GEORGIAPGA.COM GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM «« FALL 2012 Crystal Lake on the upswing South Atlanta standout ‘best it’s been’
By Mike Blum
n real estate, experts like to say that it’s all about location. That also applies to golfI courses. But timing has become an equally critical ele- ment to the success (or relative lack thereof) of courses in the metro Atlanta area. The economic downturn of the late 2000s prevented a number of outstanding courses Crystal Lake's picturesque par-3 15th from getting off to financially sound starts. A number of those facilities are in the midst of come- sible for the design work of a sizeable backs aided by new ownership and/or managed by Affiniti Golf Partners, and management company’s daily fee courses number of outstanding courses management, which have helped get according to General Manager/Head in the metro area consistently ranked throughout the state (Brasstown Valley, them back on more solid footing. Professional Chris Busbee, “is the best among Atlanta’s best. all three courses at Chateau Elan, Among the top Atlanta courses to it’s been the last couple of years.” With the bulk of metro Atlanta’s Chestatee, Chicopee Woods, Georgia open during the mid-2000s is Crystal Busbee, who was Crystal Lake’s golf golfers and golf courses on the north Club, Georgia National, Georgia Vets, Lake Golf & Country Club, a semi-pri- pro when it opened in 2006, says the side, facilities south of the airport Old Union, River Pines, St Marlo). vate facility in Henry County that ranks club’s affiliation with Affiniti has pro- struggle for recognition. But the quality The layout at Crystal Lake is among as one the finest in the entire metro area vided the necessary resources to keep the of Crystal Lake’s layout and condi- Griffiths’ best in Georgia, and is one of and is considered by many to be the best course maintained to standards set in its tioning match that of the best daily fee the stronger tests in all of Atlanta, with daily fee design south of the city. early years. Being part of the Affiniti facilities on the north side. five nicely placed sets of tees providing Crystal Lake recently joined the family is also beneficial from a mar- Crystal Lake’s appeal begins with the growing list of metro Atlanta courses keting standpoint, with almost all the efforts of Denis Griffiths, who is respon- [ See Tour Crystal Lake, page 6 ]
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2012 FALL GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM 3 Instruction Fore You
3021 Kalah Place, Marietta, GA 30067 770-933-04GA / 770-953-6638 fax golfforegeorgia.com / [email protected] Send all press releases to: [email protected] numbers on the golf course, keeping track of PUBLISHER Set make-up changes normal, solid shots on windless days. Try to Golf Media, Inc. / John Barrett find your ball mark on the green, and after EDITOR Mike Blum you have repaired the mark, immediately WEBSITE/ FACEBOOK/ SOCIAL MEDIA OPERATIONS write down the yardage that club flew in the as swing speed slows HYPDMedia, Inc. / Ellen Marsau air, not how far it rolled. Do this over a SOCIAL MEDIA SERVICE & CONTENT number of rounds so that you have a suffi- Ellen Marsau / Alli Hunt By Danny Elkins cient sample to be confident of your data. If JUNIOR/COLLEGE GOLF NEWS COORDINATOR PGA Head Professional There are a couple of keys to you have compiled honest information you Lauren Freeman Georgia Golf Center maximizing your set make-up. might be surprised at the actual numbers. MARKETING & ADVERTISING National Sales: Ed Bowen/Bowen Group, The first of these is to match all Many players are shocked to find that they [email protected] Thirty years ago, back in my of the club specifications as have very small gaps, or at times NO gaps Local & Corporate Sale: John Barrett/Rick Holt, so-called prime, the clubs in my best you can. This does not nec- between some clubs. [email protected] bag consisted of a driver, a essarily mean that all clubs The rules allow us to carry 14 clubs with ART DIRECTOR Lori Montgomery three-wood, a one iron through must be the same brand. In fact, no restrictions on what you choose; you CREATIVE SERVICES Catalina Montana the sand wedge and a putter. I have six different brands in my could even carry 14 putters if you like. In CONTRIBUTORS Danny Elkins / Jeff Wallach / Bill Carpenter Boy, have times changed. bag. Matching really means that the reality this restriction forces most of us to Robert Matre / Steve Dinberg / Al Kooistra My current set make-up consists of a lengths and weights are similar enough make a choice at one end of the set or the driver, a three-wood, another three-wood that no club feels