Atlanta Athletic Club

Country club in Georgia, United States

Atlanta Athletic Club

Club information
Location| Johns Creek, Georgia, U.S.
Established| 1898 (1904 for golf course)
Type| Private
Total holes| 45
Events hosted|

* U.S. Open (1976)
* PGA Championship (1981, 2001, 2011)
* U.S. Women's Open (1990)
* U.S. Amateur (2014)
* Women's PGA Championship (2021)

Website| Atlanta Athletic Club
Highlands Course
Designed by| Robert Trent Jones, back 9
Joe Lee, front 9
Rees Jones (2006 & 2016 redesigned)
Par| 72
Length| 7,613 yards (6,961 m)
Course rating| 77.0
Riverside Course
Designed by| Robert Trent Jones
Rees Jones (2003 redesign)
Tripp Davis (2022 redesigned)
Par| 71
Length| 7,152 yards (6,540 m)
Course rating| 76.2
Par 3 Course
Par| 27

Atlanta Athletic Club (AAC), founded in 1898, is a private country club in Johns Creek, Georgia, a suburb 23 miles north of Atlanta. The original home of the club was a 10-story building located on Carnegie Way, and in 1904 a golf course was built on Atlanta's East Lake property. In 1908, John Heisman (the Georgia Tech football coach for whom the Heisman Trophy was named) was hired as the AAC athletic director.

While it was downtown, its team placed third in the 1921 Amateur Athletic Union National Basketball Championship defeating Lowe and Campbell Athletic Goods 36–31 in the third place game.[1] At the time colleges, athletic clubs, and factory-sponsored clubs all competed in the same league.

It built 3 9-hole golf courses in 1967, in a then-unincorporated area of Fulton County that had a Duluth mailing address and would eventually become Johns Creek in 2006. In 1968, the AAC sold the East Lake property. The vacated East Lake site became East Lake Golf Club and was refurbished during the 1990s. It is now the home of The Tour Championship, the annual final event of the PGA Tour.

AAC hosted the 1950 U.S. Women's Amateur and 1963 Ryder Cup at East Lake, the 1976 U.S. Open, the 1981, 2001 and 2011 PGA Championships, and the 2021 KPMG PGA Women's Championship on its Highlands Course, and the 1990 U.S. Women's Open on its Riverside Course. The AAC used both of its current regulation courses to host the 2014 U.S. Amateur, with stroke-play qualifying on the Riverside and Highlands Courses and match play on the Highlands Course. The Riverside course, renovated by Rees Jones in 2002, was recognized among the top 10 new private courses in 2004 by Golf Digest. It was renovated again in 2022 by Tripp Davis.

AAC has hosted many non-golf events including the first two Southeastern Conference men's basketball tournaments in 1933 and 1934. In 1984 and 1985, AAC hosted the U.S. Open Badminton Championship. During the 1990s, AAC hosted the AT&T Challenge, Atlanta's ATP professional tennis stop.

AAC has two 18-hole golf courses, a fitness center, indoor and outdoor tennis, a par-3 course, Olympic-sized pool, as well as dining.

Famous members of AAC include golfers Bobby Jones, Charlie Yates, Alexa Stirling, Watts Gunn, Dot Kirby, and Tommy Barnes; tennis players Nat Thornton and Bitsy Grant; and basketball player Bob Kurland.

In the 2004 film Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius, many of the golf scenes were filmed at AAC.

## Pictures

[edit]

* Statue of Bobby Jones at the entrance to Atlanta Athletic Club.

* The 15th green on the Highlands course.

* #17 on Highlands.

* Behind the 17th green on the Highlands course.

* Back of the clubhouse from the practice putting green.

