Tour Championship: 10 observations on East Lake’s restoration

ATLANTA — The highest 30 finishers within the FedEx Cup standings have returned to Georgia for this week’s Tour Championship, the ultimate occasion of the common season that can award $100 million in bonus cash.

However a brand new golf course will greet them.

East Lake Golf Membership, the historic Atlanta course the place Boby Jones first discovered learn how to play, underwent an incredible restoration over the previous yr. Famend architect Andrew Inexperienced led the venture and introduced within the bulldozers instantly after Viktor Hovland received final yr’s FedEx Cup. He found pictures of the course from 1949 and used these as his template, gathering traces and hints to color his newest masterpiece.

Inexperienced just lately revamped Oak Hill Nation Membership in Rochester forward of the 2023 PGA Championship, which obtained rave evaluations. He’s excited to see what the gamers will assume this time round, too.

However traces of tension lurk behind his thoughts.

“I feel it simply comes with the territory,” Inexperienced instructed reporters about whether or not or not he has some issues.

“You don’t know what you might have till you tee it up. The golf course has matured amazingly since Jun. fifteenth, when the final piece of sod went down. However on the similar time, it might want to mature to see the complete impact.”

The course appears to be like incredible, which is a exceptional accomplishment contemplating that Inexperienced and the East Lake group accomplished this venture in lower than a yr. However there are nonetheless some areas the place you possibly can see items of sod, a reminder that this golf course is model new. The greens will take time to mature, too, as contemporary placing surfaces are sometimes firmer than common. That’s simply the character of the beast.

However, Inexperienced fully revamped all of the inexperienced complexes, developing an array of alternatives for gap areas. He additionally created enjoyable and difficult assortment areas, some sitting 5 toes beneath the placing floor, that can absolutely take a look at one’s quick sport. He additionally redid all the bunkering, which golf followers will possible choose up on greater than the rest when watching from residence. However he additionally adjusted a number of layouts of the holes, creating extra doglegs on some whereas straightening others. That was once a weak point of East Lake—that some holes went forwards and backwards with little to no selection. However fortunately, these critiques are actually a factor of the previous, due to Inexperienced and his group.

General, this golf course will take a look at the world’s finest and hopefully be a favourite place amongst gamers for years to come back.

So, with out additional ado, listed here are 10 observations from strolling the golf course:

10. 14th re-instituted as a par-5, organising terrific end

Inexperienced stretched the tees way back to the property permits, all the best way to 2nd Ave SE, the highway that borders the membership’s east aspect. He turned this behemoth of a par-4 right into a scorable, 580-yard par-5 for the professionals, organising a terrific five-hole end that can little question entertain.

The 14th remains to be very steep and has no fairway bunkers, however Inexperienced re-contoured the slope to have a extra pure and rugged presence. He even in contrast it to the 2nd gap at Augusta Nationwide, the well-known par-5 that works down the hill sharply from left to proper.

Following the 14th, gamers will head to the par-3 fifteenth, which has a peninsula inexperienced. Inexperienced eliminated the one bunker, giving it a extra pure look. Two sturdy par-4s observe, the sixteenth and seventeenth, earlier than gamers have one final scoring alternative on the par-5 18th.

Due to Inexperienced’s renovations, East Lake now has a powerful five-hole end, every with various traits.

9. Drivable par-4 eighth!?

The par-4 eighth, which performs alongside the lake that provides East Lake its title, has been shortened by about 50 yards. It might even play shorter than its listed yardage, 390 yards, organising the likelihood for gamers to tackle the inexperienced from the tee.

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

“I feel that’s a spot the place a well-executed shot will discover doubtlessly an eagle, which is nice.”

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What was once a terrific golf gap is now a fair higher one. You can not go left for everything of the opening, particularly up on the inexperienced, the place a steep slope won’t cease any misfire from getting moist.

The golf green bunkers that used to take a seat to the fitting of the golf green are gone, too. However the traps that changed these are in magnificent positions.

Inexperienced put in a brand new bunker about 90 yards in need of the inexperienced—on the left aspect, adjoining to the water. That has created a blind view of the inexperienced for gamers off the tee but additionally leaves them with a call. Ought to I dare attempt to make that 280-yard carry over the entice? Or layup quick?

Regulate how the eighth performs this week.