significantly different other. Either carry an extra long club, or carry GEORGIA SECTION, that I view as a four-wood, a five-wood that than the others. (For the record, my hybrid an extra wedge. PGA OF AMERICA OFFICERS is the equivalent of a three iron, a seven- doesn’t feel quite the same as my other After taking a close look at my game, I President Brian Stubbs, PGA / [email protected] wood that I view as a four iron, a 26° degree clubs, but I have not found a better alterna- recently made a change based on an Vice President hybrid I use as a five iron and then six iron tive, and it fills the gap nicely). obvious gap. For about four years I used a Mark Mongell, PGA / [email protected] through the pitching wedge, another The second consideration in set make- driver that I could hit very well off the Secretary pitching wedge bent to function as a gap up is to choose clubs that will leave you ground, flying it in the air just short of 230 Brian Albertson, PGA / [email protected] Honorary President wedge, and a sand wedge. And of course, manageable gaps between them. While yards. This allowed me to use a three wood Patrick Richardson, PGA / [email protected] a putter. the two sets noted above were very dif- that didn’t go very far, but enabled me to hit Why such a dramatic difference? Allow ferent in their makeup, they had one thing higher, softer shots from around 216 yards, a CHAPTER PRESIDENTS me to explain. in common; the gaps between the clubs in distance that worked perfectly relative to my Central Chapter President One obvious reason is that I’m 30 years each set were in a 10-12 yard range. And five wood, which flies 204. Mike Baker, PGA, [email protected] East Chapter President older and therefore have less clubhead here it should be noted that with slower When my driver broke as the result of my Josh Williams, PGA / [email protected] speed. Less clubhead speed means less swing speeds the gaps will be smaller, and golf bag falling off the back of the golf cart, I North Chapter President spin on the ball, less spin means that it is with faster swing speeds the gaps will be had a dilemma. A new driver that I added Ted Fort, PGA / [email protected] more difficult to get the ball up in the air. bigger. went farther than the old driver off the tee, AT- LARGE DIRECTORS Adding to the problem is the fact that the Once you have decided to take a critical but was not conducive to hitting from the Jeff Dunovant, PGA present day golf ball spins much less than look at your set make-up it is HIGHLY rec- deck. Now, I had a gap in the 225 range, a [email protected] the balls we played with years ago. ommended that this be done with a number I frequently have to long par fours Matthew Evans, PGA The combination of my reduced club- qualified fitter using a launch monitor. In and short par fives. [email protected] John Godwin, PGA head speed and the reduced ball spin this day and age there is no reason to do it In response to the dilemma I removed my [email protected] forced me to look for options that would yourself…but I know some of you will. 60 degree sand wedge, added a couple of Scott Mahr, PGA get the ball airborne. For me that meant Doing it on your own is no easy task and degrees of loft to my 56° degree wedge, and [email protected] trading in the long irons for fairway woods will certainly be less precise than using a added a three wood for the 225 yard dis- Michael Raymond, PGA [email protected] and hybrids. Once I got past my ego, the launch monitor, but it can be done. tance where I now had a gap. Bob Stevenson, PGA change to hybrids and fairway woods was a If you choose to do your own gap fitting I’ve made my choices, now it’s time for [email protected] no-brainer. do it during actual play. Chart your real life you to make yours. Darin Stinson, PGA [email protected]
SENIOR DIVISION President INSIDE THIS ISSUE Gordon McIntire, PGA / [email protected] ASSISTANTS’ DIVISION FEATURES: DEPARTMENTS: President Bill Fedder, PGA / [email protected] TK Travel: Myrtle Beach...... 22 Executive Director Mike Paull Russell Henley ...... 8 Assistant Executive Director/ Justin Bolli ...... 10 Junior Golf Director Scott Gordon GOLF BUSINESS: Tournament Director Pat Day, PGA Operations Manager Eric Wagner McGladrey wrap-up...... 12 McGladrey ...... 24 Junior Golf Manager: Lauren Giesecke Section Assistant Carrie Ann Byrne Peters Cup wrap-up ...... 14 Play 18 ...... 26 FOREGeorgia is produced by Golf Media, Inc. College Fall roundup ...... 16 Chip shots...... 28 Copyright ©2010 with all rights reserved. Golf FORE Juniors ...... 30 Reproduction or use, without permission, 2nd stage Q-school ...... 18 of editorial or graphic content is prohibited.
