Stone Mountain GC – Lakemont (Public)

1145 Stonewall Jackson Drive, Stone Mountain
770-465-3278; www.stonemountaingolf.com

STAFF: Dustin Irwin is the Director of Golf; Scott Eibling is the Golf Professional.

PAR/YARDAGE: The Lakemont course is a par 71 with three sets of tees: Blue 6,444 yards; White 6,008; Red 4,762.

COURSE RATING/SLOPE: 71.6/133 (Blue); 68.7/127 (White); 68.1/122 (Red).

ABOUT THE COURSE: The newer and considerably friendlier of the two 18-hole layouts, Lakemont serves as a wonderful complement to Stonemont, one of the more demanding daily fee courses in the Atlanta area. Lakemont was designed by John LaFoy, with its two nines opening a few years apart. Originally, Stonemont’s front nine was paired with nine holes from Lakemont to form a hybrid 18, but the two layouts have since been separated, which is a significant improvement for all concerned. The resort-oriented Lakemont course is short and inviting, but there is enough trouble to keep it from being a pushover. You may not think Lakemont is that forgiving three holes into your round. The first hole begins with a tee shot over a finger of the lake, with the dogleg par 5 wrapping around a rock outcropping on one side and the lake on the other. A visually striking but intimidating hole that requires two solid hits to avoid a blind third. The par-3 second measures more than 200 yards from the middle tees, but is downhill and not that punishing.

The third, however, is one of Atlanta’s tougher par 4s, with a lengthy approach required for most players to carry a creek fronting the putting surface. Things ease up after that, with the exception of the long, par-3 6th, which was converted from a short but extremely perilous par 4. The back nine has a little more length but not as much trouble, with accuracy the most essential attribute. The nine winds through tree lines and rock formations, which come into play on several holes, most notably the short but tricky par-4 11th, where water is also a major factor, as well as a tree that may block access to the green if you lay up too close to it. A dangerous par 5 with water lurking on the second shot follows, but there isn’t much serious trouble the rest of the way. The sizeable greens are on the gentle side compared to Stonemont, but if you’re off a little with your approaches, avoiding three-putts is no easy task. A fun and enjoyable layout with a variety of scenic views a nice bonus.