The Manor Golf & CC (Private)

15951 Manor Club Drive, Alpharetta
678-366-3975; www.themanorgolfandcountryclub.com

STAFF: Doug Meredith is the General Manager/Director of Golf; Jon Hough is the Golf Professional.

PAR/YARDAGE: The Manor plays to a par of 72 with five sets of tees: Watson (7,177 yards); Blue (6,738); White (6,338); Yellow (5,807); Red (5,206).

COURSE RATING/SLOPE: 74.9/142 (Watson); 72.5/138 (Blue); 70.4/134 (White); 68.4/128 (Yellow); 70.4/127 (Red).

ABOUT THE COURSE: As golf legend Tom Watson’s career winds down, he has branched out into the design field. While he has limited the number of clients he has accepted, his lack of a deep resume does not cast any shadow over his abilities in his new occasional occupation. Watson’s work on The Manor, which opened in 2006, is first class, working well for both players who will tackle the course from the tips, named for its designer, or those playing from a shorter set. Watson has done an excellent job in spacing the tees, providing multiple playable options for the members. Thanks to the relatively generous landing areas off the tees and the minimal number of hazards in play, you can move back a set and not feel overwhelmed, with the rolling terrain an ally on some holes but a potential concern on others. While there are no huge elevation changes, the rolling terrain will impact tee shots that miss the fairway, leaving you with some hilly lies you definitely want to avoid. The same holds true around many of the greens, which provide much of the challenge of Watson’s well-balanced, superbly conditioned  layout.

The outstanding putting surfaces at The Manor are large and feature a significant amount of undulation, with many of the greens divided into distinct sections that will produce some perplexing putts and short game shots. Watson also has guarded several of the greens with bunkers cut into mounds that border the putting surfaces, making for some very uncomfortable sand shots. Watson’s bunkering is also distinctive from a visual standpoint, and that aspect of his work is as impressive as the course itself. There are some striking views of landing areas from tee boxes and of greens complexes from landing areas, as Watson makes use of the terrain to create a layout that is memorable both for its scenic appeal and playable nature.