often firmer than usual. That’s just the nature of the beast.

Nevertheless, Green completely revamped all the green complexes, constructing an array of opportunities for hole locations. He also created fun and challenging collection areas, some sitting five feet below the putting surface, that will surely test one’s short game. He also redid all of the bunkering, which golf fans will likely pick up on more than anything else when watching from home. But he also adjusted a few layouts of the holes, creating more doglegs on some while straightening others. That used to be a weakness of East Lake—that some holes went back and forth with little to no variety. But luckily, those critiques are now a thing of the past, thanks to Green and his team.

Overall, this golf course will test the world’s best and hopefully be a favorite place among players for years to come.

So, without further ado, here are 10 observations from walking the golf course:

10. 14th re-instituted as a par-5, setting up terrific finish

Green stretched the tees as far back as the property allows, all the way to 2nd Ave SE, the road that borders the club’s east side. He turned this behemoth of a par-4 into a scorable, 580-yard par-5 for the pros, setting up a terrific five-hole finish that will no doubt entertain.

The 14th is still very steep and has no fairway bunkers, but Green re-contoured the slope to have a more natural and rugged presence. He even compared it to the 2nd hole at Augusta National, the famous par-5 that works down the hill sharply from left to right.

Following the 14th, players will head to the par-3 15th, which has a peninsula green. Green removed the only bunker, giving it a more natural look. Two strong par-4s follow, the 16th and 17th, before players have one last scoring opportunity at the par-5 18th.

Thanks to Green’s renovations, East Lake now has a strong five-hole finish, each with varying characteristics.

9. Drivable par-4 8th!?

The par-4 8th, which plays along the lake that gives East Lake its name, has been shortened by about 50 yards. It may even play shorter than its listed yardage, 390 yards, setting up the possibility for players to take on the green from the tee.

“Excited to see No. 8 play as a drivable par-4,” Green said.

“I think that’s a spot where a well-executed shot will find potentially an eagle, which is great.”

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What used to be a terrific golf hole is now an even better one. You cannot go left for the entirety of the hole, especially up on the green, where a steep slope will not stop any misfire from getting wet.

The fairway bunkers that used to sit to the right of the fairway are gone, too. But the traps that replaced those are in magnificent positions.

Green installed a new bunker about 90 yards short of the green—on the left side, adjacent to the water. That has created a blind view of the green for players off the tee but also leaves them with a decision. Should I dare try to make that 280-yard carry over the trap? Or layup short?

Keep an eye on how the 8th plays this week.

8. First two holes are complete bears

When he arrived at East Lake on Monday, Hovland did not warm up. Instead, he went straight to the first tee to see the course.

“Kind of shocked,” was his original impression.

But players will be shocked to see how difficult the first hole has gotten. Green extended this beastly par-4—a par-5 for the members—to 510 yards. A new fairway bunker sits 184 yards out on the left side, which helps give this hole its dogleg right feel. Two other traps sit farther up on the right, less than 100 yards short of the green, but they blind the player on their approach. It’s truly a bear.

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The second hole is too.

This 205-yard par-3 plays uphill and is protected by three sand traps. Two sit short and on either side of the green, while the third is long, left, and deep. Nobody wants to go there. But this green has an interesting feature. About two-thirds of the way back, a valley bisects this green, making matters more difficult—or perhaps even easier—depending on the pin. Maybe the tour will place the pin in that gully so that balls will funnel right into it. The tour could also put the pin back left, which may prove so challenging that this par-3 will turn into a de facto par-4.

At any rate, a par-par start is a terrific way to begin a round at the new East Lake.

7. Love the new 5th, 6th, and 7th holes—perhaps my favorite stretch

My goodness, do I love what Green did with the par-4 5th.

What used to be a straightaway, boring par-4—Exhibit A for East Lake’s prior criticisms—is now a beautiful, dogleg left par-4 aided by a gorgeous oak tree on the corner. The hole begs you to hit a draw off the tee, which is the optimal shot, considering this fairway slopes from right to left. But you could try to aim for the new bunker that sits 120 yards short of the green, hit a cut over the tree, and find the fairway that way.

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Similar things can be said about the uphill, par-5 6th, except this hole bends the other way. Green created a much more dramatic dogleg right while pushing the teeing ground further right, too. Like the previous hole, the 5th requires strategy off the tee. Do you want to hit a cut to play with the shape of the hole? Or do you play a draw off the right-side bunker to find the middle of the fairway?

Like its previous iteration, the 6th hole plays dramatically uphill to a green that slopes in the same direction as the hole itself. A collection area beyond the putting service also connects to the 7th tee—one of many spots on the golf course with this aesthetically pleasing feature.

Speaking of the 7th tee, it is, in my opinion, the most beautiful spot on the course. It’s a straight, downhill par-4 with a stunning vista of the entire course and the skyline of Atlanta. But Green tricks the eye. He created a fairway with a slight, dogleg left shape, aided by two tricky bunkers that sit on either side. It’s a gorgeous hole but also a challenging one.

