St. Marlo Golf Club (Public)

7755 St. Marlo Country Club Parkway, Duluth
770-495-7725; www.stmarlo.com

STAFF: Tim Weinhart is the Director of Instruction; Adam Chewning is the Superintendent.

PAR/YARDAGE: St. Marlo plays to a par 72 with four sets of tees—Gold (6,823 yards); Blue (6,405); White (5,933) and Red (4,969).

COURSE RATING/SLOPE: 73.7/140 (Gold); 71.9/135 (Blue); 69.1/128 (White); 70.2/121 (Red).

ABOUT THE COURSE: The setting (gated community with luxurious houses), clubhouse and conditioning all say private club, but St. Marlo is a totally public course. The first class design by Denis Griffiths has been recognized by several golf publications as one of the state’s best, with the course also getting high marks for visual appeal even though many of the holes are bordered by homes. Other than a very strong trio of par 4s, length is not a serious concern, with a short but interesting group of par 5s and one of the most scenic group of par 3s around. With a few exceptions, St. Marlo is a generous course off the tee. But there is plenty of trouble in play, with hazards a serious factor on 11 holes, including all four par 3s and a trio of par 4s with water guarding the greens.

The consistently excellent greens are large but are not overly undulating, with all but one or two guarded by some well-positioned bunkers. The gently rolling terrain will create some touchy short game shots, with St. Marlo a course that will truly test every facet of your game. The mix of holes is among its primary assets, with Griffiths sprinkling in a number of potential scoring opportunities along with the more challenging holes. The three Tour length par 4s (2, 12 and 15) are all a handful from tee to green, with each featuring demanding second shots to well-protected putting surfaces. Their difficulty, plus that of a few other par 4s, is offset somewhat by the mostly friendly group of par 5s, with the 13th among Atlanta’s most inviting holes and the 9th one of the most debated for its somewhat quirky design. The narrow 5th is a well-crafted three-shotter that requires strategic thinking and positioning, and is a prime example of Griffiths’ thoughtful design that deftly combines challenge and playability.