## Key dates

[edit]

* 1898 – First organizational meeting and granting of club charter
* 1899 – Official opening of 56 Edgewood Avenue facility
* 1902 – Move to new clubhouse at 37 Auburn Avenue
* 1924 – Purchase of Carnegie Way property (10 story downtown club)
* 1926 – Opening of Carnegie Way property
* 1930 – Winning of Grand Slam by Bobby Jones Jr.
* 1963 – Purchase of River Bend property in Duluth
* 1967 – Opening of the new 27-hole golf course at River Bend
* 1968 – Vote by stockholders to sell East Lake Country Club
* 1969 – Selection of Atlanta Athletic Club Country Club as name for River Bend
* 1971 – Decision to sell Carnegie Way town club
* 1973 – Destruction of Carnegie Way town club
* 2003 - Second redesign of Riverside, by Rees Jones
* 2016 – Second redesign of Highlands, by Rees Jones
* 2022 - Third redesign of Riverside, by Tripp Davis

## Scorecards

[edit]

Atlanta Athletic Club – Highlands Course  Tee | Rating/Slope | 1  | 2  | 3  | 4  | 5  | 6  | 7  | 8  | 9  | Out  | 10  | 11  | 12  | 13  | 14  | 15  | 16  | 17  | 18  | In  | Total

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1976 U.S. Open  | \-- / --  | 455 | 450 | 460 | 205 | 540 | 440 | 175 | 420 | 415 | 3560  | 370 | 480 | 510 | 390 | 415 | 215 | 410 | 205 | 460 | 3455 | 7015
1981 PGA  | \-- / --  | 456 | 458 | 469 | 210 | 546 | 445 | 185 | 422 | 419 | 3610  | 374 | 470 | 510 | 390 | 415 | 215 | 410 | 213 | 463 | 3460 | 7070
2001 PGA  | \-- / --  | 430 | 471 | 469 | 204 | 541 | 425 | 183 | 463 | 416 | 3602  | 439 | 454 | 547 | 364 | 442 | 227 | 441 | 207 | 490 | 3511 | 7213
2011 PGA  | \-- / --  | 454 | 512 | 475 | 219 | 565 | 425 | 184 | 467 | 426 | 3727  | 442 | 457 | 551 | 372 | 468 | 260 | 476 | 207 | 507 | 3740 | 7467
Par  | U.S.Open & PGA  | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 35  | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 35 | 70
Champ  | 77.0 / 152  | 446 | 543 | 478 | 219 | 567 | 426 | 197 | 470 | 429 | 3775  | 436 | 457 | 555 | 391 | 468 | 260 | 485 | 210 | 576 | 3838 | 7613
Gold  | 75.9 / 149  | 442 | 540 | 475 | 194 | 548 | 425 | 183 | 446 | 426 | 3679  | 421 | 443 | 523 | 387 | 451 | 227 | 409 | 207 | 557 | 3625 | 7304
Blue  | 73.9 / 141  | 398 | 512 | 445 | 165 | 541 | 403 | 179 | 421 | 407 | 3471  | 405 | 421 | 495 | 364 | 413 | 204 | 373 | 186 | 528 | 3389 | 6860
Tournament  | 72.6 / 142  | 398 | 471 | 407 | 142 | 541 | 403 | 179 | 376 | 407 | 3324  | 379 | 393 | 474 | 364 | 365 | 204 | 373 | 154 | 528 | 3234 | 6558
White  | 71.3 / 134  | 368 | 471 | 407 | 142 | 501 | 370 | 162 | 376 | 372 | 3169  | 379 | 393 | 474 | 339 | 365 | 175 | 336 | 154 | 500 | 3115 | 6284
Green  | 68.8 / 127  | 324 | 448 | 363 | 128 | 469 | 330 | 135 | 349 | 351 | 2897  | 362 | 339 | 448 | 307 | 335 | 145 | 296 | 124 | 462 | 2818 | 5715
SI | Men's  | 13 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 9 | 17 | 7 | 11 |  | 12 | 6 | 2 | 14 | 8 | 16 | 10 | 18 | 4 |  |
Par  |  | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 36  | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 72
SI | Women's  | 9 | 3 | 7 | 15 | 1 | 13 | 17 | 5 | 11 |  | 6 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 10 | 18 | 14 | 16 | 4 |  |
Green  | 74.5 / 142  | 324 | 448 | 363 | 128 | 469 | 330 | 135 | 349 | 351 | 2897  | 362 | 339 | 448 | 307 | 335 | 145 | 296 | 124 | 462 | 2818 | 5715
Tournament  | 73.3 / 136  | 310 | 441 | 324 | 128 | 436 | 330 | 135 | 295 | 351 | 2750  | 353 | 339 | 389 | 292 | 323 | 145 | 296 | 124 | 397 | 2658 | 5408
Black  | 71.6 / 131  | 310 | 441 | 324 | 92 | 436 | 296 | 90 | 295 | 307 | 2591 | 353 | 318 | 389 | 292 | 323 | 103 | 266 | 103 | 397 | 2544 | 5135
Silver  | 70.1 / 129  | 310 | 399 | 289 | 92 | 405 | 296 | 90 | 253 | 273 | 2407  | 353 | 318 | 389 | 266 | 283 | 103 | 266 | 95 | 358 | 2431 | 4838

