Ansley Golf Club - Atlanta

[Mike Hendren]

I did not realize Cupp's Settindown Creek was Ansley Golf Club's.  I understood that the old in-town nine hole course was to be torn up by a major water/sewer line project.  Has the original course re-opened and was it renovated or restored?

The Alternate Greens thread reminded me that the course had alternate greens that made the 4th (or 5th?) play as a par four or par five.

Regards,

Mike

[Robert Kimball]

Mike, I will try to explain, but my knowledge is not the best on these clubs.  It is my understanding that Settindown and Ansley  both "merged" under one umbrella (I believe for financial reasons).  So, if you are a member at one club, you are a member of the other, etc.  
  I don't think that Ansley is going to be torn up.  It is an old course, and I think the membership will be able to support it.  BUT, It does sit on a nice piece of property in-town, so maybe the Atlanta city government knows something I don't.  

I hope this helps a little, perhaps Bob Crosby is around to help . . . .  

[BCrosby]

Mike -

The original Settindown Club went bust about 7 or 8 years ago. They shopped it around to Ansley, Capital City, Piedmont Driving Club and a couple of other local clubs. The key issue was that Settindown had several million dollars in membership buy-back obligations they couldn't pay.

What I heard about the negotionations with the several clubs was fascinating. (None of which I can repeat.) In all events, Ansley "bought" Settindwon by assuming their buy-back obligations. The course is still well maintained and a brutal test.

I think both Capital City and the PDC now regret not having done the deal when they had the chance. Both have since built their own out of town courses (one by Fazio and one by Rees, each at mind-boggling expense) and neither is as good as Settindown.

I had forgotten about no. 4 at Ansley. It has alternate greens, one playing as a par 4 and one as a par 5. Both versions are pretty good holes.

It is customary in these parts to dump on Ansley. It is a 9 hole, short, intown course. But I've always enjoyed playing it. It has the greatest virtue any golf course can have in ATL. I can get to it even during rush hour. BTW, I'm not a member there.

Bob  

[Mike Hendren]

Thanks Bob.  I played Ansley some twenty years ago after a huge night on the town and five hours sleep.  I recall sobering up on the back nine

Was the course indeed temporarily closed due to the public works project and if so was it altered in any way?  I recall it being quirky, yet charming, but am not surprised it is maligned.  Any club that included the late Lewis Grizzard as a member couldn't be all bad.

Regards,

Mike

[BCrosby]

I knew Grizzard a little. He helped us organize several Heart Fund charity tournaments. He would play and do a little stand-up comedy routine afterwards.

Last time I saw him was a couple of month before he died. He was in the card room at Ansley, smoking like a chimney, drinking beer, angry with his cards, angry about his golf game and very happy.

I don't think Ansley was closed any time in recent memory. They did close the road running by the 1st fairway to repair the bridge near the 3rd tee. But I don't think the course was closed for that work.

Bob

[D. Kilfara]

Bob, funnily enough I was just up at Settindown Creek on Saturday. (I'm back in Scotland now.) My first look at it - a very nice layout. A few too many trees for my liking, and the course is *really* wet at the moment, but I was delighted to discover a mostly flat, and therefore very walkable, course in the Atlanta area with some definite strategic interest. I can't think of nine holes in the entire Atlanta area which are as level as Settindown's front nine. (Of course, that's in part why it gets so wet...)

I think you're wrong about the course not being closed, though. My member friend who took me out there explained, if I remember him correctly, that shortly after the buyout, Ansley was closed for about 10 months - for whatever reason, public officials decided to rearrange the entire local sewage system, which required digging up Ansley. The club decided to use the break to do a fair amount of work on the course, especially the greens and tees, while its members were able to go up and play Settindown. There were about 350 members at Settindown - which is a golf club only, not a country club - and 800 at Ansley; the Ansley-based members discovered, in the main, that Settindown was too difficult for them, so the 350 at Settindown have a great deal in that their course hasn't been swamped by Ansley-based members, and they can still go and play/use the facilities at Ansley whenever they like.

By the way, for what it's worth the club is apparently looking at building a par-3 course (or maybe an executive-type course with a few par 4s on it) as well, up at Settindown. An architect (I know not who) was hired and has drawn up plans for it, using land near the current 14th/15th holes, but the club might change its mind and try to shoehorn it in nearer the clubhouse somehow by repositioning the driving range, among other things. I hope it comes to fruition...

Cheers,
Darren

[BCrosby]

Darren -

There is no question about it. The members at Ansley have one of the best golf deals anywhere. Many of us in other clubs look on with envy.

Bob