The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

This famed golf course has gotten a major makeover.

‘Course has gone through a complete transforma­tion.’

- By Todd C. Duncan todd.duncan@ajc.com

It’s time to tee it up again at the famed Bobby Jones Golf Course in Atlanta.

On Monday, the redesigned course opened to the public following a two-year effort by the Bobby Jones Golf Course Foundation.

The foundation, which was created in 2016, raised more than $23 million to completely renovate the course, which opened in 1932 in honor of Jones. The foundation leases the Northside Drive property from the state.

“This course has gone through a complete transfo r mation,” said Chuck Palmer, chairman of the Bobby Jones Golf Course Foundation during a preview event on Saturday. “Any of you who have played out here the decades previously will not recognize what you see today.”

The original was the first public course in Atlanta.

The new 130-acre course has a unique design. It features multiple tees on each hole that are not based on gender and the holes boast double greens.

The Azalea Course or Magnolia Course are 9 holes each and offer several tee and pin combinatio­ns so players play a different loop each time around. The revers- ible course is the product of designer the late Bob Cupp.

“There a great mix of holes out here,” said Marty Elgison, president of the Bobby Jones Golf Course Foundation. “It’s going to present a challenge for the good golfer, and it’s going to be a lot of fun for the novice.”

The course also has a stateof-the art practice facility, brand new clubhouse and two instructio­nal centers.

In addition to the 280car parking deck, there is a PATH Foundation walking trail and the redevelope­d Bitsy Grant Tennis Center is located there.

Golfers can have even more fun with the Shark Experience technology in the golf carts. The Shark Experience provides for detailed GPS graphics and informatio­n, but also allows golfers to play tunes from the cart’s robust speaker system.

The course will also be the home to the Georgia State Golf Associatio­n’s adaptive golf program and the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame. The Georgia Section of the PGA of America will also be located there. Greens fees vary from $48 to $78, depending on when you play. For more informatio­n, visit www.bobbyjones­gc.com.

Robert Tyre “Bobby” Jones, Jr. was born March 17, 1902, in Grant Park.

Jones, who died in 1971, won five U.S. A mateur championsh­ips, three British Opens, a British Amateur and four U.S. Opens, and was a founder of the Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters.

He won the Grand Slam of 1930 and became the only golfer to win the U.S. Amateur, British Amateur, British Open and U.S. Open in the same year.

 ?? TODD. C. DUNCAN / TODD.DUNCAN@AJC.COM ?? The new 130-acre Bobby Jones Golf Course in Atlanta has a unique design. It features multiple tees on each hole that are not based on gender and the holes boast double greens.
TODD. C. DUNCAN / TODD.DUNCAN@AJC.COM The new 130-acre Bobby Jones Golf Course in Atlanta has a unique design. It features multiple tees on each hole that are not based on gender and the holes boast double greens.

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