Atlanta here!

[Eric Strulowitz]

New to this group and just wanted to introduce myself.  Have "lurked" here for a long time, enjoying the conversation and the amazing pictures, thought it was time to join in.

I live just outside of Atlanta and am a member of Pinetree Country Club.  We completed a multimillion dollar renovation last year, the course has "grown in" and is an absolute gem.  It was an amazing experience to see an already great course tore to pieces tee to green everywhere and reconstructed and vastly improved.  Kudos to our architect Bill Bergin!   It would be an absolute pleasure to have any of you as guests, just give me a hollar at ericthehammer2003@yahoo.com.  I love to talk golf and love to talk about architecture and course design.

I have played extensively throughout the world, just recently completed a trip to South England and played Princes, Royal Cinque Ports, Royal St. Georges, Littlestone, and Rye.   Rye was my favorite and truly lived up to the hype.  I actually found it quite playable and wide open, it gave you exactly what you deserved.   Seeing pictures here and reading some of the reports gave me some excellent preparation.   Proud to say I shot a lifetime low of 79 there! 

I am very much a traditionalist when it comes to golf course archtecture.  I am very much turned off by the subdivision type golf courses that are extremely prevalent in he Atlanta market, although I do understand the economic rationale for it.  I am a walker and ride only when I have to. 

Anyway, just wanted to introduce myslelf, hope that some of you in the area will take me up on my offer to play at Pinetree CC,  and I definately plan to be active here and attend some of the GCA events in the future.  I applaud the passion and love of the game that is clearly evident here.



 

[Ben Sims]

Eric,

Welcome to the collective.

Peace up...A Town down.

Look forward to meeting you next time I'm back home in the land of Tom Murphy and the Varsity.

Ben

[Anthony Gray]

  Eric,

  Welcome. A few of us live within hours of Atlanta and would like to join you for a round. Have fun and please share your experiences with us. The more the better. Again do not be bashful and teach as well as learn from others.

  Best,

  Anthony

[A.G._Crockett]

Eric,
Welcome.  Bill Bergin is a good friend, and I know how excited he is about what was done at Pinetree.  Don't know if you have seen him or not, but I think he is playing some golf out there as well.  I'm in Alpharetta.

[Eric Strulowitz]

Eric,
Welcome.  Bill Bergin is a good friend, and I know how excited he is about what was done at Pinetree.  Don't know if you have seen him or not, but I think he is playing some golf out there as well.  I'm in Alpharetta.

We were very lucky to have Bill.  I met him on several occasions and he always took the time to answer questions and explain the rationale for the design changes.

I applaud his vision and confidence.  We had a difficult "grow-in" because of a cool end of summer 2008 and fall.  Bill and the rest of the Pinetree staff were reassuring and always seemed confident and this confidence carried us though a few worrisome months, as a few of the fairways were very inmature.  Well here we are now and the course that Bill envisioned and promised is just about here and the kudos from visitors and guests makes us all proud.   There is talk of some major tournaments coming our way and we have a course that will test the best of the best.  I hope one day I can post some pictures, some of the holes are absolutely stunning!

I understand Bill is now a member of our club.  I have seeen him on the range and out on the course.  Looks the guy has some game!

Like I said, it would be a pleasue to host anyone here   for 18 or 36 with a great lunch in between.  Just give a hollar!

[Eric Smith]

Welcome to the atlas Eric.  There are only 9 or 10 of us E-Men on here, so the group could definitely stand another Eazy-E!

I just looked at pics of your course on Bill Bergin's website - wow, looks great. The grass faced bunkers look really cool and to my eyes are very similar to the style in which Renaissance re-built all of our bunkers at my club in Knoxville.  Also, my friends across town at Fox Den are very proud of the work Bill did in renovating their golf course.

Thank you for the invite too.  If you haven't already seen or heard, there's a GCA event on the horizon not too far from you in Aiken, SC coming up - The 6th annual Dixie Cup.  Should be a great trip and a chance to meet some great guys too.  Check it out...http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40852.msg862599/

Cheers,
Eric

[Phil_the_Author]

Eric, welcome to the madness from Phil in Alpharetta! By the way, check your email... 

[RJ_Daley]

Eric, nice introduction of yourself.  And, your post caused me to look up Mr Bergin and Pinetree's webpages.  That led me to also take a glance at Pinetree's original archie, Chic Adams. 

What may be interesting to this group is if you by chance have some photos of holes before and after Bergin's work.  Of course if it was a complete redo, maybe there just are no comparisons.   Looking at the routing on the google map, it doesn't look like there would be much ability to change the route.  But that map shows the driving range and a couple of holes under remodel.   

It is always nice to hear another satisfied member with some archie's work.  Maybe we don't give enough credit to the less well known ones... particularly if they do work that is well received.

[Jason Walker]

I understand Bill is now a member of our club.  I have seeen him on the range and out on the course.  Looks the guy has some game!

If my memory serves he played in a British Open back in the 80's.  I had a chance to caddy for him several times way back then and besides being a great player he was a hell of a nice guy.