8. First two holes are full bears

When he arrived at East Lake on Monday, Hovland didn’t heat up. As a substitute, he went straight to the primary tee to see the course.

“Form of shocked,” was his authentic impression.

However gamers shall be shocked to see how tough the primary gap has gotten. Inexperienced prolonged this beastly par-4—a par-5 for the members—to 510 yards. A brand new fairway bunker sits 184 yards out on the left aspect, which helps give this gap its dogleg proper really feel. Two different traps sit farther up on the fitting, lower than 100 yards in need of the inexperienced, however they blind the participant on their method. It’s actually a bear.

Jack Milko/SB Nation

The second gap is just too.

This 205-yard par-3 performs uphill and is protected by three sand traps. Two sit quick and on both aspect of the inexperienced, whereas the third is lengthy, left, and deep. No one desires to go there. However this inexperienced has an attention-grabbing function. About two-thirds of the best way again, a valley bisects this inexperienced, making issues tougher—or maybe even simpler—relying on the pin. Possibly the tour will place the pin in that gully in order that balls will funnel proper into it. The tour might additionally put the pin again left, which can show so difficult that this par-3 will flip right into a de facto par-4.

At any charge, a par-par begin is a terrific approach to start a spherical on the new East Lake.

7. Love the brand new fifth, sixth, and seventh holes—maybe my favourite stretch

My goodness, do I like what Inexperienced did with the par-4 fifth.

What was once a straightaway, boring par-4—Exhibit A for East Lake’s prior criticisms—is now a fantastic, dogleg left par-4 aided by a stunning oak tree on the nook. The outlet begs you to hit a draw off the tee, which is the optimum shot, contemplating this fairway slopes from proper to left. However you would attempt to goal for the brand new bunker that sits 120 yards in need of the inexperienced, hit a minimize over the tree, and discover the golf green that approach.

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Related issues could be stated in regards to the uphill, par-5 sixth, besides this gap bends the opposite approach. Inexperienced created a way more dramatic dogleg proper whereas pushing the teeing floor additional proper, too. Just like the earlier gap, the fifth requires technique off the tee. Do you need to hit a minimize to play with the form of the opening? Or do you play a draw off the right-side bunker to search out the center of the golf green?

Like its earlier iteration, the sixth gap performs dramatically uphill to a inexperienced that slopes in the identical route as the opening itself. A set space past the placing service additionally connects to the seventh tee—one in every of many spots on the golf course with this aesthetically pleasing function.

Talking of the seventh tee, it’s, for my part, essentially the most stunning spot on the course. It’s a straight, downhill par-4 with a surprising vista of the complete course and the skyline of Atlanta. However Inexperienced methods the attention. He created a fairway with a slight, dogleg left form, aided by two difficult bunkers that sit on both aspect. It’s a stunning gap but additionally a difficult one.

Jack Milko/SB Nation

6. Par-3 fifteenth needs to be enjoyable, however won’t be performed from again tees

Many followers bear in mind the par-3 fifteenth at East Lake for its island inexperienced—the oldest within the nation—which isn’t too dissimilar from the well-known seventeenth at TPC Sawgrass.

Like all of the others, Inexperienced tinkered with this gap, eradicating the bunker that used to take a seat on the left aspect of the inexperienced and changing it with steep mounds. He widened the lake on the inexperienced’s left aspect as effectively, including to the opening’s pure aesthetic.

However with the greens being so new and agency—extra on that in a minute—the tour won’t play the again tees on this gap.

“The again tee on 15 won’t be used this week, and we’ll see subsequent yr if it’s match. If not, that’s okay,” Inexperienced stated.

“For me, it’s about offering a canvas and letting the Tour and the fellows who do that week in and week out for these gamers discover one of the simplest ways to discover a take a look at however then additionally enable them to search out success.”

Who is aware of how this gap will play sooner or later, however it should proceed to entertain this week regardless of not taking part in to its most size.

5. Greens are agency, arduous, and quick

The greens will run at a 13 on the stimpmeter, lightning-fast speeds seen within the U.S. Open. They give the impression of being downright not possible for an beginner participant, and the professionals will battle to carry their approaches on the floor on account of their lack of reception. These placing surfaces are barely 13 weeks outdated, as Inexperienced and his group laid down its TifEagle bermudagrass on Memorial Day.