Atlanta Athletic Club – Riverside Course  Tee | Rating/Slope | 1  | 2  | 3  | 4  | 5  | 6  | 7  | 8  | 9  | Out  | 10  | 11  | 12  | 13  | 14  | 15  | 16  | 17  | 18  | In  | Total

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Gold  | 74.9 / 141  | 602 | 444 | 168 | 398 | 584 | 197 | 481 | 215 | 488 | 3577  | 407 | 179 | 554 | 417 | 311 | 440 | 456 | 243 | 567 | 3574 | 7152
Blue  | 73.2 / 137  | 571 | 421 | 155 | 370 | 555 | 179 | 446 | 192 | 462 | 3351  | 384 | 165 | 529 | 403 | 389 | 430 | 440 | 217 | 544 | 3401 | 6752
Tournament  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
White  | 70.6 / 133  | 547 | 398 | 125 | 348 | 540 | 148 | 397 | 160 | 423 | 3086  | 362 | 141 | 499 | 370 | 276 | 409 | 390 | 181 | 508 | 3136 | 6222
Green  | 67.5 / 125  | 490 | 358 | 104 | 316 | 472 | 121 | 348 | 135 | 381 | 2722  | 330 | 115 | 454 | 319 | 249 | 369 | 340 | 153 | 445 | 2774 | 5496
SI | Men's  | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 |  | 35 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 |  |
Par  |  | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36  | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 71
SI |  | {{{ 1}}} | {{{ 2}}} | {{{ 3}}} | {{{ 4}}} | {{{ 5}}} | {{{ 6}}} | {{{ 7}}} | {{{ 8}}} | {{{ 9}}} |  | {{{10}}} | {{{11}}} | {{{12}}} | {{{13}}} | {{{14}}} | {{{15}}} | {{{16}}} | {{{17}}} | {{{18}}} |  |
Green  | 73.6 / 130  | 480 | 367 | 461 | 320 | 336 | 122 | 332 | 133 | 372 | 2923  | 322 | 113 | 370 | 418 | 301 | 346 | 317 | 154 | 449 | 2790 | 5713
Silver  | {{{1}}}  | {{{ 2}}} | {{{ 3}}} | {{{ 4}}} | {{{ 5}}} | {{{ 6}}} | {{{ 7}}} | {{{ 8}}} | {{{ 9}}} | {{{10}}} | {{{11}}}  | {{{12}}} | {{{13}}} | {{{14}}} | {{{15}}} | {{{16}}} | {{{17}}} | {{{18}}} | {{{19}}} | {{{20}}} | {{{21}}} | {{{22}}}
Black  | 64.9 / 122  | 450 | 295 | 80 | 260 | 424 | 102 | 325 | 122 | 338 | 2396 | 298 | 95 | 416 | 273 | 225 | 312 | 305 | 131 | 405 | 2460 | 4857

## Major tournaments hosted

[edit]

