Echelon Golf Club

Echelon Golf Club – Played 2014

• Rankings: None of the four lists
• Location: 501 Founders Drive East, Alpharetta, Georgia
• Year: 2006
• Architect: Rees Jones
• Course Access: Public
• Walking Rules: Carts Available

Score Card Information:

• Tournament: 7,758 yards, Par 72, 77.8 Rating/154 Slope
• Gold: 7,076 yards, Par 72, 74.9 Rating/150 Slope
• Blue: 6,552 yards, Par 72, 71.9 Rating/139 Slope
• White: 6,025 yards, Par 72, 70.0 Rating/129 Slope
• Red: 4,984 yards, Par 73, 69.8 Rating/125 Slope

We did a quick trip down to Atlanta to visit a college buddy and see some sights.  We visited the World of Coke, took in a Braves game, and had some great pizza at Antico’s  I highly recommend Antico’s if you are in the area.  It is authentic Italian pizza served until the dough runs out.

That’s all the non-golf stuff I have!  I didn’t want you to get the wrong idea about this blog.  I planned one round for the short trip and those plans brought me to Echelon Golf Club.  The course has had some transition since it opened.  It began as a private facility known as the Georgia Tech Club.  The course was designed by Rees Jones, also known as “The Open Doctor” for his renovations to many US Open courses.  His original design portfolio is also quite impressive.

Alright, let’s get to the course.  As you will see the fairways are pretty generous and hazards abound.

 

 

Hole 1 – 401 yards – Par 4

Your first shot at Echelon Golf Club is on a downhill par four.  A draw or fade will work here as long as it’s in the fairway.

The approach plays to a large green protected on the left side by two deep bunkers.

The green is relatively flat but has a big drop off behind.

Hole 3 – 160 yards – Par 3

I played through a group on the second an as such didn’t get any pictures.  The third hole has a huge green and another deep bunker around it.  Distance control is important here.

There is a little ridge that runs the length of the green on the left side.  Overall though putts are pretty flat.

Hole 4 – 586 yards – Par 5

This is a lengthy par five that favors a draw off the tee.  At this time of the morning, I was dealing with the sun in my eyes too.  Good thing I hit it straight because I had no idea where it went when I looked up from the swing.

The shot into the green has a depression to the left with more deep bunkers.  In addition, there is a trap to the right off the green.

As seen below, the green is long.  That makes knowing where the flag is paramount to having a reasonable putt.

Hole 5 – 366 yards – Par 4

The fifth played down and then back uphill.  It also doglegs left.  If hit down the middle with a driver the ball may go through the fairway.  Three wood or hybrid is a smart play here.

Another theme of the course is large greens and you can see that below.  The surface tilts from back left to front right.

Hole 6 – 395 yards – Par 4

The best shot from this tee is a fade.  What you can’t see here is the hill and hazard down the left side.  Driver definitely brings that trouble into play.

The second shot plays over another hazard to a raised green.  The front of the green is shaved, so anything coming up short will roll way off the putting surface.

Hole 7 – 526 yards – Par 5

This is another burly hole.  There is more room on the right that it looks from here.  Left is no good with deep grass ready to swallow wayward shots.

Below is the approach shot.

And one of the slightly undulating green from behind.

Hole 8 – 135 yards – Par 3

The eighth is all carry but hit it too long and deep bunkers await.  A range finder would definitely help with this hole.

As I mentioned, those bunkers are deep and have you staring right at the water.  The green also slopes back to front.

Hole 9 – 414 yards – Par 4

This is a long hole and it plays uphill the entire way.  Save your best drive of the day for this one.

Like I said, all uphill, and probably with a long or mid-iron.  You know, unless you bomb it.

The green falls off on both sides and is quite deep.  This is just a tough hole from start to finish.

Hole 10 – 371 yards – Par 4

This is a complete change of pace from the last hole.  I found that it played a little shorter than its yardage.

The green has a deep bunker (I sound like a broken record) in front and wrapping around the right.

A closer shot of the shallow green.

Hole 11 – 561 yards – Par 5

The third par five is another long one.  The only strategy here is to hit a big drive.

If you are laying up, then be sure to account for the hazard that crosses the fairway when figuring your yardage.

The hazard goes all the way down the left side on the second and third shots.  It also comes quite close to the green.

The green is large with a bailout area to the right.

Hole 12 – 279 yards – Par 4

This is an interesting hole.  It’s very short but plays straight uphill.  There is deep grass up both sides of the hole.  If you go for it an accurate drive is needed.

Here is a shot of the green from behind.

Hole 13 – 401 yards – Par 4

This is an awkward hole visually for me.  The best shot is a fade off the bunkers on the left.

The green is open in the front so take dead aim to avoid the bunkers on the left and right.

Another shot of the green.

I thought the photo back up the hole was a good shot.

Hole 14 – 481 yards – Par 5

This was the shortest of the par fives, but it still played uphill.  There is plenty of fairway on this hole.

The second shot is blind.

The green, as seen from the left, has a ridge down the middle, but is otherwise flat.

Hole 15 – 208 yards – Par 3

This is a stout one-shotter, but you get a little break since it plays downhill.

The green has some slope on the left side towards the middle and front.

Hole 16 – 365 yards – Par 4

This hole is all out in front of you.  Pick whichever club leaves you with your preferred approach distance and hit it straight.

A good drive should leave you with a shorter second shot.  There is a drop off behind the green, so beware going long.

Hole 17 – 149 yards – Par 3

This hole plays slightly uphill.  With a shorter club into the green, the bunkers are less of an issue.

The shot of the green, below, that falls off on the left side.

Hole 18 – 410 yards – Par 4

The last hole at Echelon Golf Club demands a good tee shot.  A fade up the left-center is the prudent play.

The final approach, as seen below, cannot be missed short.  Anything that doesn’t get to the green will roll a good distance from the flag.

As you can see from the pictures, there is a lot of elevation change on this course.  It required precise distances and thought when executing shots.  The greens were very large with the occasional big undulations.  They were very smooth and some of the better public greens I have putted.  Overall, Echelon Golf Club was a great test and well worth adding to your itinerary if you are in the Atlanta area.