East Lake
East Lake is the home course of Bobby Jones and the permanent host of the Tour Championship, the finale of the FedEx Cup. A Donald Ross routing from 1913, restored by Andrew Green in 2024, it now plays to a par of 71 over about 7,490 yards across the lakeside ground southeast of downtown Atlanta.
Photo: East Lake Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
East Lake opened in 1908 and was reworked by Donald Ross in 1913, whose routing still defines the property today. Rees Jones restored it in 1994 as part of the club's celebrated revival, and Andrew Green completed a thorough restoration ahead of the 2024 Tour Championship, reclaiming the bunker shapes and playing characteristics of the Ross era. It now plays as a par 71 of about 7,490 yards.
More than its yardage, East Lake matters for what it represents: the course where Bobby Jones learned the game, and the stage on which the PGA Tour season ends each year. The lake gathers the closing holes, the greens run firm and true, and a round here connects a visitor to one of the deepest seams of golf history in the United States.
East Lake at a glance
- Opened
- 1908
- Designer
- Donald Ross, Andrew Green 2024
- Type
- Parkland
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- About 7,490 yds
- Green fee
- Members
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from East Lake Golf Club and tournament records. The course follows a Donald Ross routing from 1913, was restored by Rees Jones in 1994 and again by Andrew Green in 2024, and plays as a par 71 of about 7,490 yards for the Tour Championship. East Lake is a private club; access for visitors is rare and any charity round or guest arrangement should be confirmed directly before planning.
The holes worth the trip
East Lake rewards control and nerve over brute force. The Ross routing returns each nine to the clubhouse, the fairways tilting and the greens firm enough to repel anything but a well judged approach, exactly as the 2024 restoration intended.
The signature is the short 6th, a par 3 of about 168 yards that plays from an elevated tee to a peninsula green angled into the water, a hole that has decided more than one Tour Championship. The reworked bunkering, including the trench bunker at the 17th, draws directly on the Ross design and the look of the course in its early decades.
The lake dominates the closing stretch, gathering errant shots and raising the stakes when the season is on the line. East Lake gives back a course of strategy and history in equal measure, the ground where Bobby Jones was formed and where the modern game crowns its champion.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private club; visitor and charity access is rare and arranged in advance |
| Green fee | No published public fee; any guest or charity round is arranged privately (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Plan well ahead through a member or a specialist; tee times for visitors are very limited |
| On the day | Caddies are part of the experience; pace and etiquette are expected |
| Getting there | Southeast of downtown Atlanta, about 20 minutes from the city and the airport |
| Best months | April to October, outside the late summer tournament window |
Access arrangements verified June 2026; East Lake is private and the Tour Championship closes the course in late summer, so always confirm directly before planning a visit.
Where to stay nearby
Most visiting golfers base themselves in downtown or midtown Atlanta, both a short drive from East Lake and full of excellent hotels, dining and the wider attractions of the city. An Atlanta base keeps East Lake and the region's other courses within easy reach.
For a golf focused stay, the neighbourhoods east of downtown put East Lake on the doorstep, with the city's full range of lodging close by. It is an ideal base to build a southern golf trip around, pairing East Lake's history with the best of Georgia and the Carolinas.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near East Lake.
Build an Atlanta golf trip
We arrange access where it is possible, pair East Lake with the best of the region and book the lodging around it. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
East Lake questions
Who designed East Lake and when did it open?
East Lake opened in 1908 and follows a Donald Ross routing from 1913. It was restored by Rees Jones in 1994 and again by Andrew Green in 2024.
What is the par and length of East Lake?
East Lake plays as a par 71 of about 7,490 yards for the Tour Championship, across firm parkland ground southeast of downtown Atlanta.
Why is East Lake famous?
East Lake is the home course of Bobby Jones and the permanent host of the Tour Championship, the finale of the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup.
Can visitors play East Lake?
East Lake is a private club and visitor access is rare, sometimes through charity events. Plan well ahead and confirm any arrangement directly.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.