Atlanta Athletic Club Highlands
The championship course at one of America's great clubs, the Highlands at Atlanta Athletic Club began as a Robert Trent Jones Sr design and was rebuilt by Rees Jones into a modern major test. In Johns Creek north of Atlanta, it hosted the 2011 PGA Championship at a par 70 of about 7,486 yards.
Photo via Google, contributed by Hayden Shieh.
The verdict
Atlanta Athletic Club carries deep history as the club Bobby Jones called home in his later years, and the Highlands is its tournament course. Robert Trent Jones Sr laid out the original after the club moved to Johns Creek in the 1960s, and his son Rees Jones returned across the 1990s and 2000s to rebuild it into a venue capable of holding the modern game, with major works completed for the 2011 PGA Championship. The club has staged the US Open, multiple PGA Championships and a US Amateur.
Our verdict: the Highlands is a big, muscular, water guarded examination of the long game, the kind of course where par is a good score and the closing stretch can wreck a card. It lacks the seaside drama of the coast or the intimacy of a Golden Age gem, but as a pure championship test it is among the most demanding in the Southeast. For the wider region, see our guide to golf in Georgia.
Atlanta Athletic Club Highlands Course at a glance
- Original
- Robert Trent Jones Sr
- Rebuilt
- Rees Jones
- Par
- 70 (championship)
- Yardage
- About 7,486 yds
- Host
- 2011 PGA Championship
- Type
- Private, parkland
Design history, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Atlanta Athletic Club, Rees Jones Inc and PGA of America records: a Robert Trent Jones Sr layout rebuilt by Rees Jones, playing as a par 70 of about 7,486 yards for the 2011 PGA Championship. The club has also hosted the 1976 US Open and the 1981 PGA Championship. Atlanta Athletic Club is private with no public daily fee play and no published visitor green fee; access is by member invitation. Always confirm details directly.
The holes worth the trip
The Highlands is defined by its water and its finish. Rees Jones reshaped the course to test the modern professional, lengthening it past 7,400 yards, rebuilding the greens and bringing water into play on the holes that decide tournaments. The closing run is famous, a gauntlet of long, water guarded holes that has produced high drama at the PGA Championship and asks every visiting player to hold their nerve over the final approaches.
This is a course that rewards length and accuracy in equal measure. Off the tee the corridors are tree lined and demanding, and the second shots into firm, sloping greens leave little room for error, particularly with the par cut to 70 for championship play. It is an honest, front foot test with no hidden tricks, just relentless quality of shot required from the first hole to the last.
On a Georgia trip the Highlands is the northern Atlanta championship anchor, a natural pairing with the historic Donald Ross test at East Lake across the city and, for the full state tour, the coastal resort golf of Sea Island and a Masters pilgrimage to Augusta National.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A private member club; play is by membership or as the invited guest of a member, with no public access |
| Green fee | No published visitor green fee; guest play is arranged through a member, so confirm any fee and policy directly |
| Championship pedigree | Host of the 1976 US Open, the 1981 and 2001 PGA Championships, the 2011 PGA Championship and the 2014 US Amateur |
| Handicap and dress | Standard country club expectations on pace, etiquette and dress; confirm with your host |
| Getting there | In Johns Creek, about 30 minutes north of downtown Atlanta and Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport |
| Best months | Spring and fall are ideal in north Georgia, with hot, humid summers |
Access details verified June 2026 from Atlanta Athletic Club and championship records. As a private club, policies are set by the membership and can change; there is no public tee time and no published green fee, so always confirm access arrangements directly through a member before planning a visit.
Where to stay nearby
A visit to the Highlands is usually arranged as a member's guest, with the trip based in north Atlanta, where Johns Creek, Alpharetta and the Perimeter area offer plenty of hotels close to the club. Atlanta's scale and connectivity make it an easy start or finish point for a wider Southeast golf trip.
For a complete Georgia itinerary, base a night or two in Atlanta for the Highlands and historic East Lake, then add a Masters visit to Augusta and the coastal resort golf of Sea Island, all reachable within the state.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts around north Atlanta and Johns Creek.
Build a Georgia golf trip
The Highlands is a private major championship test we love to anchor a north Atlanta golf trip around when access can be arranged, alongside East Lake, Augusta and the Sea Island coast. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Atlanta Athletic Club Highlands Course questions
Who designed the Atlanta Athletic Club Highlands Course?
The Highlands began as a Robert Trent Jones Sr design after the club moved to Johns Creek in the 1960s and was heavily rebuilt by his son Rees Jones across the 1990s and 2000s, with major works completed for the 2011 PGA Championship.
What is the par and length of the Highlands Course?
For championship play the Highlands measures about 7,486 yards as a par 70, a long, water guarded test famous for its demanding closing stretch.
What major championships has the Highlands Course hosted?
Atlanta Athletic Club has hosted the 1976 US Open, the 1981 and 2001 PGA Championships, the 2011 PGA Championship and the 2014 US Amateur on the Highlands Course.
Can the public play the Atlanta Athletic Club Highlands Course?
No. The Highlands is a private member course with no public daily fee play; the only route to play is as the invited guest of a member.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Design history, par, yardage and championship record verified June 2026; the club is private and access policies are to be confirmed through a member. Last reviewed June 2026.