GOLF COURSE REVIEW - THE MANOR GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
Course Architect: Tom Watson
Year Opened: 2006
Location: Milton, Georgia
Slope: 143. Rating: 74.7
Par: 72
Yardage: 7,177
Hole-by-Hole: 1 - Par 4 405 Yds 10 - Par 4 372 Yds
2 - Par 4 423 Yds 11 - Par 4 406 Yds
3 - Par 5 546 Yds 12 - Par 3 204 Yds
4 - Par 3 205 Yds 13 - Par 5 516 Yds
5 - Par 4 478 Yds 14 - Par 4 398 Yds
6 - Par 4 430 Yds 15 - Par 4 425 Yds
7 - Par 3 214 Yds 16 - Par 3 240 Yds
8 - Par 5 583 Yds 17 - Par 4 369 Yds
9 - Par 4 431 Yds 18 - Par 5 532 Yds
Par 36 3,715 Yds Par 36 3,462 Yds
Awards Won: Distinguished Clubs of America, Ranked #7 by GolfNow - Top Courses in Atlanta (2014).
Website: www.invitedclubs.com/clubs/the-manor-golf-country-club
HISTORY: Tom Watson has only 16 courses to his credit as a designer. He certainly is well known as one of the finest golfers of our generation, with five Open Championships, two Masters titles, not to mention a U.S. Open victory at Pebble Beach.
But, as a course designer? You bet!
His design philosophy is simple. “My goals as a designer are many fold. The two most important criteria are beauty and playability.”
Although he has crafted just a handful of venues, he has received plenty of accolades.
His Cassique layout in Kiawah Island was named Best New Private Course by Golf Digest. The Independence Course at Reunion Golf Club was called the Best Tour Course you can play by GolfWeek and The National Golf Club of Kansas City was called a Top 100 U.S. Private Golf Community by Travel & Leisure.
The Manor Golf & Country Club certainly fits that bill.
What he has done here is truly remarkable. Watson has crafted a layout that features a wide variety of holes, ranging from risk-reward challenges, to left-to-right and right-to-left doglegs, uphill and downhill holes and of course, sensational views.
In less than 20 years, The Manor has risen to elite status as one of the top courses in the Atlanta area, which features some outstanding layouts like, East Lake, Peachtree, Cherokee Town and Atlanta Country Club to name a few.
Previously owned by Invited (formerly ClubCorp), the club was sold to Arcis Golf, the second-largest owner and operator of golf facilities in the United States. Along with The Manor, Arcis purchased two additional clubs in the area, White Columns Country Club and The Country Club of the South.
“The acquisition of three historic clubs – each distinguished by exceptional courses, facilities, and amenities – brings a fresh dimension to our diverse collection of private, daily-fee and resort properties, and marks an exciting new chapter for Arcis Golf,” said Blake Walker, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Arcis Golf.
COURSE REVIEW: The Manor opens up with a wonderful, slight dogleg right par four that plays uphill from tee to green. Certainly not the easiest of opening holes. Avoid the sand right and left off the tee and you’ll have a medium to long iron remaining to reach the longest putting surface on the course at 48 paces.
In contrast, the second hole plays downhill and stretches to 423 yards from the Watson tees. A creek down the center of the landing area needs to be avoided for any chance at par, let alone birdie. A medium to short iron remains to another long green, with sand on the right side of the putting surface.
The first of four par-5s over 500 yards, the third is 546 yards and plays uphill off the tee to a generous landing area, guarded on both sides by sand. The layup area is also pretty generous, although rough left and sand right will capture any errant shot. The green is surrounded by three bunkers and any shot miss-fired long or right might end up in the hazard near by.
Similar to the par-5s, the first par three is one of four over 200 yards in length. Not to mention that it plays directly uphill from tee to green. You’ll need an extra club or two to reach the putting surface. The green itself runs hard from back to front and features a false front, so make sure you take enough club, otherwise, well, you can figure it out!
Playing downhill and to the right, the fifth hole is a massive par four of 478 yards. Sand on both sides pinch the landing area off the tee, but it’s your approach that will be most difficult. Three enormous bunkers protect the green, so accuracy with a fairway metal or long iron is key to success.
Number six is no slouch either at 430 yards. Out of bounds and sand right and a water hazard left will certainly catch your attention as you try to negotiate the landing area. If that wasn’t hard enough, your second shot is played slightly uphill to a well-guarded and quite long putting surface. The green, which is 45 yards deep, runs right to left and towards the front, so be careful, especially with a front pin.
The par three seventh features another massing putting surface over 40 yards in length. In addition, a quartet of sand guard the green, that runs every which way. Pin placement is important, not to mention accuracy, otherwise a three-putt is a distinct possibility.