“Since they’re new, the greens are extraordinarily agency, which makes it tougher,” stated Scottie Scheffler on Tuesday.

“It’ll be powerful to entry a few of the gap areas. I feel we’ll have a bit to study golf course setup.”

Gamers could have little to no likelihood of touchdown their approaches on the inexperienced from the two.5-inch bermudagrass that strains these fairways. Even from the quick grass, method photographs will hit these greens arduous, taking arduous first bounces after which rolling out. Wedges have extra spin, making it simpler to manage, however even these photographs might show tough.

The firmness of the greens will possible frustrate the gamers all through the week, however no less than it should entertain followers.

4. Assortment areas present higher selection in restoration

So a lot of East Lake’s new greens have giant run-offs, resulting in tough restoration photographs and precarious positions. Inexperienced imposed these assortment areas at Oak Hill, which each the membership and the gamers applauded.

The identical could be stated at East Lake.

Virtually each gap now has a tightly mown space beneath the placing floor, leaving the participant to ask, “Ought to I bump it?” “Ought to I flop it?” “Maybe even putt it?”

Some assortment areas lengthen to the following tee, just like the one described above between the sixth inexperienced and the seventh tee. Related areas lie between the eighth and ninth holes, the eleventh and twelfth, and the sixteenth and seventeenth holes.

Talking of the par-4 sixteenth, one in every of these tightly-mown areas sits about 5 toes beneath the floor on the fitting aspect. It appears to be like like a wall, one thing you may even see on a hyperlinks structure in Scotland. However, it’s little question a hazard—someplace a participant can’t afford to overlook. A bogey or worse looms if you find yourself there, contemplating the shot’s problem and the firmness of the greens.

However, preserve an eye fixed out for these tightly mown areas this weekend—they are going to be a serious a part of the story and can see loads of motion.

3. Distinctive inexperienced shapes create totally different alternatives for tucked pins

Gone are the straightforward, benign, circular-shaped greens that outlined East Lake.

Inexperienced changed all 18 greens with distinctive styles and sizes, increasing each to have distinct corners and alcoves—a ripe alternative for an abundance of enjoyable, difficult, and diabolical gap areas.

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The tour might lean on the conservative aspect this yr relating to pin placement set-up. However as soon as the grass settles in and the course matures, future Tour Championships might function some problematic pins for gamers.

However all the greens at East Lake are exceptional, with some even that includes extreme slopes.

Take the 18th inexperienced, as an illustration, which has three distinct sections. The left aspect of the placing floor is its highest level, and it possible homes essentially the most difficult pin placement. A slope in the direction of the center of the inexperienced divides it into two, with the fitting aspect being the decrease half. Then, on the far proper aspect, Inexperienced elevated a small shelf good for one more pin—one the place execs have to be exact of their method. It’s among the best greens on the course, and I’m glad this one will possible resolve the Championship for years to come back.

2. The bunkering is magnificent

When NBC Sports activities officers, announcers, and producers arrived at East Lake for a scouting journey earlier this summer time, they first observed the bunkers. Merely put, they’re gorgeous.

They’re additionally strategically well-placed.

Some won’t even have any motion this week, however they provide an intimidating visible. Look no additional than the first gap.

However different sand traps will see plentiful exercise, particularly these lurking behind greens—bunkers you can’t see from the golf green. The hidden entice that sits lengthy and proper of the twelfth inexperienced instantly involves thoughts.

And but, each, all 78 of them, serves an incredible goal. Whether or not they’re there to intimidate you visually or drive you to play away from, each single sand entice on this golf course is completely positioned. They’re this golf course’s spotlight, and hopefully, they may stand out to viewers at residence.

1. It has a serious championship really feel

Earlier this week, throughout his pre-tournament press convention, Hovland assessed that East Lake now seems like a serious championship.

“As quickly as I stepped foot right here and noticed the inexperienced areas and stuff, I believed, ‘Okay, this can be a main championship golf course,’” Hovland stated.

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

I agree.

This golf course feels rather more sturdy, intimidating, and difficult, rather more appropriate for a PGA Championship or a U.S. Open than for a FedEx Cup finale. Whether or not that could be a good factor for this match stays to be seen. However this golf course will undoubtedly problem the very best gamers on this planet, one thing it didn’t essentially do up to now.

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By. You’ll want to try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.