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2012 FALL GOLFFOREGEORGIA.COM 5 shorter tees, provided you play the one feature well-placed fairway bunkers and most appropriate for your game. at least one greenside trap that will zeal- Even from the white tees, there are ously guard pins cut behind it. Just several stout par 4s, but the par 5s are a about every Griffiths design includes an mostly friendly group, as are three of the interesting short par 4, and the well- par 3s. As he typically does, Griffiths bunkered 13th is Crystal Lake’s provides a nice mix of holes in both dis- representative, with a precise tee tance and difficulty, offering enough shot required to set up a prime scoring opportunities to offset the more scoring chance. demanding group. The quartet of extremely strong par Par-3 second hole Griffiths designed Crystal Lake after 4s are 4, 6, 14 and 16, with the super- several trips to Scotland, and the course sized 6th (514 from the tips, 467 from has a bit of a Scottish feel, with mostly the blues) the only one of the group ample fairways featuring bunkers that lacking serious trouble. Both 4 and 14 “With the five sets of tees spread out, will require some thought regarding require long second shots over hazards, Crystal Lake the best players and higher handicappers whether to play over/around/short with the water in play left off the tee on [ Continued from the cover ] can find a spot to play out here,” of them. the 16th, which includes a demanding Busbee says. Some of the bunkers obscure the view approach over sand. playable options for those who don’t try Crystal Lake held its own with the of landing areas behind them, but The strongest of the par 3s are both to bite off more course than they state’s club professionals and top without much change in elevation, there sandwiched in between the four can chew. mini-tour players when it are no “blind” shots, with the challenges toughest par 4s, although the pictur- Crystal Lake measures hosted events for the of Griffiths’ design very visible. esque 15th is not nearly as intimidating 7,200 yards from the Georgia PGA and Hazards are in play on about half the from the blue (150) and white (132) back tees, with the golds Hooters Tour, and its holes, split pretty evenly between tee tees as it is from the tips (240). A very 6,790, the blues 6,443 rating from the tips is an shots and approaches. There are only large green is surrounded by water on and the whites a healthy accurate reflection of its one or two forced carries off the tee, one three sides, with the size of the putting 5,943. Course rating/slope difficulty when played at its of which is largely predicated on the tees surface more of a concern than the numbers are: 74.4/142 (black); full length. you play. For shorter hitters, a few of the water from the shorter tees. 72.8/139 (gold); 71.2/135 (blue) and There are several tour-length par 4s par 4s may require lay-ups if you don’t The 6th is just plain long, ranging 68.7/127 (white). The forward tees are and a pair of very lengthy par 3s, but hit it solidly off the tee, with the four from 187 (white) to 243 (tips) and its just over 4,800 yards and rated at apart from a handful of holes, length is strongest two-shotters bunched together ample putting surface is guarded by a 68.7/118. not an overwhelming concern from the as part of a pair of very demanding menacing front bunker. three-holes stretches which include the The par 5s are not especially long and two hefty par 3s. mostly inviting, although the 8th Crystal Lake is not quite as chal- requires a pretty hefty carry over a wet- lenging around the greens. But with lands area. It’s a whole lot friendlier many of the putting surfaces of the from the white tees at just 416, but a wide, shallow variety, the nature of a host of bunkers along the way will keep number of holes can change markedly your interest level up once you clear the depending on pin position. Most of the hazard. bunkers are along the edges, and a few Sand is also a factor on the dogleg left We think so, but you be the judge. Crystal Lake GCC, located in Hampton, of the greens are bordered by mounds 12th, with creeks crossing the fairway Georgia, is a classic Denis Griffths design with Scottish highlights, a superb with slight drop-offs. not that much of a concern at the clubhouse, and a great practice area. Better yet, it is now managed by The excellent greens don’t have a opening and closing holes. Affiniti Golf Partners, the company that brings you so many other serious amount of undulation, but can Crystal Lake is easily accessible off great golf experiences in the Atlanta area. get quite quick at times, with Busbee I-75 exit 221 in Hampton, just three BringBrBrinnngg inin pointing out that the course “is always miles south of the Eagle’s Landing exit thistht ad for hishiss aadd fofoorr in tournament condition.” and less than three miles off the inter- thistthhiiss greatggrereeaat One of Crystal Lake’s distinct features state. The club features an array of offer!ooffofffefeerr! is the gnarly Bermuda rough bordering amenities and is a popular host for local some of the greenside bunkers, which outings, with a layout that has a natural can make for difficult shots whether feel with a number of pleasant views Atlanta you’re in the sand or out. despite its residential setting. 675 75 As a group, the par 4s are among the Everything at the club is geared toughest in the metro area, with only toward an enjoyable day on the links, three relatively soft touches, all of which although you will need to give it one of 75 your better efforts to post a score that will send you Jonesboro Rd. home with a sense of North satisfaction. Buy One Round Mt. Carmel Get One Free* Rd. We guarantee you’ll love this golf course! Call 770-471-3233! For information, call 770-471-3233 100 crystal lake blvd. | Hampton, GA 30228 | CRYSTALLAKECC.COM or visit www.crystallakecc.com. *Valid off rack rates only. 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