Year | Tournament | Course(s) | Winner

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|
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1950  | U.S. Women's Amateur | East Lake Country Club | Beverly Hanson
1963  | Ryder Cup | East Lake Country Club | USA - Arnold Palmer
1976 | U.S. Open | Highlands | Jerry Pate
1981 | PGA Championship | Highlands | Larry Nelson
1990 | U.S. Women's Open | Riverside | Betsy King
2001 | PGA Championship | Highlands | David Toms
2011 | PGA Championship | Highlands | Keegan Bradley
2014 | U.S. Amateur | Riverside (stroke play)
Highlands (stroke and match play) | Gunn Yang
2017 | Arnold Palmer Cup | Highlands | U.S. 19.5–11.5
2021 | Women's PGA Championship | Highlands | Nelly Korda

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Lowell & Campbell – nba.com – Retrieved September 11, 2009

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Highlands Renovation in Preparation for 2011 PGA Championship
* AAC voted #1 Athletic Club

34°00′14.40″N 84°11′34.96″W﻿ / ﻿34.0040000°N 84.1930444°W﻿ / 34.0040000; -84.1930444

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U.S. Open Championship venues

* Atlanta Athletic Club
* 1976
* Baltimore Country Club
* 1899
* Baltusrol Golf Club
* 1903
* 1915
* 1936
* 1954
* 1967
* 1980
* 1993
* Bellerive Country Club
* 1965
* Bethpage Black Course
* 2002
* 2009
* Brae Burn Country Club
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* 1940
* 1946
* Chambers Bay
* 2015
* Champions Golf Club
* 1969
* Cherry Hills Country Club
* 1938
* 1960
* 1978
* Chicago Golf Club
* 1897
* 1900
* 1911
* Colonial Country Club
* 1941
* Columbia Country Club
* 1921
* Congressional Country Club
* 1964
* 1997
* 2011
* Country Club of Buffalo
* 1912
* Englewood Golf Club
* 1909
* Erin Hills
* 2017
* Fresh Meadow Country Club
* 1932
* Garden City Golf Club
* 1902
* Glen View Club
* 1904
* Hazeltine National Golf Club
* 1970
* 1991
* Interlachen Country Club
* 1930
* Inverness Club
* 1920
* 1931
* 1957
* 1979
* Inwood Country Club
* 1923
* Los Angeles Country Club
* 2023
* Medinah Country Club
* 1949
* 1975
* 1990
* Merion Golf Club
* 1934
* 1950
* 1971
* 1981
* 2013
* Midlothian Country Club
* 1914
* Myopia Hunt Club
* 1898
* 1901
* 1905
* 1908
* Newport Country Club
* 1895
* North Shore Country Club
* 1933
* Northwood Club
* 1952
* Oak Hill Country Club
* 1956
* 1968
* 1989
* Oakland Hills Country Club
* 1924
* 1937
* 1951
* 1961
* 1985
* 1996
* Oakmont Country Club
* 1927
* 1935
* 1953
* 1962
* 1973
* 1983
* 1994
* 2007
* 2016
* 2025
* Olympia Fields Country Club
* 1928
* 2003
* Olympic Club
* 1955
* 1966
* 1987
* 1998
* 2012
* Onwentsia Club
* 1906
* Pebble Beach Golf Links
* 1972
* 1982
* 1992
* 2000
* 2010
* 2019
* Philadelphia Country Club
* 1939
* Philadelphia Cricket Club
* 1907
* 1910
* Pinehurst Resort
* 1999
* 2005
* 2014
* 2024
* Riviera Country Club
* 1948
* Scioto Country Club
* 1926
* Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
* 1896
* 1986
* 1995
* 2004
* 2018
* 2026
* Skokie Country Club
* 1922
* Southern Hills Country Club
* 1958
* 1977
* 2001
* St. Louis Country Club
* 1947
* The Country Club
* 1913
* 1963
* 1988
* 2022
* The Minikahda Club
* 1916
* Torrey Pines Golf Course
* 2008
* 2021
* Winged Foot Golf Club
* 1929
* 1959
* 1974
* 1984
* 2006
* 2020
* Worcester Country Club
* 1925

Authority control databases

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