The longest hole on the course is the par-5 eighth, a massive three-shotter that plays uphill from the tee. At 583 yards, you’ll be hard-pressed to reach in two, let alone three. Start off with the tee shot that must avoid three bunkers right and one left. Next up is the layup, which is quite narrow and features a deep trap around the 100 yard mark. Finally, reaching the green that’s protected by three traps and is two-tiered, making this hole quite difficult. A back-right pin is almost impossible to get at. Although not a large putting surface, the slope from back to front is quite severe.
The closing hole on the outward nine is a wonderful, downhill straightaway par four of 431 yards. A handful of bunkers guard the landing area off the tee, but if you’re successful, you’ll have a mid-iron remaining to a long green with a just as long bunker on the left to negotiate. One word of caution, miss left off the tee and you’ll find yourself amongst the dense trees. One of the few greens that run from front to back, so be careful with a back pin placement.
A most definite signature hole at The Manor is the lovely, par-four tenth. From an elevated teeing area, this 372 yard hole requires accuracy off the tee, as the landing area is protected by a myriad of sand and a tree-lined hazard on the left. Your approach shot will be uphill to a smallish green that runs from back to front with a trio of traps protecting the errant shot.
A blind tee shot awaits on number eleven, which plays uphill off the tee and then downhill to the green and reaches 406 yards in length. Not long by any stretch, but you’ll need to be accurate off the tee, as the landing area is quite narrow with sand left and forest right. Your approach will need to be spot on, as sand is short of one the smallest greens on the course. Dense woods lay in wait down the right and OB left, so be careful.
Another 200-plus par three is in store at the 12th. Playing slightly uphill, you’ll need to negotiate another long and narrow green that boasts four protecting traps. The two-tiered green is quite slick and runs hard from back to front. Good luck.
Risk-reward time as you reach the par five 13th. Just 516 yards in length, it bends to the left and plays both downhill and uphill. First off, avoid the sand down the right sight of the fairway, thus setting up an opportunity to go for the green in two. Trees flank the right side of the fairway as you approach the green, while out-of-bounds is left. The layup area is downhill and quite narrow, so be precise. If you go for it, you’ll need to avoid the five bunkers that surround the putting surface. A word of caution, your approach from the layup area will play uphill, so make the adjustment, as any shot short, will roll back down the fairway.
A fairly benign hole, the 14th is just 398 yards and plays downhill towards the green. With trees right and a long bunker left, you’ll need to be accurate off the tee. Attack mode should follow after a successful tee ball. The green is large and undulating, so don’t leave yourself a long putt at birdie, otherwise a three-putt is likely.
With trees guarding both sides of the fairway, the 15th is quite demanding, especially off the tee. Two bunkers right and trees left make for a tight and rolling landing area. A long and narrow putting surface is receptive to your mid to long iron approach, however miss left and you’ll catch sand or worse, water. The green runs back to front and right to left in the rear, so try and stay below the hole.
Yet another signature hole, the 16th is a wonderful and difficult par three of 240 yards! From the tips, you’ll need to carry marsh and a creek and sand if you want to reach the green. Although just 29 paces in depth, the putting surface is quire wide with a deep trap in the front (I know from experience). Another undulating green, so do your best to stay below the hole.
At 369 yards, the 17th is the shortest par four on the course. Playing downhill from the tee, this dogleg left can be had, especially with a tee ball to a fairly generous landing area. Your approach is needs to be pinpoint to avoid the pond right and the sand left and deep. The putting surface runs from back to front and is long and narrow.
The closing hole at The Manor is a wonderful par five that plays downhill and to the right. Avoid the series of traps right and you’ll be able to give it a go. Laying up is not a bad play either, as this green can be attacked, especially with a wedge in hand. You will need to skirt the six bunkers surrounding the green to accomplish that feat. Right to left and middle to front is the green slope, so go for it. Word of caution, don’t mess with a back-right pin. Stay left and finish with a par!
OVERALL: Crafted through the hardwood trees and the towering pines, The Manor Golf & Country Club is the ultimate setting. It features lakes, ponds and meandering streams and the elevation changes will keep you guessing.
The course offers several sets of tees, ranging from as little as 2,091 yards for the junior player to a whopping 7,177 yards from the Watson Championship tees.
This is the key to happiness … choosing the correct set of tees to play from.
The landing areas are quite generous off the tee, however the real challenge is your approach shots to the wonderfully crafted putting surfaces, which range from as little as 29 paces in depth to 48 yards. Let’s not forget the slope and the speed of the Bentgrass greens that will keep you on your toes.
Strategy comes into play on every shot, especially when you’re trying to avoid landing in one of the many bunkers surrounding the promised land. Manor Golf and Country Club will certainly test the best golfers.
According to Watson, “The true test of a great golf course is after the golfer finishes on #18 … they want to play it again … soon.”
Boy, do I ever!