For Atlanta:
White Columns GC (Nice and bland) Big new clubhouse and they added swim and tennis!
Golf Club of Georgia (Lakeside only since Creekside sucks and doesn't even qualify as good)
Cherokee T & CC (The renovation made it easier and it looks like alot of the course budget goes to crepe myrtles, hosta and annual plantings) Everything they do there is perfect, the clubhouse and downtown club are awesome and yet after a round there it seemed like I was playing in a botanical garden. It's almost too pretty!?
Hawk's Ridge (beautiful if you like wall to wall edged bermudagrass and raked pinestraw--most people comment on how you can putt on the bent tees--never heard anyone come back and talk about any particular hole or the architecture!) The fake waterfall coming out from behind the 15th green is as fake as anything seen in someone's landscaped back yard.
As far as lessons go I think flash sells and there is a market for it. Client golf is about entertaining and impressing, not necessarily enjoying or appreciating golf. I think White Columns and Cherokee are doing very well. I am sure Cherokee has a long waiting list and I think White Columns is near capacity.
The other courses are struggling for members--the down side of flash is that it's very expensive and once you market that you have to maintain it.