Jack Milko/SB Nation

6. Par-3 15th should be fun, but will not be played from back tees

Many fans remember the par-3 15th at East Lake for its island green—the oldest in the country—which is not too dissimilar from the famous 17th at TPC Sawgrass.

Like all the others, Green tinkered with this hole, removing the bunker that used to sit on the left side of the green and replacing it with steep mounds. He widened the lake on the green’s left side as well, adding to the hole’s natural aesthetic.

But with the greens being so new and firm—more on that in a minute—the tour will not play the back tees on this hole.

“The back tee on 15 will not be used this week, and we’ll see next year if it’s a good fit. If not, that’s okay,” Green said.

“For me, it’s about providing a canvas and letting the Tour and the guys who do this week in and week out for these players find the best way to find a test but then also allow them to find success.”

Who knows how this hole will play in the future, but it will continue to entertain this week despite not playing to its maximum length.

5. Greens are firm, hard, and fast

The greens will run at a 13 on the stimpmeter, lightning-fast speeds seen in the U.S. Open. They look downright impossible for an amateur player, and the pros will struggle to hold their approaches on the surface due to their lack of reception. These putting surfaces are barely 13 weeks old, as Green and his team laid down its TifEagle bermudagrass on Memorial Day.

“Since they’re new, the greens are extremely firm, which makes it more challenging,” said Scottie Scheffler on Tuesday.

“It’ll be tough to access some of the hole locations. I think we’ll have a bit to learn about golf course setup.”

Players will have little to no chance of landing their approaches on the green from the 2.5-inch bermudagrass that lines these fairways. Even from the short grass, approach shots will hit these greens hard, taking hard first bounces and then rolling out. Wedges have more spin, making it easier to control, but even those shots may prove difficult.

The firmness of the greens will likely frustrate the players throughout the week, but at least it will entertain fans.

4. Collection areas provide greater variety in recovery

So many of East Lake’s new greens have large run-offs, leading to difficult recovery shots and precarious positions. Green imposed these collection areas at Oak Hill, which both the membership and the players applauded.

The same can be said at East Lake.

Almost every hole now has a tightly mown area below the putting surface, leaving the player to ask, “Should I bump it?” “Should I flop it?” “Perhaps even putt it?”

Some collection areas extend to the next tee, like the one described above between the 6th green and the 7th tee. Similar areas lie between the 8th and 9th holes, the 11th and 12th, and the 16th and 17th holes.

Speaking of the par-4 16th, one of these tightly-mown areas sits about five feet below the surface on the right side. It looks like a wall, something you may see on a links layout in Scotland. But, it is no doubt a hazard—somewhere a player cannot afford to miss. A bogey or worse looms if you end up there, considering the shot’s difficulty and the firmness of the greens.

Nevertheless, keep an eye out for these tightly mown areas this weekend—they will be a major part of the story and will see plenty of action.

3. Unique green shapes create different opportunities for tucked pins

Gone are the simple, benign, circular-shaped greens that defined East Lake.

Green replaced all 18 greens with unique shapes and sizes, expanding each one to have distinct corners and alcoves—a ripe opportunity for an abundance of fun, tricky, and diabolical hole locations.

Jack Milko/SB Nation

The tour may lean on the conservative side this year regarding pin placement set-up. But once the grass settles in and the course matures, future Tour Championships may feature some problematic pins for players.

But all of the greens at East Lake are remarkable, with some even featuring severe slopes.

Take the 18th green, for instance, which has three distinct sections. The left side of the putting surface is its highest point, and it likely houses the most challenging pin placement. A slope towards the middle of the green divides it into two, with the right side being the lower half. Then, on the far right side, Green elevated a small shelf perfect for another pin—one where pros must be precise in their approach. It’s one of the best greens on the course, and I am glad this one will likely decide the Championship for years to come.

2. The bunkering is magnificent

When NBC Sports officials, announcers, and producers arrived at East Lake for a scouting trip earlier this summer, they first noticed the bunkers. Simply put, they are stunning.

They are also strategically well-placed.

Some will not even have any action this week, but they offer an intimidating visual. Look no further than the 1st hole.

But other sand traps will see abundant activity, especially those lurking behind greens—bunkers you cannot see from the fairway. The hidden trap that sits long and right of the 12th green immediately comes to mind.

And yet, each one, all 78 of them, serves a tremendous purpose. Whether they are there to intimidate you visually or force you to play away from, every single sand trap on this golf course is perfectly placed. They are this golf course’s highlight, and hopefully, they will stand out to viewers at home.

1. It has a major championship feel

Earlier this week, during his pre-tournament press conference, Hovland assessed that East Lake now feels like a major championship.

“As soon as I stepped foot here and saw the green areas and stuff, I thought, ‘Okay, this is a major championship golf course,’” Hovland said.

“That seems like what [Green has] tried to do with the place.”

I agree.

This golf course feels much more robust, intimidating, and challenging, much more suitable for a PGA Championship or a U.S. Open than for a FedEx Cup finale. Whether that is a good thing for this tournament remains to be seen. But this golf course will undoubtedly challenge the best players in the world, something it did not necessarily do in the past.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.