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 realized the way to play, underwent an incredible restoration over the previous yr. Famend architect Andrew Inexperienced led the mission and introduced within the bulldozers instantly after Viktor Hovland received final yr’s FedEx Cup. He found photographs 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 opinions. He’s excited to see what the gamers will assume this time round, too.

However traces of tension lurk behind his thoughts.

“I believe it simply comes with the territory,” Inexperienced informed reporters about whether or not or not he has some considerations.

“You don’t know what you may 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 identical time, it might want to mature to see the total impact.”

The course appears incredible, which is a exceptional accomplishment contemplating that Inexperienced and the East Lake staff accomplished this mission 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 standard. That’s simply the character of the beast.

However, Inexperienced fully revamped all of the inexperienced complexes, setting up an array of alternatives for gap areas. He additionally created enjoyable and difficult assortment areas, some sitting 5 ft under the placing floor, that can certainly check one’s brief recreation. He additionally redid all the bunkering, which golf followers will seemingly decide up on greater than anything when watching from house. However he additionally adjusted a couple of layouts of the holes, creating extra doglegs on some whereas straightening others. That was a weak point of East Lake—that some holes went backwards and forwards with little to no selection. However fortunately, these critiques are actually a factor of the previous, because of Inexperienced and his staff.

General, this golf course will check the world’s greatest 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, establishing terrific end

Inexperienced stretched the tees way back to the property permits, all the way in which 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, establishing a terrific five-hole end that can little doubt entertain.

The 14th continues 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.

Because of Inexperienced’s renovations, East Lake now has a robust 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 identify, has been shortened by about 50 yards. It could even play shorter than its listed yardage, 390 yards, establishing the chance for gamers to tackle the inexperienced from the tee.

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

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

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

The green bunkers that used to take a seat to the proper 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 wanting 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 in addition leaves them with a call. Ought to I dare attempt to make that 280-yard carry over the entice? Or layup brief?

Control 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.

“Type of shocked,” was his authentic impression.

However gamers will probably be shocked to see how troublesome 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 proper, lower than 100 yards wanting 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 brief and on both aspect of the inexperienced, whereas the third is lengthy, left, and deep. No person desires to go there. However this inexperienced has an fascinating characteristic. About two-thirds of the way in which again, a valley bisects this inexperienced, making issues harder—or even perhaps 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 may 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 fee, a par-par begin is a terrific method 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 really like what Inexperienced did with the par-4 fifth.

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

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Related issues may be mentioned 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 course as the opening itself. A set space past the placing service additionally connects to the seventh tee—certainly one of many spots on the golf course with this aesthetically pleasing characteristic.

Talking of the seventh tee, it’s, for my part, probably the most lovely spot on the course. It’s a straight, downhill par-4 with a surprising vista of your complete course and the skyline of Atlanta. However Inexperienced tips 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 in addition 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 a very good match. If not, that’s okay,” Inexperienced mentioned.

“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 best ways to discover a check however then additionally enable them to search out success.”

Who is aware of how this gap will play sooner or later, however it’ll proceed to entertain this week regardless of not enjoying to its most size.

5. Greens are agency, onerous, and quick

The greens will run at a 13 on the stimpmeter, lightning-fast speeds seen within the U.S. Open. They appear downright inconceivable for an novice participant, and the professionals will battle to carry their approaches on the floor resulting from their lack of reception. These placing surfaces are barely 13 weeks previous, as Inexperienced and his staff laid down its TifEagle bermudagrass on Memorial Day.

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

“It’ll be robust to entry a number of the gap areas. I believe we’ll have a bit to find out about golf course setup.”

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

The firmness of the greens will seemingly frustrate the gamers all through the week, however not less than it’ll entertain followers.

4. Assortment areas present better selection in restoration

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

The identical may be mentioned at East Lake.

Nearly each gap now has a tightly mown space under 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 prolong to the subsequent 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, certainly one of these tightly-mown areas sits about 5 ft under the floor on the proper aspect. It appears like a wall, one thing you may even see on a hyperlinks format in Scotland. However, it’s little doubt a hazard—someplace a participant can not 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 a watch out for these tightly mown areas this weekend—they are going to be a significant 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 sizes and shapes, 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 could 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 could characteristic 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 seemingly homes probably the most difficult pin placement. A slope in the direction of the center of the inexperienced divides it into two, with the proper aspect being the decrease half. Then, on the far proper aspect, Inexperienced elevated a small shelf good for an additional pin—one the place professionals should be exact of their method. It’s the most effective greens on the course, and I’m glad this one will seemingly determine 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 seen 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 house.

1. It has a significant championship really feel

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

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

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

I agree.

This golf course feels far more strong, intimidating, and difficult, far 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 event stays to be seen. However this golf course will undoubtedly problem the very best gamers on the planet, one thing it didn’t essentially do previously.

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. Make sure to try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You possibly can observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.