[Mark Pritchett]

Eric,

Greetings from down the road in Augusta, welcome to the site.

I am quite fond of Bill Bergin's work at Chattanooga G and CC, I will have to check out Pine Tree's website. 

Cheers,

Mark

[Mike_Young]

I have played Bill's Chatanooga CC course and it is good....I played with him a couple of weeks ago and he was saying how much he liked how Pinetree had turned out....I know it was good a few years ago so I am sure it will be much improved next time I play it....
Yes, Bill played the tour for a while and  couple of US and British Opens I think....
I think he also just reworked Sky Valley.

[Keith Williams]

Eric,

Welcome to the group.  There is a decent population of Atl'ers here (I'm right up the road from you in Acworth).  

How long have you been a member at Pinetree?  I had mixed feelings about the redesign of Pinetree when I first heard about it.  I am familiar with Bill's work and knew he would do a good job, but the original course (especially if the club wanted to do a little restoring) was unique in a sort of diamond in the rough way.  Having kept an eye on the project, what Bill has done is great and I feel that the members have gotten a tremendous product from their investment.  Through most of its history as a private club (it was originally O.B. Keeler Golf Course and owned by Cobb County) it has been well respected, but had fallen off the radar a little bit in the past decade or two.  I think with the recent redesign, it will be back in a big way.

Keith.

[Eric Strulowitz]

Eric,

Welcome to the group.  There is a decent population of Atl'ers here (I'm right up the road from you in Acworth).  

How long have you been a member at Pinetree?  I had mixed feelings about the redesign of Pinetree when I first heard about it.  I am familiar with Bill's work and knew he would do a good job, but the original course (especially if the club wanted to do a little restoring) was unique in a sort of diamond in the rough way.  Having kept an eye on the project, what Bill has done is great and I feel that the members have gotten a tremendous product from their investment.  Through most of its history as a private club (it was originally O.B. Keeler Golf Course and owned by Cobb County) it has been well respected, but had fallen off the radar a little bit in the past decade or two.  I think with the recent redesign, it will be back in a big way.

Keith.

Been a member of Pinetree for several years now.  I agree, it was a real diamond in the rough before the renovation.
An extrememly friendly group of golfers and a very family oriented place.  The course was a minimalist type of layout, not real tricked up, but ever so hard to score on.  And the small and fast greens with those false fronts added to the diffculty.

I would say that most members are extremely pleased with the new course, we all have high hopes for the club.  It has been difficult to attract new members, as with all clubs right now.  The economy has been tough on golf this way.  Probably the same all over.

[A.G._Crockett]

I understand Bill is now a member of our club.  I have seeen him on the range and out on the course.  Looks the guy has some game!

If my memory serves he played in a British Open back in the 80's.  I had a chance to caddy for him several times way back then and besides being a great player he was a hell of a nice guy.

Bill played HS golf in Cobb Co. at Wheeler HS with Bob Tway (a pretty good HS team, BTW!), then was an A-A golfer at Auburn.  He played professionally for a number of years on both the PGA and European Tours, and played in several US and British Opens.  After leaving the Tour, he taught for awhile before going to work in the design business, I think first for Bob Cupp. 

In addition to the Chattanooga CC renovation and a number of other original designs and renovations, along with the recent work at Pinetree, Bill did the Auburn University Club course, which serves as the home facility for the Auburn golf team.  All of his work that I have seen is excellent, and he is a great example of a GCA that just doesn't get enough attention outside the region where he does most of his work.  I'm sure there are others around the country.  If you get the chance to see any of his stuff, I think you'll like it.  For instance, Bill did a course called Woodfin Ridge in Inman, SC, that is a true hidden gem.  Very much under the radar, even on a site like this, but several GCA.com contributors besides myself have played, and all considered it to be excellent.

He has regained his amateur status, and has played a little tournament golf in the last couple of years, including the GA Amateur, which he won in 1981.  He has still got plenty of game, believe me.

[Kenny Baer]

Eric,

Welcome aboard; I have heard great things about Pine Tree since the renovation.  The last time I played it was in an AJGA event 15+ years ago.

I am a member of Atlanta CC; we should do a home and home.  Let me know when you can do it. 

[Jason Walker]

Kenny-
Say hi to Jack Rood for me if you get a chance.

[Ray Cross]

Hey Mike Young,
Speaking of unlown golf courses......Sky Valley?   I didn't believe it when I saw you mention it. I grew up in Clayton, GA before there were any golf courses in Rabun County except for the municipal 9 holer. Your post made me start loking and I found that Kingwood is still in existance as well as a newer one over on Lake Burton. It's almost beyond comprehension that Clayton/Rabun County has become a topic on CGA.
Sorry, the topic was Atlanta golf...back to the main event.

Ray

[Kenny Baer]

Kenny-
Say hi to Jack Rood for me if you get a chance.

Is Jack Carlysle brother or father?

I am terrible with names.

[Jason Walker]

Kenny-
Jack is Carlyle's brother.  Jack was a fraternity brother of mine at UGA.